Repeated child abuse in Bangalore schools: Is law helpless?

Is Bangalore becoming increasingly unsafe for children? In what constituted the third case in four months, a six-year-old

was sexually assaulted in a

near Bangalore, creating a ripple across the city.

[Read: Yet another child sexually abused in a Bangalore school]

[Read: 6-year-old raped in reputed Bangalore school]

The city police commissioner visited the school where the incident came to light on Tuesday. A case was registered in Jalahalli Police Station under Sections 4 and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, and under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code for rape. Guardians were protesting outside the school and accused the management of not making their stand clear on the issue.

It is a worrying trend that despite the authorities taking all possible measures, the crime against little children in schools across the city is showing no sign of abatement. The IT hub even saw its top police officer being replaced in the wake of the sexual crime against a child student in one of its reputed schools and even the government took stern steps to prevent such instances. It looks none of them have paid off.

Is law helpless?

It is extremely difficult for law alone to ensure safety for the victims if those who are supposed to be the makers of tomorrow's citizens turn to abuse them. The problem lies in the mindset and it is near to impossible to educate those rotten minds at this stage to rectify their acts in the society. The only way to do something is to punish the culprits in harsh terms so that others harbouring nasty intentions feel compelled to correct their conduct. But that itself is a time-consuming affair and would involve a lot of debate and controversy.

But there is no other way until we educate ourselves before anything.