New Delhi: HLive
Seeing the rise in the number of child victims in sexual assault cases, due to over pressure from families, the Delhi Court issues certain directions to the government.
Highlighting on this, the POSCO court directed the government to hire psychologist for all eleven POSCO courts to monitoring the mental health of such children.
While, passing the order, the court stressed that this was much-needed as many times, child victims are often not even fit enough to record their testimonies in court.
Additional sessions judge Vinod Yadav passed the order while hearing the case of a 13-year-old girl who was allegedly raped by her step-father.
On recording her testimony before the court, the girl collapsed and doctors who examined her said that the minor collapsed due to mental pressure. What further substantiated the doctors’ version about the girl’s collapse were testimonies of the court staff who told the judge that prior to the hearing, they saw the girl’s mother and her grandmother pressuring her to “depose in favour of the accused and take back her allegations.”
Taking serious note of this, the court said, “No mechanism of child psychologists has been provided in special courts…whose services can be availed by the court in assessing the mental stress of the victim before proceeding to record their evidence, so that children can be cooled off…It is highly desirable that a list of accredited child psychologists be made available…whose services can be availed if need arises…Only after assessing the mental condition of child victims by psychologists, the court may proceed to record their evidence (testimony),”
The court forwarded its order to Delhi government’s principal secretary (health), DCW chairperson and other concerned departments of Delhi government with direction to take appropriate steps in this regard “so that victims of sexual assault can be saved from unnecessary mental pressure, before deposing in court.”
The judge -who sits at Rohini court complex– also sent its order to district and sessions judge (Rohini court), requesting the senior most judge of the complex to take up the matter with Delhi high court.
The report of NCRB 2014, shows there has been a significant rise in the country in cases of incestuous rapes, when a close family member badgering.
