A Study on Awareness of the POCSO Act, 2012 Amongst the Parents of Teenage Children in South Bengaluru

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is one of the nation's utmost serious and distressing challenges. Thousands of girls and boys from different age ranges are being sexually abused in their homes, school, playgrounds, public places and in the so called “safe places”. Knowledge and perceptions regarding the same are as decisive and significant as the legal provisions available in India towards restricting the child sexual abuse and securing the childhood. The purpose of the present questionnaire-based study was conducted to gauge the knowledge and the awareness amongst parents of teenage children regarding the Protection of children from sexual offences Act 2012 as the parents play a very important role during the formative age of the children and in our study, it was revealed that even though 95.3% parents were significantly aware of the child sexual abuse, only 68% were aware of the POCSO act 2012 and the punishments prescribed and its amendments. The results of the study hint at the grave reality of lack of awareness among parents regarding the act however, what is relieving here is that, at the least the parents are aware of the concept of child sexual abuse and its consequences. The current scenario calls for the requirement of plentiful resources on awareness and application of child abuse prevention, public responsiveness and positive parenting.