THE DUAL TRAUMA OF COERCION: EXAMINING FAMILIAL PRESSURE ON MINOR VICTIMS TO INITIATE POCSO PROCEEDINGS
AUTHOR – MR. WAMAN T. KOLI, RESEARCH SCHOLAR AT M.C.E.SOCIETY’S A.K.K. NEW LAW ACADEMY, PUNE
BEST CITATION – MR. WAMAN T. KOLI, THE DUAL TRAUMA OF COERCION: EXAMINING FAMILIAL PRESSURE ON MINOR VICTIMS TO INITIATE POCSO PROCEEDINGS, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (10) OF 2026, PG. 229-232, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.
ABSTRACT
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, was enacted as a robust socio-legal instrument to shield minors from sexual exploitation and ensure a child-friendly trial environment. However, a significant systemic distortion has emerged in recent years: the weaponization of the Act by guardians and family members who coerce minor victims into filing false or highly exaggerated criminal complaints. This phenomenon primarily manifests in two contexts—the criminalization of consensual adolescent relationships under the guise of ‘family honor’ and the manipulation of children as tactical leverage in bitter matrimonial, property, or civil disputes. This article explores the multi-faceted dimension of this problem, delineates the psychological and secondary victimization of the minor, analyzes cutting-edge Supreme Court jurisprudence up to 2026, and proposes urgent institutional safeguards to protect the true autonomy and voice of the child.