Child Rights & POCSO Awareness

Understanding child abuse, the POCSO Act, and how to protect children.

Types of Child Abuse

All forms of abuse and neglect have harmful effects on children. Fight For Right educates communities about these forms so children can be protected:

Intentional or unintentional physical violence, assault, or injury to a child — including slapping, burning, shaking, or withholding food/medicine.

Any sexual activity with or exposure of a child, covered under POCSO Act categories including penetrative assault, harassment, and child pornography.

Continual mistreatment including humiliation, threats, manipulation, and ignoring a child's emotional needs.

Failure to meet basic needs — physical, educational, emotional, or medical neglect and abandonment.

Child marriage, child labour, forced begging, and economic exploitation of children.

Abuse leads to PTSD, anxiety, low self-esteem, physical harm, and long-term impacts on education and wellbeing.

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 (amended 2019) defines and penalises:

Penetrative Sexual Assault (Section 3)
Aggravated Penetrative Sexual Assault (Section 5) – including cases by relatives, police, or public servants
Sexual Assault (Section 7) – non-penetrative sexual contact
Aggravated Sexual Assault (Section 9)
Sexual Harassment (Section 11)
Child Pornography (Sections 13–15)

We explain these provisions in simple, age-appropriate language during our school seminars.

Parents/Teachers: Maintain a safe environment, guide children about abuse in their language, watch for behavioural changes, listen and support, and report immediately to police.
Police: Record statements in the child’s language at a place of their choice — never call a child to the police station. Protect identity at all costs.
Medical Officers: Create a comfortable environment; preferably female for female victims.
Government: Provide compensation for rehabilitation, treatment, and education.
Media: Never disclose victim identity; promote awareness campaigns.

Book a free awareness seminar for your school or community.