SCHEME FOR MINOR RAPE VICTIMS – GOVERNMENT SCHEME
News: Govt
launches scheme for shelter, aid to pregnant minor rape victims
What's in the news?
● Union Minister for Women
and Child Development Smriti Irani launched a
scheme to provide shelter, food and legal aid for pregnant minor victims of
sexual assault who have no family support.
Key takeaways:
● The
proposal for “critical care and support
for accessing justice to rape/gang rape survivors and minor girls who get
pregnant” has been approved by the WCD Ministry with an outlay of Rs 74.10
crore and will be applicable across the country in a week’s time.
Scheme for Minor Rape Victims:
Need:
● In
2021, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported 51,863 cases under the
POCSO Act.
● The
WCD Ministry officials revealed that 64% or 33,348 cases out of those were
reported under sections 3 and 5 of the Act, which pertains to penetrative
sexual assault and aggravated penetrative sexual assault, respectively.
Aim:
● It
aims to provide integrated
support and assistance to girl child victims under one roof, facilitate
immediate, emergency and non-emergency
access to a range of services, including access to education, police
assistance, and health care, including maternity, neo-natal and infant care,
psychological and legal support.
Nodal Ministry: Union Minister for Women
and Child Development
Funding:
● It
would operate under the aegis of the
Nirbhaya Fund and an amount of ₹74.1 crore has been allocated for the same.
Coverage:
● Any girl who is below 18
years of age and is a victim of rape as per the provisions of the POCSO Act and
has become pregnant due to such assault or rape would be covered under the
scheme.
● Such
a victim should either be an orphan or have been abandoned by the family.
Features of the scheme:
● The
government will provide medical,
financial and infrastructural support to victims in cases where the sexual
assault results in pregnancies.
● As
per the rules, it is not mandatory for
the victim to have a copy of the First Information Report (FIR) for
availing the benefits under the scheme.
Go back to basics:
Nirbhaya Fund:
● The
Government of India had set up a dedicated fund called ‘Nirbhaya Fund’ for
implementation of initiatives aimed at enhancing
the safety and security for women in the country.
One Stop Centre:
● Under
the Nirbhaya Fund, one of the schemes namely “One Stop Centre (OSC) Scheme” is
implemented across the country since 1st April 2015.
● OSCs
aim to facilitate women affected by
violence with a range of integrated services under one roof such as Police
facilitation, medical aid, providing legal and psycho-social counseling and
temporary shelter.
● OSCs
are to be set up within 2 kms radius
of the hospitals or medical facilities either in newly constructed buildings in
an approved design or in pre-existing buildings.
● Under
the scheme, One Stop Centers are being set up in all districts of the country.