NEW DELHI: Expressing concern over the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act being invoked in cases of consenting adolescent romantic relations, Supreme Court said on Tuesday there was a need to spread awareness among students about the issue and hinted that it would pass directions. “The Pocso Act is being misused in cases of marital discord and matters pertaining to consensual relationships between adolescents. The law is being thrust upon boys. We should spread awareness among boys and men about the legal provisions,” the court said.Advocate Sandeep Sudhakar Deshmukh, appearing for the petitioner, said the country continues to witness a disturbing surge of rapes and crimes against women and girls. “It must be made mandatory in all schools whether aided or unaided, whether they have classes on sex education or not, to educate the children about the folly and drastic consequences of rape, including creating awareness that violating the privacy of the other sex would be considered wrong and derogatory and that it amounts to a crime,” the petition said. Petitioner: Schools must teach kids anti-rape laws The bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan directed states to file responses to a PIL seeking its intervention to direct the govt to make people aware about the law.Advocate Sandeep Sudhakar Deshmukh, appearing for the petitioner, said the country continues to witness a disturbing surge of rapes and crimes against women and girls.“It must be made mandatory in all schools whether aided or unaided, whether they have classes on sex education or not, to educate the children about the folly and drastic consequences of rape, including creating awareness that violating the privacy of the other sex would be considered wrong and derogatory and that it amounts to a crime,” the petition said. “Schools should make students aware about anti-rape laws at a young age so that they understand the consequences of committing such offences, including different kinds of rape as per the amended definition under Section 375 IPC,” it further added.SC has repeatedly highlighted the problem of consenting adolescent romantic relations being criminalised. Last week, the court invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution and acquitted a man charged under the Pocso Act after noting that the couple was happily married. It said the crime was not the result of lust but love, and the rigidity of law should not be allowed to cause injustice.“We are, thus, persuaded to hold that this is a case where the law must yield to the cause of justice,” Supreme Court had said after the man’s wife told the court that she wanted to lead a happy, normal and peaceful life with him and the child born out of their wedlock.