Hitting out at the child abuse prevalence in India, Union minister Smriti Irani said that there is a presumption amongst many that child abuse is limited to families that are poor, but in reality, it is as much evident in prosperous families as well.
Addressing the National Workshop on Child Rights with Emphasis on Preventive Aspects of Child Protection Issues, Irani urged the participants to look into abuse that happens in prosperous families, in powerful organisations, and in childcare institutions.
"There is a presumption amongst many that abuse is limited to families that are poor and that the abused child is restricted to poverty, but in reality, such abuse is as much evident in prosperous families," she said.
"And how can we not as administrators, but as citizens find solutions," the Union Women and Child Development minister told the participants that consisted of NGOs, government officials among others.
She said the best test of a democracy is if, "we as citizens, we as a nation can deliver justice to all children".
"This is a workshop conducted under the aegis of 75 years of Independence and until such time that every child is afforded protection can we truly be free.
"So on your shoulders rests the freedom of a future generation so that may they grow without fear so that they may grow with confidence that if they seek justice that justice will be delivered so that they grow with the belief that what you do today in the protection of children is the flag that they will bear for their future generation," she said.
According to the latest data of the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), Uttar Pradesh tops in the number of incidents related to sexual offences against children.
The NCRB data released in September this year stated that 47,221 cases of the Prevention of Child from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act were reported in 28 states and eight union territories across the country.
Of these, UP reported a maximum – 6,898 cases of POCSO Act in 2020. UP is followed by Maharashtra with around 5,687 Pocso cases, Madhya Pradesh 5,648 cases, Tamil Nadu 3,090, and West Bengal 2,657 cases.