Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Apr 25: Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner, in a release, noted that people, in their zest to condemn an incident of rape of an eight-year-old at Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, have been publishing the victim's name and photos in social websites apart from media and hanging of  flexes. He has warned that this is a punishable offence.  

He has reminded that under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Childlren) Act 2015, publication or otherwise revealing the identities of victims under the age of 18 is a punishable offence.  He said that it is mandatory for everyone to follow these provisions.  

He has instructed the concerned to immediately dismantle flexes and hoardings displaying the name and photos of the victim which have already been erected, forthwith.

On Tuesday April 24, the Supreme Court too took strong objection to disclosing names of rape victims of minors even if parents give consent. "Why should the identity of a minor victim be disclosed just because her parents have given consent... Even if a person is of unsound mind, she has a right to privacy. A minor will become major. Why should this stigma be there for life?" the Supreme Court said.

Questioning the disclosure of identity of rape victims who died, a bench of Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta said, "Think of the dignity of dead also. Media reporting can be done without naming or shaming them. The dead also have dignity."