Legal Awareness Resource

Child Protection & Reporting

Know the law. Know where to report. This page exists to connect you to India's official child protection systems — Vaad is not a reporting mechanism, detection tool, or law enforcement body, and this page does not process any reports itself.

🚨 If a child is in immediate danger

Contact emergency services right away. Do not wait to gather more information first — the systems below are built to investigate, not to demand proof before they act.

📞 100 / 112 — Police
📞 1098 — Childline (24×7)

The Legal Framework

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 is India's primary law protecting anyone under 18 from sexual abuse, exploitation, and harassment — both in person and online. It is child-centric, gender-neutral, and treats digital offences with the same seriousness as physical ones.

Section 67B of the Information Technology Act, 2000 specifically criminalizes creating, publishing, transmitting, browsing, or possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in electronic form.

Reporting is a legal duty, not optional. Under POCSO Section 19, any person — including teachers, doctors, and neighbours — who has knowledge or reasonable suspicion of a child being abused must report it. Failing to do so is itself punishable under Section 21.

Where to Report

These are India's official, government-run channels. Reports can be made anonymously where noted.

National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal cybercrime.gov.in Report CSAM or child exploitation online, including anonymously. Run by the Ministry of Electronics & IT.
Childline India — 1098 Toll-free, 24×7, available in multiple languages India's national emergency helpline for children, run by the Ministry of Women & Child Development. Also connects to your nearest District Child Protection Unit.
NCPCR — POCSO e-Box National Commission for Protection of Child Rights A dedicated app and complaint channel for reporting sexual offences against children.
Local Police / Cyber Crime Cell Dial 100 or 112, or visit your nearest station An FIR is mandatory once reported — police cannot refuse to register one in a POCSO matter.

Support for Survivors & Families

Once a report is made, the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) is legally responsible for the child's safety, shelter, and rehabilitation. District Child Protection Units can coordinate emergency shelter, counselling, and free legal aid for a POCSO trial. You do not have to navigate this alone — Childline (1098) can connect you to your nearest unit directly.

A Note on Good-Faith Reporting

The law is designed to encourage reporting, not discourage it. POCSO's mandatory-reporting duty exists precisely because delayed or absent reports allow harm to continue. If you're unsure whether what you've seen or heard meets a legal threshold, that uncertainty is not a reason to stay silent — report it and let the designated authorities assess it.

Why this page looks the way it does: Vaad is a legal case-tracking tool built for advocates and law students, not a content moderation or detection platform. Technology that identifies CSAM — like hash-matching databases — is deliberately restricted to a small number of vetted organisations working directly with law enforcement, for good reason. Rather than attempt to build something we're not equipped or authorised for, this page exists to make sure the systems that are built for this — and already exist — are easier to find.