A grim reality, consistent with the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data, that above 109 children were sexually abused daily in India in 2018, which tantamount to a 22 per cent jump from 2017. The data records 32,608 cases reported in 2017 and 39,827 in 2018 under the Protection of youngsters from the Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

The statistics are even more dissenting as around 21,605 child rapes were recorded in 2018, which include 204 of boys. Maharashtra tops the kid rape record with 2,832, followed by Uttar Pradesh at 2,023 and Tamil Nadu at 1,457, the info showed.

The numbers are certainly alarming regarding the rise in child rapes in India but it also shows the trend of reporting of such cases that provides a positive impression of people’s faith within the system, assumes Priti Mahara, who is director of policy research and advocacy at Child Rights and You (CRY).

Along with rape, the record of kid kidnapping accounted for 44.2 per cent in cases of crimes against children, 34.7 per cent of cases under the POSCO Act. a minimum of 67,134 children (19,784 male, 47,191 female and 159 transgender) were reported missing in 2018.

The record also surfaced as many as 781 cases where children are used for pornography or kiddie porn material in 2018, which accounts to quite double than in 2017.

Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi and Bihar is accounted for 51 per cent of all crimes within the country.