That is the intent and object behind a victim-centric approach under the POCSO Act, he said.
“The intention of creating a victim-centric approach is not to convict the accused in all cases, but only to ensure that she has the confidence to speak the reality, truth, so that only the guilty get punished,” Justice Thomas said.
Justice Thomas was speaking on the subject ‘Victim Centric Approach in POCSO cases’ at a colloquium recently organized by the Kerala High Court to sensitize different stakeholders in the justice delivery system who handle cases involving children.
In his speech, the judge recounted an incident where the parents of a child did not believe or support her when she raised sexual abuse allegations against a staff member of a clinic, despite the mother of the victim being present during the said incident.
“These predators, the manner and mode in which they commit this act (sexual abuse) is unimaginable. Those who have undergone this sexual abuse will only realize,” he said.
Source: Barandbench
