Study of sexual assaults among minor victim girls

The rights of children which include the right to live, the right to health care and the right to protection from economic and sexual exploitation are at jeopardy. The basic objective of the study was to analyze the factors that make the minor girls to be victimized and to reveal the diversity of genital injuries amongst the minor survivors of sexual assault. Among all victim girls below 18 years coming to the department under POCSO Act, the details pertaining to age, religion, literacy, socio economic status, site and place of incidence, time interval between incidence and medico legal examination, number of assailants and relationship with assailants were noted. The victimized children were examined to ascertain the types of sexual abuse along with the pattern of the physical and genital injuries. Three out of four perpetrators of such crime happen to be close acquaintance, accomplish or relative. Two third of recent hymen tears were encountered in pre pubertal age groups where statistical significance (p<0.001) was also noted. This study will enhance the awareness of health care providers, policy makers, police personnel, counsellors and all other community members.