Call for a nuanced approach to mandatory reporting in child sexual abuse cases
Tulir — Centre for the Prevention and Healing of Child Sexual Abuse and Enfold Proactive Health Trust hosted an online panel discussion on Best Interests of the Child and the topic of Mandatory Reporting on Wednesday.
Swagata Raha, Director of Research at Enfold, emphasised that the mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse should be looked at in a more nuanced way. She noted, “We need to consider questions like who we are reporting to, and what access we are ensuring for the child – as a counsellor, social worker or an organisation handling this information. That is what we need to reflect on.” She further spoke about the key elements of the child’s best interests to note in mandatory reporting, such as the child’s views, identity and situation of vulnerability, child’s right to education and health.
Jagadeesh Narayanreddy, Vice Principal, Professor and HOD, Forensic Medicine of Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences, discussed the ethical and legal dilemma faced by medical practitioners under Section 21 of the POSCO Act, commenting on the potential consequences for failing to report abuse.
Nimisha Srivastava, Executive Director of Counsel to Secure Justice, a non-profit organisation based in Delhi, shared real-life cases in which mandatory reporting impacted the child, and explained the penalties associated with false reporting.
Vidya Reddy, from Tulir stressed that there should be no need to ‘convince’ the families of CSA to act. She added that the Child Welfare Committee should adopt a more social, rather than punitive approach when addressing cases, in alignment with the child’s best interests.
Published – October 16, 2024 11:09 pm IST
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