🤝 Compassionate Support, Real Justice
Child sexual abuse leaves deep and lasting scars, affecting a child's physical and emotional well-being, education, relationships and future. For many survivors, the trauma is compounded by the fear, stigma and complex legal processes they must navigate to obtain justice.
Recognising these challenges, and in line with the directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India and the provisions of the POCSO Act, Ruchika, with the support of the Azim Premji Foundation, launched a pilot Support Person Programme in Jajpur district. Just Rights of Children has also started this initiative since 2023 in Puri and Khordha districts.
🛡️ How We Support Survivors
The Child Welfare Committees have designated Ruchika's project staff as Support Persons under the POCSO Act. Working alongside children and their families, the team provides:
Trauma-informed counselling, family support, guidance through police investigations, Child Welfare Committee proceedings and court processes, assistance in accessing victim compensation, support for school retention and referrals to essential rehabilitation services.
At Ruchika, we believe that justice is not achieved through legal proceedings alone—it is achieved when every child survivor is heard, protected, supported and empowered to heal with hope and dignity.
📍 Program Presence
🌟 Case Study: Susmita got justice
Susmita (name changed), 15 years old and a student of Class IX, belongs to a very poor family. She was raped by her relative brother at her village. As a result, she became pregnant. When her pregnancy was visible, she revealed it to her mother, who filed a case at Kuakhia Police Station. The accused was arrested. However, by that time the victim was 5 months pregnant and it could not be terminated. Susmita was almost outcasted in the family and dropped out of school.
The CWC, Jajpur handed over this case to the Ruchika Support Person project team to intervene. Our team provided the victim and her parents with counseling services. Finally, she was accepted by the family. Our team provided all necessary support for medical examination and treatment. After a series of counseling, she appeared before the court and witnessed.
Our team helped her file an application for victim compensation and supported her throughout the judicial trials. Eventually, the POCSO Court pronounced the judgment with 30 years imprisonment to the accused. An amount of ₹500,000/- was awarded to her as victim compensation.
The child resumed her studies in school again. She handed over her newborn child to a Special Adoption Agency through the CWC. The victim and her family are very happy for the support of Ruchika and the Azim Premji Foundation.