Minor victims of sexual abuse should not be interviewed: Supreme Court to journalists

In an unprecedented move, the Supreme Court on Tuesday restrained all the print, electronic, and social media from telecasting or broadcasting the images of the victims even in blurred form and asked journalists not to interview them.

The apex court also warned the media against interviewing minor rape victims, saying it has a serious impact on their mental health. The court has also asked the Centre to take proposed steps to prevent rape incidents while observing that women are being raped from left to right to centre all over the country.

However, it has allowed the members of the National Commission For Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and State Commissions For Protection of Child Rights to interview the victims of sexual abuse in presence of counsellors.

Read | Muzaffarpur Shelter Home Rape: SC pulls up Bihar government for funding Brajesh Thakur’s NGO

Earlier in the day, the apex court also came down heavily on the Delhi Commission for Women for trying to intervene in the Bihar shelter home case and said that no politics should be involved in the matter.

The judgement came on the heels of Muzaffarpur and Deoria shelter home sex scandal, both of which relates to the mental, physical and sexual exploitation of the girls residing at the Balika Grihs of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh respectively.

While at least 34 girls were allegedly raped at the Muzaffarpur shelter home run by Brajesh Thakur, a total of 24 girls were rescued from the Deoria shelter home in Uttar Pradesh.

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Thakur, who is a well-known personality in the power corridor of Patna is currently in custody. On the other hand, Girija Tripathi, the director of Deoria shelter home and her husband were also arrested by the UP police after the sexual exploitation was first highlighted on Sunday, August 5, 2018.