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Child Abuse in India and How to Report It

Under POCSO, anyone who knows of or fears sexual abuse of a child must tell the police. Call Childline 1098 or 112. Here is the law and how to report.

The Pushpa Narendra Foundation

Published · Updated · 5 min read

Two young children sitting on the ground in Delhi, with Safdarjung's Tomb behind them.

Child abuse covers any physical or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or exploitation that harms a child under 18. In India, anyone who knows of or fears sexual abuse of a child must tell the police under the POCSO Act. You can call Childline 1098, which runs round the clock, or the national emergency number 112.

What counts as child abuse?

The World Health Organization (WHO) calls it child maltreatment. The term covers physical and emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect and commercial or other exploitation that harms a child's health, survival, development or dignity, within a relationship of responsibility, trust or power. Indian law treats everyone under 18 as a child.

WHO adds that maltreatment is often hidden. Only a fraction of child victims ever reach official support services.

How many cases does India record?

The latest Crime in India report from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) covers 2024 and came out in May 2026. It records 1.88 lakh (187,702) crimes against children in 2024, up 5.9 per cent from 177,335 in 2023. Cases under the POCSO Act numbered 69,191, about 37 per cent of the total.

These are cases registered with the police. Because abuse is so often hidden, the numbers cannot tell us whether abuse is rising or more families are coming forward.

What does the POCSO Act do?

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 protects every child under 18 from sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography. It also sets child-friendly procedure.

A child's statement is recorded at home or another place of the child's choice, wherever possible by a woman police officer who is not in uniform. Cases go to Special Courts and are tried in camera, with a parent or someone the child trusts present. Media may not reveal the child's identity.

Parliament amended the Act in 2019 (Act No. 25 of 2019). It raised minimum sentences for the most serious offences and added stricter punishment for child pornography.

Who must report, and what if they do not?

Section 19 applies to any person, including a child, who knows that an offence under the Act has been committed or fears that one is likely to be. That person must tell the Special Juvenile Police Unit or the local police. The law asks only for knowledge or apprehension, so you do not need proof. Anyone who reports in good faith carries no civil or criminal liability.

Failing to report is an offence under section 21. The penalty is up to six months in prison, a fine, or both. A person in charge of a company or institution who fails to report an offence by a subordinate faces up to one year and a fine. The penalty does not apply to a child.

How do I report?

  • Call Childline 1098, the national toll-free helpline for children in difficult situations. It runs under the Ministry of Women and Child Development's Mission Vatsalya scheme and is being integrated with 112. The Home Ministry told Parliament in February 2026 that it operates 24 hours a day.
  • Call 112, India's single emergency number. It passes calls to police, health, fire, women and child helpline services.
  • Go to your local police station or its Special Juvenile Police Unit.

If a child is in immediate danger, call 112 first.

How can families and communities help prevent abuse?

WHO names several effective or promising approaches. They include support for parents and caregivers, school programmes that teach children and adolescents about consent and where to seek help, and early recognition of harm with continuing care for the child and family.

How TPNF is involved

TPNF is not an investigating or rescue agency, and reports of abuse belong with the police or Childline. Our education programmes, including Udaan (life-skills and puberty education in schools) and Sakhi (menstrual health workshops), work with adolescents. You can read about them on the education page and volunteer or contribute through Get involved.

Frequently asked questions

What if I am not sure abuse has happened?

Section 19 covers knowledge or apprehension, so you do not have to investigate. The police do that, and a report made in good faith carries no civil or criminal liability.

Will the child's identity become public?

The Act bars media from disclosing a child's name, address, school or any detail that could identify the child. A Special Court can allow disclosure only if it is in the child's interest. Police must also protect the child's identity.

Can a child report abuse alone?

Yes. Section 19 applies to any person, including a child. Police must record a child's report in simple language the child understands, with an interpreter if needed.

This is general information, not legal advice.

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The Pushpa Narendra Foundation

When a young girl drops out of school due to period poverty or unmanaged anemia, her potential is locked away long before her adulthood begins. At The Pushpa Narendra Foundation (TPNF), we believe education and health cannot exist in isolation.

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