Sameera Khan, Faculty of Law, Aligarh Muslim University
ABSTRACT
Children have been treated as sexual objects throughout history. In the ancient times, it was recorded through the medium of erotic literature and drawings. The development of technology in the modern times has resulted in the capturing of children in sexual positions through the means of camcorders, digital cameras and the files are then distributed over the internet. This phenomenon is known as child pornography. The internet has facilitated the growth of child pornography by making the process relatively easier and cheaper. It has an adverse impact on the development of the minds of the children and affects their physical and mental well-being for the rest of their lives. The Governments across the globe have understood the implications of child pornography and have taken measure to prevent its occurrence. However, despite these measures the industry continues to thrive and children are still vulnerable. There have been multiple incidents in India recently that have shown that the children are still vulnerable to sexual abuse. The Indian judiciary and legislature have also recognised the impact and the seriousness of the issue. There have been judicial pronouncements and the enactment of legislations which provide for strict punishments in order to Act as strong deterrents for the perpetrators of child pornography and child abuse. This paper analyses the measures undertaken by the Government along with the response of the courts. It further provides suggestions relating to measures that can be undertaken in order to combat child pornography in a more effective manner.
Keywords: Child Sexual Abuse, Child Pornography, POCSO Act, IT Act, Sexual Offence.
