Under POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) 2012, 'Aggravated sexual assault' on a child is punishable and is defined as assault by persons in a position of trust or authority. Which age threshold defines a 'child' under the POCSO Act 2012?

• A Below 14 years
• B Below 16 years
• C Below 18 years ✓
• D Below 21 years

Explanation

The POCSO Act 2012 defines 'child' as any person below the age of 18 years. The Act criminalises all forms of sexual abuse of persons below 18 years regardless of gender, consent, or relationship. The POCSO Amendment Act 2019 further enhanced penalties for offences against children below 16 years (defining this as aggravated penetrative sexual assault) and introduced mandatory minimum sentences. Medical practitioners examining a child victim under POCSO are required to follow specific MLC procedures and the report is submitted to the designated Special Court.

Reference: The Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (Narayan Reddy), 34th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.