Sahaara: Strengthening Support Systems for CSA Survivors

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) remains one of the gravest yet underreported crimes in India. Despite the enactment of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, which provides a robust legal framework to address sexual crimes against children, the implementation of its provisions—particularly those related to victim support—remains inconsistent and inadequate.

Moreover, awareness about the role and availability of support persons remains low among families, law enforcement, and even judicial officers. This lack of institutional support exacerbates the trauma and can deter victims from pursuing justice altogether

Support persons are mainly DCPU officers or childline staff, which changes frequently, due to overburden of work and understaffed system. Children suffer mainly emotional trauma as many times no support person are available due to over work of staff. Additional Support person is a requirement for more CSA survivors as reported by CWC and DCPU. This requirement will fill the gap and help the child and system to overcome some of the burden from the system and in fast tracking cases.

The POCSO Act was designed to be child-centric, ensuring sensitive handling of cases, speedy trials, and the appointment of support persons under Section 39 to assist victims through the legal process. However, in practice, the appointment of support persons is often overlooked or delayed, leaving victims—many of whom are already traumatized—without the emotional, psychological, or procedural guidance they are legally entitled to receive.

New Vision helps to strengthen the implementation of the POCSO Act in Kolhapur and Sangli ensuring timely legal aid, psychosocial support, and effective rehabilitation for child survivors of sexual abuse—through the activation of support persons and capacity building of stakeholders.