Raise age to report sex abuse till 30 years: WCD minister Maneka Gandhi

Nine months after it first said that minor victims of sexual abuse should be allowed to lodge complaints of their assaults as an adult, the ministry of women and child development has sent in a proposal in this regard to the home ministry. At the sideline of an event, WCD minister Maneka Gandhi said that the age for lodging complaints will be raised to 30 years old now. 

Gandhi also came out in support of actor Tanushree Dutta and said that more women need to come out to complain and that an Indian #MeToo campaign should be started. “I feel we should also start something called ‘Me Too India’ in which any woman who has been harassed at any point should write to us and we will investigate. For the first time, NCW is going into every case complained to us and we will go in detail,” she told reporters. 

In January this year, an adult survivor of child sex abuse (CSA) has met Gandhi to demand for an amendment of the law so that adult survivors can report childhood sexual abuse. The survivor, a Chennai-born 51 year old woman, now a scientist based in British Columbia had been abused by a relative when she was six. The abuse went on till she was 13.

While there is no Statute of Limitations on rape (IPC 367), IPC 377 (unnatural sex) is limited in their time to report, but this can be challenged. Section 19 of the POCSO Act 2012, which does not have retrospective effect, remains legally ambiguous on the reporting of abuse once the survivor turns 18.

INDIAN #METOO

Gandhi also came out in support of actor Tanushree Dutta and said that more women need to complain and that an Indian #MeToo campaign should be started. She also said all complaints to WCD will be probed.