Psychological scars of sexual abuse keep haunting survivors forever: Court

New Delhi: A Delhi court recently awarded 12 years of rigorous imprisonment to a 42-year-old man for sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl in 2018.The court of additional sessions judge Susheel Bala Sagar stated that it was the responsibility of society as a whole to take care of its children and protect them from physiological and psychological exploitation at the hands of sexual abusers."The children of the present day are the future of society. The interest of the vulnerable child needs to be protected for a healthy, developed and vibrant society. The psychological scars of sexual abuse during childhood are indelible and they keep haunting the individual forever, thereby hindering their proper physical and psychological development," stated the court in an order dated Oct 14.The court also directed a compensation of Rs 10.5 lakh for the survivor. The girl faced great mental trauma due to the acts of the convict, it stated.The convicted man, father of four sons, was a maulvi in a madrasa wherein the girl was a student. He was convicted by the court for offences under Section 6 (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the POCSO Act last month.Additional public prosecutor Yogita Kaushik Dahiya sought maximum punishment so that the same may act as a deterrent for other offenders.The court noted that the child suffered pain and suffering, loss of amenities of life, inconvenience, hardships, disappointment, frustration, mental stress, dejection, unhappiness in future life, etc. The survivor also suffered post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder or phobia(s) triggered by the incident, emotional harm/trauma, mental and physical shock, loss of marriage prospects and loss of reputation.The court further noted that the offence committed against the child was under Section 6 of the POCSO Act by the convict, which means that the child was subjected to penetrative sexual assault and mental as well as physical trauma. As a result of the said incident, not only the girl but even her family members have been subjected to humiliation and insult by society, it stated.The court asserted that a sexual offence may be an isolated act for the convict; however, the said act deeply impacts the life of the innocent child. "Thus, the penalty awarded to the convict should commensurate with the gravity of the loathsome act so as it serves as an effective deterrence to like-minded persons. However, the mitigating circumstances should also not be lost sight of while awarding the sentence," it stated.