# Madras High Court child protection judicial reforms > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/madras-high-court-child-protection-judicial-reforms > Updated: 2026-08-18T07:50:06.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2. Following the suicides of two teenage girls in Tamil Nadu in July 2026, the Madras High Court has issued directives aimed at protecting minors from secondary victimization during legal proceedings. In response to the incidents, Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy ruled that child survivors in POCSO sexual-assault cases should not be repeatedly recalled for cross-examination, stating, “The child cannot be repeatedly called to relive the ordeal. As soon as possible, the child has to be healed.” By August 2026, the court expanded its focus to judicial reform, calling for specialized training for judges presiding over POCSO Act cases. The court recommended that the Tamil Nadu State Judicial Academy incorporate practical exercises on interviewing child victims and suggested that judges approach victims with empathy, extending a “motherly hand.” Further recommendations included displaying notices in courts to prevent the unnecessary recalling of survivors and requesting that the Judicial Academy study manuals from the Karnataka Judicial Academy regarding the handling of child witnesses. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-18: Madras High Court calls for specialized training for judges handling child abuse cases The Madras High Court has urged judicial officers to receive specialized training in handling child sexual abuse victims with empathy and rapport-building techniques to avoid re-traumatizing survivors. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/madras-high-court-calls-for-specialized-training-for-judges-handling-child-abuse-cases ### 2026-07-21: Tamil Nadu child deaths prompt court warning on re‑traumatizing minors Two Tamil Nadu teenage girls died by suicide in July, while the Madras High Court barred repeated testimony of a child victim in a POCSO case, stressing protection from secondary trauma. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tamil-nadu-child-deaths-prompt-court-warning-on-retraumatizing-minors --- Cite as: Madras High Court child protection judicial reforms. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/madras-high-court-child-protection-judicial-reforms