This is unfortunately the norm in crimes that target children, especially boys. Cases of sexual assault against male children may be common, but they fly under the radar due to social stigma and the misplaced belief that young boys are not targets of sexual crimes. In the Seelampur case, for example, the boy was limping for days and complained of “unbearable pain” but the family either didn’t understand the gravity of the situation or was trying to shield one of the accused who is a relative. Trivialisation of a child’s trauma or the fear that the victim will be blamed are attitudes that are pervasive in cases of child abuse, and can only be remedied through large-scale awareness programmes and behavioural change initiated at the grassroots level. At the same time, there needs to be more vigilant and sensitive policing.

Attention needs to be paid also to the alarming rise in crimes by minors, especially in the Capital, which routinely tops the list of Indian cities for crimes committed by juveniles. That young children are routinely brutalising their peers or committing heinous crimes is a disturbing fact and a sign of a collective social and moral failing. Governments and communities will need to look at effecting long-term social schemes, such as education initiatives, counselling and vigilant but responsible policing, to reverse this trend.