Following a rise in the number of cases booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, in Karnataka, the Health Department has now authorised all government hospitals to procure Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence (SAFE) collection kits locally.
According to a circular issued by Health Commissioner Randeep D. on May 8, comprehensive examination of survivors of sexual offences, provision of appropriate treatment to the survivors, and preservation of DNA-related evidence and other materials are vital aspects of the investigation. A SAFE kit is designed in conformity with the steps of examination of the survivor, as prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
“Going by the statistics of examination of POCSO cases in 2022-2023 in the State — a maximum of 241 cases being reported in one district — availability of SAFE collection kits in all hospitals is mandatory,” stated the circular.
