Karwar: Uttara Kannada district has recorded as many as 14 cases of sexual harassment between January and May this year. This includes cases of child sexual harassment registered under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act).

In most cases, girls and young women have been lured by offering fanciful inducements, before they are subjected to heinous crimes, according to a report of the Police Department.

The report, which provides statistics on sexual crimes, in the district during the last three years, reveals that most cases of sexual harassment have been reported in Sirsi.

In the last three years, 20 cases have been registered in Sirsi. However this year, more cases have been registered in Ankola taluk. The number of cases registered were four.

While in 2016, the district registered 29 cases of sexual harassment, in 2017, the number came down to 27. 

Lured by inducements

“Criminals commonly lure young women assuring them jobs and later exploit them to fulfill their sexual desires. In other cases, men, on the pretext of marriage, cheated them. This has led to family members of such victims filing cases of sexual harassment”, a police officer said.

In most cases, a person known to the victim was involved in sexual harassment. Many a time, these cases do not come to light as the victims are poor and are left helpless after the incident. They also hesitate to go to police station and report. In some cases, girls hesitate filing complaints for fear of embarrassment and social boycott”, the officer said.

Initially consensual

Superintendent of Police Vinayak Patil said there are instances where sexual contact is consensual initially. But later, it is termed sexual harassment. In some cases, following differences of opinion between the two consenting adults, result in complaint and counter complaint, he added.

He said in Uttara Kannada district, investigation of cases under POCSO are disposed speedily.

Last year, one was sentenced to ten years and another person to nine years imprisonment in two separate cases under POCSO Act