The Role of a Support Person

At Majlis, we are often asked what the role of a Support Person* is, and we say… to help a victim, as far as possible, with anything she needs.

On the first day of February 2026, we received a new case from the Child Welfare Committee (Majlis gets an average of 25 to 30 new cases per month). The custody of the victim was handed over to her mother, which usually means there is no threat or urgency. When we perused the papers, we were alarmed to note that the victim was just 15 years old, studying in 10th Std., and was 6 months pregnant. We scheduled a visit immediately (this requires a lot of coordination) and met the victim Babita and her mother at their home.

A tiny room with no attached toilet that houses a family of six. The father, a carpenter, is the sole earning member. The eldest son, 18 years old, suffers from seizures, which require constant medical attention. He has dropped out of school and has severe anger issues. The three younger children are in school.

The accused, aged 28 years, who runs a shop in the nearby locality, lured Babita by offering her chocolates and promising marriage. He committed penetrative sexual assault on her on three occasions  - once in a public bathroom. When Babita stopped meeting him, he stalked and threatened her. 

As is common in young girls, Babita’s pregnancy went undetected till she was 6 months. Due to her missed periods, her mother took her to a local doctor, who sent them to a public hospital (thank God for mandatory reporting!). The family begged the doctors to terminate the pregnancy, but given that the permissible period had passed, the doctors asked the family to approach High Court for permission, without any guidance about the procedure. 

While we interacted with Babita, she broke down several times. Being a bright student, she was disturbed that she could not give her crucial board exams. Her family was ashamed that the community would find out about her pregnancy and hence restricted her from going out. They had requested the CWC to place her in a shelter till the delivery, but were refused. 

Babita’s board exams were starting in less than two weeks, so we had to move swiftly. We submitted our report to CWC recommending that she be moved to a shelter immediately. We then approached the Principal of her school, who guided us to approach the State Board of Education for an emergency code to change her centre.

On 16th February, Babita gave her first exam, and the joy on her face was worth all the effort. There is still a lot to be done - register her for the delivery at the local hospital, help her get victim compensation, ensure she receives therapeutic counselling, follow up her case at the police station and court and convince them that this is not a romantic case, her delivery may occur in the midst of her exam and that will bring new problems. But for now, we are proud that we stood by Babita during her moment of extreme vulnerability, and were able to fulfil our role as her Support Person.

*Under the POCSO Act, a Support Person is appointed to assist the child throughout the investigation and trial to ensure her best interests and rights are protected at every stage.

About Majlis

We are a team of women lawyers and social workers who work for the protection and promotion of women and children’s rights through legal representation, advocacy and training. We provide social and legal support to women and children victims of sexual and domestic violence.

Names have been changed to protect privacy.