Study of Sexual Assaults among Minor Victim Girls

Abstract

The rights of children which include the right to live, the right to health care and the right to protection from economic and sexual  exploitation are at jeopardy. The basic objective of the study was to analyze the factors that make the minor girls to be victimized and to  reveal the diversity of genital injuries amongst the minor survivors of sexual assault. Among all victim girls below 18 years coming to the  department under POCSO Act, the details pertaining to age, religion, literacy, socio economic status, site and place of incidence, time  interval between incidence and medico legal examination, number of assailants and relationship with assailants were noted. The  victimized children were examined to ascertain the types of sexual abuse along with the pattern of the physical and genital injuries. Three  out of four perpetrators of such crime happen to be close acquaintance, accomplish or relative. Two third of recent hymen tears were  encountered in pre pubertal age groups where statistical significance (p<0.001) was also noted. This study will enhance the awareness of  health care providers, policy makers, police personnel, counsellors and all other community members.