Harsh punishment for exploitation of girls suggested

​Guntur: To check cases of sexual exploitation  of children in exchange of money in Guntur district, the district administration, officials, law enforcement agencies, child protection groups and civil society joined hands. They developed a strategy to choke the demand of children for sexual and commercial exploitation. 

Consultative discussions were held under the aegis of leading NGO Help which was working against child sex trafficking. The consultative committee unanimously agreed on mandatory arrest of customers of minor sex workers and training on sensitizing the police on existing laws like POCSO Act under which sex buyers can be strictly prosecuted. 

The meeting held here on Wednesday urged the government to pass a Bill criminalizing the sex buyers of minors with heavy monetary penalty in addition to punishment under POCSO Act. The Help NGO secretary, Nimmaraju Ram Mohan, Child Welfare Committee chairman  BS Rani, district child protection officer T Naga Koteswara Rao participated in the meeting.