Commission urges media to protect victims’ identities in reporting
Kohima, October 29 (MexN): The Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) has strongly condemned two alleged incidents of sexual violence involving a minor girl in Kohima and a woman travelling along a route in Kohima district, while urging media organisations to protect the identities and privacy of victims.
In a statement, the Commission expressed outrage over the reported sexual abuse and exploitation of a 12-year-old girl by her biological father in Kohima, describing it as a grave violation of human dignity and a betrayal of parental trust and responsibility.
The NSCW also condemned the alleged kidnapping, wrongful confinement and sexual assault of a woman by a private taxi driver while she was travelling along a route in Kohima district.
It said the incident had raised serious concerns about the safety of women and girl students who depend on public transport for their education and livelihoods.
The NSCW further denounced both incidents as “deeply disturbing” and an absolute betrayal of human dignity, stating, “Such heinous acts constitute an absolute betrayal of human dignity, leaving severe psychological and physical trauma on the victims and our communities.”
The Commission urged law enforcement agencies and judicial authorities to handle these cases with utmost urgency, ensuring thorough investigations and the strictest possible punishment under the law to deliver swift justice for the survivors.
Meanwhile, expressing concern over media coverage of sexual assault cases involving women and children, the NSCW cautioned that disclosing specific details could compromise victims’ anonymity and expose them to secondary trauma, social stigma and violations of privacy.
While acknowledging the media’s role in bringing crimes to public attention, the Commission emphasised that press freedom must not come at the expense of victims’ dignity, safety and legal right to privacy.
It appealed to print and digital media organisations, as well as digital content creators, to exercise due diligence, restraint and sensitivity while reporting such cases.
The NSCW also called for strict compliance with legal provisions safeguarding the identities of victims of sexual offences, specifically Section 23 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Section 72 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
“Protecting our women and children requires collective responsibility, strict legal compliance, and absolute ethical accountability,” it added.
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