A Delhi court has sentenced a man to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a 10-year-old boy in 2019, stressing that the belief that only girls face penetrative sexual assault is a ‘myth’.
Court Calls Gender Bias in Sexual Assault Cases a ‘Myth’
Additional Sessions Judge Anu Aggarwal, in her order dated July 31, said boys are as vulnerable to sexual abuse and exploitation as girls.
She stated, “It is generally presumed that only girls can be subjected to penetrative sexual assault. However, this is a myth.”
The court observed that due to societal norms linking masculinity with emotional strength, male survivors often feel ashamed, perceive themselves as weak, and suffer long-term psychological harm.
The boy turned hostile during the trial and refused to identify the accused.
Judge Aggarwal clarified that the court does not deem a survivor’s testimony wholly unreliable to dismiss the case, even if the survivor changes their stand or does not fully support the prosecution.
Legal Provisions and Compensation
The court convicted the man under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for aggravated penetrative sexual assault and under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code for unnatural offences.
The court ordered the convict to pay ₹2 lakh to the survivor within a month and directed the state to provide an additional ₹10.5 lakh in compensation.
During sentencing arguments, Additional Public Prosecutor Arun KV cited a report by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, which revealed that about 54.7% of child sexual assault survivors are boys.
He stressed that male children experience the same fear, flashbacks, and post-traumatic stress disorder as female survivors.
The court reiterated that the POCSO Act protects all children, regardless of gender, and that sexual abuse leaves equally devastating psychological effects on boys and girls.
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