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Child abuse is any kind of ill-treatment of a child. According to the latest reports, India witnesses 53% of child abuse cases every year. Out of the many forms of abuse faced by a child, sexual abuse is considered the most heinous and grave. It hampers the development of a child in all respect.
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Since 1983 the world is celebrating the month of April, as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. But even after 37 years, the majority of children all over the world are not safe. Some of the countries which account for child abuse include Romania, Pakistan, UAE, Brazil, South Africa, India, etc. Two hundred million children all over the world experienced abuse at the hands of people known or unknown to them. On the other hand, some countries such as UK, Sweden, the USA, Australia, etc. account have reported lower cases. So, what is different in these countries that they account for low child abuse cases? Is the law stricter there? Or the laws are altogether different? Let’s dig deep into this issue to improve the situation.
Any kind of ill-treatment of a child is termed child abuse. According to the latest reports, India witnesses 53% of child abuse cases every year. Out of the many forms of abuse faced by a child, sexual abuse is considered the most heinous and grave. It hampers the development of a child in all respect. India alone does not account for child abuse cases. Despite many relevant constitutional provisions in India that aim to ensure child safety and welfare, children are not safe from the abuses at the hands of the elders. Many laws all over the world ensure to safeguard the children from the hands of the abuser, and India can curb the rate of child abuse by implementing those laws. One such law is Megan’s Law.
Child Abuse – Megan’s Law
Megan’s Law is a law in the US under which a child sex offender’s information is mandatorily made available to the public by the law enforcement authorities. This law aims to curb the sexual offense trend by implementing sex offender registration and notification (SORN) regimes. The community can be made aware of the sex offender residing in their vicinity. The community can be made aware of the sex offenders by making the registry information public. The state government decides upon how much information should be shared with the public. The offender’s name, photograph, address, etc. are shared over social media platforms and newspapers.
No doubt this law is constitutional as it is remedial rather than punitive. Yet it has been criticized for vigilant violence ground. Moreover, there is no significant evidence that would prove its effectiveness. Civil rights are those rights that confer upon the citizens, equal opportunity, and equal protection under the law. The law has created an adverse impact on the offender’s family and friends.
There is no direct punishment under this law, but the indirect effects of this law are no less than punishment for the offender for life long. The offender has to face embarrassment, harassment, isolation, vandalism, or injury to the reputation of the offender. Human rights activists also consider this law a violation of privacy rights. However, considering the extent of this kind of offense, it can be said that if this law saves the life of even one child, then the law should not be argued against.
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