The Centre has established a unique programme to assist minor rape victims who become pregnant as a result of sexual assault with medical, financial, and infrastructural support.
Helping Minor Rape Victims
- The scheme, funded by the Nirbhaya Fund, intends to meet the needs of child victims and has been allotted 74.1 crore.
- This initiative has been implemented in collaboration with state governments and Child Care Institutions (CCIs) by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
- It makes advantage of Mission Vatsalya’s current administrative structure, which focuses on child safety and welfare.
The Scheme’s Objectives
- Integrated Support: The scheme’s goal is to give complete help and support to girl child victims under a single umbrella.
- Access to schooling, police help, healthcare (including maternity, neo-natal, and baby care), psychiatric support, and legal aid are among the immediate and non-emergency services available.
- Insurance Protection: The system provides insurance protection for the minor victim and her newborn.
Eligibility and Protection
- Criteria: Victims eligible for assistance under the plan are females under the age of 18 who get pregnant as a result of rape under the provisions of the POCSO Act and are orphaned or abandoned by their relatives.
- There is no requirement for a FIR. To get benefits under the system, victims do not need to have a copy of the First Information Report (FIR).
Other projects
- POCSO Fast-Track Courts: The government has established 415 fast-track courts across the country to speed judicial proceedings for minor rape victims.
- Additional Assistance: The new plan supplements court actions by offering extensive assistance to minor victims.
Need for Assistance
- In 2021, the National Crime Records Bureau recorded 51,863 cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).
- Predominantly Victimisation of Females: According to the analysis, 99% of the incidents involved females, many of whom face physical and mental health issues when they become pregnant as a result of the assault.
- Vulnerable Situations: Some victims have been shunned or abandoned by their families, while others are orphans, compounding their difficulties.
Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/scheme-approved-to-support-abandoned-minor-rape-survivors-with-shelter-legal-aid-and-financial-assistance-101688409527713.html#:~:text=The%20%E2%80%9Cscheme%20for%20critical%20care,for%20the%20scheme%2C%20it%20added.