Shillong, May 9: Cases of crimes against children are increasing at an alarming rate in East Khasi Hills district, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Crime) Bipul Das said today.
He revealed that a staggering 24 cases were recorded under POCSO in just April alone with the numbers likely to escalate even further this month.
Speaking at a panel discussion on media reporting on POCSO cases to mark World Press Freedom Day, Das said the spike makes it even more urgent for the media to understand their role as journalists who inform the public about such crimes.
He said reporting POCSO cases require sensitivity and care to ensure that victims are not further traumatised by insensitive reporting.
Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) chairperson Agatha K Sangma and Public Prosecutor NG Shullai stressed that the POCSO Act’s objective is to protect the child from further trauma and stigma while ensuring survivors of sexual violence get justice.
They said the press is free to report on incidents but cannot reveal the name of the victims or their locations as per the Act. Violation of this law will put the media into trouble including FIRs being filed against them.
Sangma said the media’s role is to generate awareness and give information to alert civil society. “Child sex abuse happens everywhere, children are being misused and exploited, that’s where POCSO comes in as a deterrent with its heavy penalties including the death penalty,” she said.
Shylla said that under the POCSO Act every person who comes to learn of child sexual abuse has to report it to the authorities. She noted that while the law is clear, the Meghalaya High Court has in some cases quashed POCSO FIRs after ensuring the couple mutually consented, have a child, and are living together. The court termed these ‘Romeo and Juliet’ cases, noting conviction may break the family and burden the victim further.
The event was organised by the Shillong Press Club in collaboration with the Directorate of Information and Public Relations.
IPR Minister Lahkmen Rymbui who attended the event as the chief guest stated that the press in Meghalaya has room to express their ideas because successive governments have never used them to serve their own interests.
Rymbui said that while social media has democratised information dissemination, it has also blurred the lines between fact and fiction. The public often grapples with distinguishing accurate news reports from misleading or sensationalised content that requires media literacy to empower individuals to analyse and critique the information they encounter, he said.
The minister said while the press possesses the freedom to investigate and report, it must prioritise factual accuracy over sensationalism.
DIPR Director Batlang S Sohliya said press freedom comes with responsibility and media must avoid sensationalism for TRPs and report all sides of a story.
World Press Freedom Day was observed today with a call for responsible reporting amid rising cases of child sexual abuse in the state.
