Kohima: Good intentions are destroying lives. When crimes against children occur, local organizations and neighbors often rush to condemn the acts in public. They reveal too much. While meant to show solidarity, these actions strip child victims of their legal right to anonymity.
Indian law is clear. The POCSO Act and the Juvenile Justice Act demand strict identity protection to prevent what experts call social death. It keeps victims from being judged or isolated by their own communities. Despite this, tribal bodies and student unions in Nagaland frequently release statements that allow people to decode a victim's identity.
Advocate Winona warns that silence is a legal mandate, not a choice. She says, “In many communities, the social stigma attached to sexual offenses can be as damaging as the crime itself.” Intent does not matter here. Even if a group wants to help, leaking details is a crime under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The damage goes beyond the courtroom. Activists report that victims often withdraw from investigations because of prying questions from community members. Some victims stop going to school. Others develop suicidal tendencies. Public exposure forces families to flee or drop legal complaints entirely.
Even police work suffers. Discretion builds trust. When investigators keep details quiet, families feel safe enough to cooperate. When that trust breaks, the case dies. Victims are left feeling discarded by the very people who claim to support them. While awareness is slowly rising, the rush to condemn remains a persistent barrier to justice.
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