Surge in POCSO cases in Kerala stress need for robust counselling system

Thiruvananthapuram: The sexual assault suffered by a minor girl in Kerala from around 60 persons over the last five years not only points fingers at the increasing number of sexual assault cases against children in Kerala, but also the lack of a proper counselling mechanism at educational institutions.

Over the last few years Kerala has been witnessing an increase in cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

As per the data available from the state police, 1,762 cases were registered in the state under the POCSO Act till November in 2024 while it was 1,719 in 2023 and 1,704 in 2022.

Kerala had witnessed a steep rise in POCSO cases during COVID. While the number of POCSO cases registered in 2020 was 1,243, in 2021 it went up to 1,568.

Even as the state had earlier initiated counselling service in schools, it is yet to be made a fool proof mechanism. The sexual assault on the minor girl from the age of 13 to 18 came to light only through community level counselling and not through school level counselling.

The state Women and child development department had earlier initiated a project to provide counselling service at schools and as a result several incidents of sexual harassment suffered by children even from with in their families had come out. But directives to expand it to more schools still remain on papers, especially owing to the financial obligations involved.  

Pathanamthitta district child welfare committee chairman Advocate Rajeev N told DH that at present most government schools were engaging the service of counsellors on a voluntary basis. But many aided schools were found to be not engaging counsellors. Hence early intervention in not fool proof. "We are now taking steps to strengthen panchayat level child protection committees," he said.

A professional counsellor engaged in school level counselling said that many schools were considering counselling only as a name sake activity now even as counselling to children has become very crucial in the present scenario.

"It all depends on the head of each institution. If the head of the institutions are interested, they will initiate a formal counselling mechanism. Otherwise, it will remain as a name sake activity. Many schools were not even engaging qualified persons as counsellors. Moreover, there should be a mechanism where the counsellor gets adequate time to interact with each child," said the counsellor, who preferred anonymity.