Overview of Laws against online child sex abuse in India, U.K and U.S

Abstract

In India, the Information Technology Act,2000 and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act,2012deal with online sex crimes against children. In U.K, the Protection of Children Act, 1978 andU.K the Sexual Offence Act, 2003 are applicable legislations. In U.S as per Section 1466A of Title 18, United State Code, if any person knowingly produces, distributes, receives, or possesses with intent to transfer or distribute visual representations, such as drawings, cartoons, or paintings that depict minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, then these are considered obscene and such act is a punishable offence.
This paper analyses the existing laws that protect children against online sexual abuse in India and provides broad overview of laws in U.K and U.S that address the same issue. It elucidates legislative measures that may be adopted to strengthen our legal framework in India by taking examples from applicable laws in U.S and U.K.
Keywords- online child sex abuse; exploitation of children on internet; child safety on internet; child protection on internet; child pornography; child grooming.