See, child beating and child abuse are the things that we, society as a whole, need to stand up against collectively. It is true that incidents like this can have a huge negative impact on a child’s mind and this can be a huge problem not just for the child in his/her life but for society as well in a number of ways. But thankfully, right here in India, we have a few strong and strict laws that are there to prevent child beating in India. So, let’s have a look at just that.
What Are The Main Legal Measures Regarding This In India?
Basically, the legal structure in India for the protection of children from physical maltreatment including child beating is very strong, and how’s that? Well, this is a practice established by the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which is the main legal parameter of Indian criminal law, you know?
1. Indian Penal Code (IPC) Provisions
The core section of IPC which deals with the physical abuse of children is Section 323. This part of the code states that any person who has intentionally made another person suffer, including the children, through pain shall be liable to be punished with the imposition of fines or jail terms of varying duration. And on top of all that, in cases of severe injuries such as fractured bones, etc., Section 325 comes into the role, and longer periods of jail time are given for punishment.
2. Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012
Although the POCSO Act is mainly for preventing sexual abuse against children, it should be known that in some cases, it also includes physical abuse. For example, if a child is hurt physically in the process of sexual abuse, the abuser can get a dual punishment under the IPC and the POCSO Act which means that the victim will face huge legal consequences. And this is the fear in the offenders that has worked quite well, which is why child abuse cases have gone down in number quite significantly over the years.
3. Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
This Act is mainly targeted at those cases where children are being subjected to harsh treatment and caused harm by their guardians, or caretakers. We are specifically talking about Section 75. The punishments under this law are strict, including up to five years of imprisonment, and/or fines, depending on the gravity of the offense.
