The Madras High Court recently upheld the conviction of a pastor under the POCSO Act for the sexual assault of a 12-year-old student who was studying at CSI Hobert Girls Higher Secondary School, housed within the same campus as the residence of the accused pastor.

Following this, the Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to install complaint boxes in every school to encourage students to avoid hesitation and complain freely about any case of sexual abuse, either by the managing committee members or teaching or non-teaching staff. The Court also suggested carrying out monthly inspections at schools as part of measures intended to encourage students facing sexual assault to come forward with complaints freely and without fear.

Justice P. Velmurugan ordered that the keys of the complaint boxes should be in the custody of the District Legal Services Authority. The District Legal Services Authority should check the boxes every week along with the District Social Welfare Officer and forward the relevant complaints to the police. The judge said the District Educational Officers could be asked to visit every school once a month to inquire with the students about any kind of sexual harassment or abuse being faced by them.

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