Forensic Study of Child Sexual Abuse in Northern Range of Himachal Pradesh
Journal Title: Peer Reviewed Journal of Forensic & Genetic Sciences - Year 2018, Vol 1, Issue 3
Abstract
Background: The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 had made a significant contribution for trickling the cases against children and adolescents. The aim of the present study is to determine the socio-demographic profile of sexually assaulted children and their medico legal aspects. Material and Methods: The study was conducted on 181 cases of sexual assaults registered under POCSO Act, 2012 received for examination at Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Northern Range, Dharamshala and Himachal Pradesh, India during the year 2013-2016. The details pertaining to socio-demographic factors (sex, age, religion, and profession), season, place of incidence, relationship with accused, time interval between alleged incidence and medical examinations, condition of hymen and results of exhibits examined in forensic lab were noted in a self-designed per forma.Results: The cases of female sexual assaults (95.58%) outnumbered the male sexual assaults (2.76%). 90.05% victims were Hindus followed by Muslims (6.62%), Buddhists/Tibetans (1.10%), and Christians (0.55%). The most commonly sexual assaults were reported in the month of winter (31.49%) followed by monsoon (29.83%), summer (24.30%) and autumn (14.36%). The common site of offence was the house of accused (38.67%) followed by house of victim (17.12%).This study revealed that most vulnerable age group was 16-18 years (48.06%). 71.27%of the alleged sexual assault victims were students. Most commonly sexual crimes were committed by the person familiar to the victim (85.63%).97.23% victims were unmarried and1.10% were married. Maximum numbers of victims were medico-legally examined on second day of incidence (27.62%). Hymen was found intact in 12.15% female victims and torn/ruptured with old tears in 22.09% cases. Recent tears were noticed in 43.09% female victims. Spermatozoa were detected in 30.93% cases on undergarments, pubic hair, vaginal swabs, vaginal smear slides, clothes and bed sheets.Conclusion: Most commonly sexual assaults are committed by the familiar persons and the place of incidence was either house of the accused or victim. The most vulnerable age group was 16-18 years. Delay in medico legal examination and delay in reporting caused loss of biological evidences.
Authors and Affiliations
Surender Kumar Pal, Ajay Rana, Arun Sharma
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP637557
- DOI 10.32474/PRJFGS.2018.01.000112
- Views 193
- Downloads 0
Present Day Mutations Show Theoretical Possibility of Various Human Hair Appearances Arising from a Pristine Human Hair Type in Antiquity
t is quite obvious that the different ethnicities on earth today exhibit various hair appearances. Such appearances include straight, wavy, curly etc. How did this come about? According to creati...
A Critical Exploration of Ethical Decision Making through Disability and Ethnicity-Case study
This essay will focus on the ethical judgements required when working with a client with disability and different ethnicity in counselling and how these may differ from able bodied clients. It includes a c...
Victims of the Civil War and the Franco Repression in Asturias: A Provisional Balance
ounting and naming the dead of armed conflicts, massacres and any historical traumatic event is not yet an easy task; even less if they mediated long decades with a dictatorship of almost forty years in between. More dif...
Enforcement of Regulatory Bodies to Trade Indian Medicinal Plants and DNA Bar-coding In Wildlife Forensics
India’s diverse topology and habitat flourishes near about 45,000 species of plants. Certain species among these plants are medicinal plant species which are endemic to India. These plants are valuable for their medicina...
Assertiveness of Bullying Victims in Elementary School
Forensic Science and Forensic Psychiatry plays a role in the developement of Psychology in Children and Psychology Education. Forensic science is related with physical examination in victims wh...