CHILDLINE 1098

On the frontlines of Child Protection

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Tue, 21 May 2013 09:38:00 +0000

You’ve seen the grim statistics: Two out of every three children in India are physically abused; 69% suffer some form of physical abuse; 65% of school children face corporal punishment; 53% have suffered some form of sexual abuse; every second child faces emotional abuse.*

You’ve almost come to dread the news. Each day brings more chilling, gruesome tales of violence, neglect, exploitation and worse from every part of the country. Is there no end, we wonder, to the variety of ways in which we choose to torture, maim, violate and inflict cruelty on our children?

Imagine then the effects on those who spend their days and nights responding 24/7 to the calls for help for children in distress. Try, if you will, to put yourself in the shoes of the resilient women and men whose job it is to answer the 11000 daily phone calls seeking to save a threatened child from harm. The relentless flow of pain, anguish, anger and the long, silent calls that leave one speculating what unspeakable trauma lies at the other end of the line. Perhaps most painful of all are the thousands of calls that could not be completed because the phone lines were overwhelmed.

This year, in March alone, CHILDLINE, India’s dedicated helpline for children in distress, received 362000 calls. Children who went missing, abandoned children, runaway children, children subjected to abuse of too many kinds to list, children forced into early marriages, children trapped in illegal and hazardous labour, trafficked children, children in need of urgent medical attention, children whose physical or mental challenges make them particularly vulnerable, children with HIV/AIDS, children enslaved by substance abuse, children who find themselves in conflict with the law, children who simply need a sympathetic ear… the list goes on and on.

Logging this endless litany of injury and torment, then activating, coordinating, and, where necessary, building the capacity to respond from grassroots organisations, the police, hospitals, shelters, the legal system and the like takes a small army of CHILDLINE staff and partners across 291 districts and towns. The joy at each successful rescue, rehabilitation, repatriation or policy advance is too often muted by the instances where it proved impossible to prevent an atrocity or the frustration at an unresponsive system.

In my first week at CHILDLINE I have been struck by the resilience, commitment and sheer courage from these first responders whom we charge with the protection of our children. I’m struck too by the simplicity of CHILDLINE’s model – from the state-of-the-art technology of the contact centre to the myriad partnerships that enable swift, customised, local responses. I’m struck most of all by the thousands of remarkable people who make CHILDLINE possible.

It’s equally clear, however, that the 4 million calls CHILDLINE responded to in 2012-13 are but the tip of a vast, unseen, unrecorded iceberg of children in dire circumstances. And that reaching those children will take substantially increased resources and effort. I believe that India has the capacity and the will to close that gap. We can do this India! Shouldn’t we?

*statistics are from 2007 Study on Child Abuse by Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Ingrid Srinath has recently taken over as the new Executive Director of CHILDLINE India Foundation

CSA Awareness Program Volunteer

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Fri, 18 May 2012 06:15:00 +0000

Name: Kritika Makhija

Bio: Pre-Primary School Coordinator, HVB Academy, Marine Drive, Mumbai, India

(Also, an ardent supporter of CHILDLINE)

My experience during the Child Sexual Abuse Session held by CHILDLINE at school will be etched in my consciousness for a long time. With fervent team members from CHILDLINE and support from the principal of HVB Academy, Marine Drive- Mrs. Pathak, we were able to conduct this session with children from grade 1 to grade 4.

I strongly believe that the use of flip charts and visuals were very effective and will have a longer lasting impact on the children. Apart from sharing concepts on safe and unsafe touch with the children and having them understand and respond to the sensitive subject of child sexual abuse, this session was an eye-opener and learning for the teachers and staff of our school.

As a parent/educator we believe we are in the position to make the right choices for our children. Sometimes, age should not necessarily be a barrier for discussing a subject with a child. When a child is curious about something and asks us a question that is probably the right time to answer his question. Evading a topic might not necessarily be the right approach to tackle a sensitive subject like child sexual abuse. Children are innocent and inquisitive beings who will ask a question to a stranger if he/she doesn’t get an answer from his/her parents/teachers.

CHILDLINE gave the teachers/staff of HVB Academy the opportunity to attend a workshop on CSA awareness, primarily for adults. We were shown videos and made to fill in surveys for them to understand our knowledge/understanding on the subject. To our amazement, we were told that the boy child was as much victim of sexual abuse as the girl child!

At the end of the session, I felt equipped enough to make a presentation for the teachers who could spread awareness on the topic with their students and also act as counselors to the children who came back with complaints. A lot of teachers had questions and comments. The concepts of sexual abuse, corporal punishment, mental and psychological abuse were all made clear.

I also plan to continue these sessions in school, in order to maintain an open forum for the children.

Today, I can very proudly say that my children at HVB Academy don’t hesitate to come to me or any other teacher if they see anything wrong happening around them. I have taught them to say

‘Please don’t do that, I don’t like it!’ in a firm voice to anyone who troubles them.

We have taken the first step towards the safety of our children with the guidance of the CHILDLINE team.

I would urge you to volunteer for the CSA awareness programme and help CHILDLINE in its endeavour to reach out to children who are victims to CSA.

HyperCITY sings Dus-Nau-Aath

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Wed, 02 May 2012 02:59:00 +0000

*Aishwarya Mappat

The CHILDLINE team filled HyperCITY, Malad with fun and frolic last weekend. With this fun filled outreach CHILDLINE achieved its aim of spreading awareness about Child Sexual Abuse and encouraging female volunteers to join the CSA awareness programme. This was done by interacting with the female customers and briefing them on the CSA awareness programme. We received an overwhelming response with many volunteers grabbing the opportunity to go to schools and conduct sessions on child sexual abuse.

The CSA awareness programme’s objective is to reach out to schools and spread awareness among children about ‘touching’ safety’. The volunteers are required to attend a two day training session over a weekend to gain an insight on how to explain to children the different concepts of a touching problem in a story-like way. After this they conduct sessions at schools in their locality. So if you missed us at HyperCITY, you can still become a volunteer by registering with us on our website. Click here to sign up: http://www.childlineindia.org.in/volunteer-for-childline.htm

The next activity children were eagerly waiting for was the painting competition. All the tiny and the not so tiny tots came geared up to give it their best shot. It brought the children’s imagination to life and helped them express their colourful world on paper.

The day got even more exciting towards the end with a puppet show on child protection. Bantu the protagonist was successful in connecting with the children and explaining to them what ‘safe touch’, ‘unsafe touch’ and ‘personal safety rules’ are. Bantu stole the show by winning the hearts of the many children at HyperCITY.

The concluding song of the puppet show left everyone at HyperCITY humming to the tune of the CHILDLINE song Dus-Nau-Aath.

*Aishwarya Mappat is an intern at CSI department, CIF.

Power of Banking

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 04:34:00 +0000

CHILDLINE has been working with children at the grassroot level for over 15 years. There has always been a need to educate children on how to use money, even if it refers to small amounts. A direct synergy was drawn between what is imperative for the underprivileged children and the work done at HDFC Bank. Thus was born the 'Power of Banking' initiative.

The 'Power of Banking' is a unique initiative jointly undertaken by HDFC Bank Ltd and CHILDLINE India Foundation. The prime objective of this programme is to take basic financial knowledge to community/street children. The first session was held on March 9th, 2012 in a small community in Dahisar, Mumbai. The children were inquisitive to know what the 'Power of Banking' initiative would entail. They showed up in large numbers in the midst of their examinations in order to learn more.

40 curious children and enthusiastic HDFC Bank Ltd employees saw a very fruitful gathering on the eve of Women's Day. The session was conducted with the aid of a detailed script and illustrations.

The session began with an opening to CHILDLINE followed by an introduction to basic concepts such as ‘A bank’, ‘Savings’, ‘Budgeting’ and the like. Many children had correct answers to difficult questions posed by the HDFC Bank volunteers, whilst many children intently heard what was being discussed.

The ‘Power of Banking’ initiative was customized to the understanding of the children. Story telling was used as a tool to familiarize children with concepts on ‘Banking’, ‘Debit and Credit cards’ and ‘good and bad spending habits’.

Raju and Rimi are the protagonists of this story. Their life, jobs, aspirations and decisions are similar to the community children. Children were encouraged to volunteer as Raju and Rimi in order to make the concepts better understood by the gathering.

As the day progressed, a bright young college going girl volunteered to take her friends through a brief synopsis of the session. Her summation was a reflection of the understanding of the concepts amongst the children.

The day ended with the children receiving chocolates for the correct answers they gave, followed by a dance performance by 2 talented girls.

‘Power of Banking’ was a learning not only for the children, but also for the employees at HDFC Bank. The interaction between the community children and the volunteers was fun, energetic, interactive and most importantly a stepping stone for an initiative that has far reaching abilities.

CHILDLINE visits HyperCITY-Malad!

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 07:51:00 +0000

After a successful stint of volunteer recruitment last year at HyperCITY-Malad, CHILDLINE is back again. We’ll be conducting a painting competition and a puppet show, at HyperCITY this weekend. Join us for an evening of laughter and games. Chalo HyperCITY!

CHILDLINE And Gumrah!

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 04:14:00 +0000

Gumrah partnering CHILDLINE!!!! Channel [V]’s Gumrah - 'End of the Innocence', a crime reality show is spreading word on CHILDLINE. Gumrah is hosted by Karan Kundra. Show is on air.

Watch the show on Every Sunday at 7pm on Channel [V]

Watch out for more details on

http://www.childlineindia.org.in/1098/1098news.htm

CHILDLINE Delhi & action plan for abolition of Child Labour

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 03:55:00 +0000

*Sumit Kumar

Growing urbanisation has brought a larger number of migrant populations from Northern States and other parts of countries to Delhi. Delhi in last two decades has changed significantly in terms of infrastructure development and civic amenities. This has also attracted a larger number of children for coming to Delhi in hope of getting good job and to earn money.

It has been conservatively estimated by Government that around 1 lakh children working at different location in Delhi but the estimate by civil society organisation is about 5 lakh children working in various hazardous jobs across the state. While rescue and rehabilitation of these children are extremely difficult as it need involvement of various stakeholders in the rescue operation.

Child Labour profile in Delhi is of two types (NCPCR 2010)

(i)Out-of-school children living with their parents and

(ii)Children who have come from other States without their families

Hence, the Delhi Action Plan for total abolition of child labour would have two strategies. The first strategy is an ‘area-based approach’ for elimination of child labour. Under this strategy, all children in the age group 6-14 years in an identified area will be covered, whether they are in school or out-of-school. All out-of-school children would be regarded as engaged in some form of work and being deprived of their right to education. Children in schools are to be monitored so that they do not drop out and join the labour pool.

According to the estimate (NCPCR 2010), Delhi has 28319471 children in the age group 6 to 13 years, of whom 2747523 are school going and 43735 (3.34%) are out-of-school. The survey conducted by Samajika Suvidha Sangam (Mission Convergence Directorate) found that out of 643315 children in the age group 7-17 years of where 450402 of them are not in schools. According to Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the number of out-of-school children in the age group 6-14 years in North West District was 7219 (whereas the door-to-door survey conducted by NCPCR in 9 slums of Jahangirpuri was 2929.

Perhaps this discrepancy in data is due to the fact that names of children who are out-of-school and school dropouts may be continuing in the attendance registers as enrolled. All such out-of-school children are to be considered as child labourers or potential child labourers who would sooner or later join the labour pool.

Under this background, an affidavit has been submitted by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) before the Delhi High Court seeking directions to Government authorities on the issue of child labour. Informing the court that rescued children were not being properly rehabilitated, the NCPCR, in its affidavit, stated, "There is no guarantee that all rescued child labourers have been successfully restored to their families in the source states. This is evident from a study of 22 rescued child labourers in which the families of three are not traceable and the addresses of four children were wrong."

The affidavit was filed to inform the Court about the steps taken by the government after a slew of directions were given by the high court for the rescue and rehabilitation of child labourers in the city. The high court had, in 2009, passed a detailed order which modified the existing provisions for better rehabilitation of child labourers. It had given Delhi Police extra powers, which were earlier with the labour department, to effectively eradicate the problem.

The Commission proposed an ‘area-based approach’ to be initiated as a pilot in the North-West district. The action plan for abolition of child labour formulated by NCPCR was accepted by Honorable High Court. The Court has issued an order dated July 15, 2009 with a clear role and responsibility of different allied system and helping them in areas of convergence.

The action plan has helped CHILDLINE team immensely to identify, plan and conduct rescue across Delhi. It has also helped in restoration and rehabilitation of these children through ensuring the role of state government in concerned states.

In last two years, CHILDLINE Delhi rescued more than 500 children. In the year 2010-2011, CHILDLINE 1098 received 696 cases reporting child labour at different locations. While the judgment has developed a way forward in case of child labour it has also left various question unanswered. The judgment directs the Government of Delhi to create various structures like to address the issue of child labour in district and state level.

In light of the judgment, the District Level Task Force was formed to handle Child labour cases and CHILDLINE is a regular participant sharing its concern about child labour. CHILDLINE participation in these forums has also steered various important discussions. In the last two years CHILDLINE have received most difficult cases with complexity involved in it. The team has developed a cohesive relationship with district administration for handling cases of labour.

Though the District Level Committee has been formed but the State Level Steering Committee on Child labour is still not exists. In absence of the said committee at state level it has not been possible to take forward unresolved issues for redressal at the district level. CHILDLINE Delhi witnessed an average delay more than a month in each rescue cases. Most difficult situation arise when child labourer is physical abused and CHILDLINE has to conduct the rescue on urgency without labour department which has been questioned by Department of Labour and Child Welfare Committee (CWC).

The quality of First Information Report (FIR) filed was also questionable as it does not include requisite section and law as per the merit of case which makes the case weaker during prosecution. Filing of First Information Report (FIR) has been also been an issue of concern as the Action Plan mandates the Police to file FIR in cases of Child labour under specific section of JJ Act, CLPRA, and IPC.

CHILDLINE data on child labour rescue shows that FIRs have been filed in less than 40% cases of Child Labour and bonded child labour apart from relevant section of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2000 and Indian Penal Code, 1860. In all cases of Child Labour received by CHILDLINE more than 90% children were from other states and were trafficked by agents for labour to Delhi. As a process FIR should also include the name of traffickers who have brought these children. There definitely has to be punitive action against the traffickers.

Implementation of the Judgment, M C Mehta Vs State of Tamil Nadu and Others: The greatest challenge at present is the implementation of the judgment. The child labour welfare funds were constituted after the judgments but mechanisms to provide relief and compensation to the survivors of child labour has yet not been operationalised.Children are being rescued and restored but the amount received as recovery from the employer as well as the government share of Rs 5000 per child going to this fund is not contributing in any way to the rehabilitation of the child.

Delhi Action Plan on abolition of child labour exhibits specific role and responsibility of labour, Police, NGOs and WCD department which includes filling of challans, specific sections and acts of different laws and coordination mechanisms. It is crucial that there is a need to organise regular training with these stakeholders which includes better role clarity, experience. Instead of all these exercises CHILDLINE Delhi is still fighting hard with administration for conducting rescue for more than 120 cases alone pending in South Delhi.

Sumit Kumar is currently working as Programme Coordinator with North Regional Resource Centre (NRRC), CIF

CHILDLINE & Vodafone brings joy to kids

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 03:54:00 +0000

Udaipur: After a capacity building workshop organized by a Bangalore based consultancy- D’frens, 140 enthusiastic employees of Vodafone were assigned the task of reassembling parts of a bicycle for children in local communities of Udaipur.

Thereafter began the exhilarating task of piecing together the sub-parts of the bicycles in order to make them useable for under privileged children of the community. The employees were to split into groups of 10, assigning one bicycle to each group. The children watched in anticipation and were eager and excited to ride the bicycles in their locality!

Once the bicycles were ready to go, a game was played with the Vodafone employees and children. While the task for the employees was to keep the bicycle moving without stepping on the ground, the children had to ensure they followed the rules!

This activity brought it a lot of laughter and created a bond between the children and the employees. The day ended with a bunch of fulfilled employees and excited children smiling away. This activity was conducted as part of the CSR tie-up between CIF’s Resource Mobilisation team and Vodafone.

Like Mr.Viswanathan Ramaswamy, Senior Vice President- Enterprise Network, Vodafone Essar Limited rightly put it

“It comes as little surprise to us that bikes are the most requested gift from little ones. They provide freedom, exercise, exhilaration, and fun. They can teach responsibility, care, and provide the opportunity for social interaction when ridden in a group. They can help one get to school faster, and home faster, or off for a joy ride with ones friends.

Bikes are magic to children. They feel the wind in their hair, the whoosh of speed, and the fun of balancing. For some of us, that magic is never lost”.

Participate in the CHILDLINE Challenge 2011-12!

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:37:00 +0000

Click on the image for more details

CHILDLINE challenge is an opportunity for school children not only to showcase talent as young writers and artists but also demonstrate knowledge and sensitivity towards the issue of child labour. Last date for submission is January 31, 2012.

Running for the right to a happy childhood

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:34:00 +0000

Many children don’t play to work at a beedi making factory.

Many children leave home to avoid being beaten up.

Many children stop studying to beg on the streets.

Many children lose their innocence to an early marriage.

Many children turn into adults before 18 years of age.

CHILDLINE 1098

Running the Mumbai Marathon 2012!

The Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon is an annual event that creates a platform for you and your friends to run for the ‘right to a happy childhood.’ At CHILDLINE, we have been working to bring a happy childhood to these children. The Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon is all about enthusiasm and vigor not only from those who support CHILDLINE but by the children themselves.

The Mumbai Marathon proves to be a platform for CHILDLINE in more ways that one. It is an opportunity to raise funds for underprivileged children, create a sense of unity amongst those supporting our cause and allow interaction with children who have benefited from their philanthropy.

CHILDLINE has tied its umbilical telephone line for children in distress with this event. And it has been possible only with the support of the various teams and individuals from various walks of life, who decide to run for our cause, year after year.

The countdown is still on.

DUS… NAU… AATH…It’s a countdown to a better life for the children of our country.

Raise Pledges for CHILDLINE

Child Labour in India: Issues &Concerns

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:57:00 +0000

Child labourers have considerable stake in India’s GDP with near to eleven per cent of the total workforce being the children finds Nishit kumar, Head, Communication and Strategic Initiatives, CHILDLINE India Foundation.

Over the past ten years of about eight per cent per anum GDP growth, there has been widespread talk of India’s Demographic Dividend (share of population in 15-60 age group) arising out of the young average age of India’s population.

The theory is that the small the share of population in the below 15 and above 60, the greater the contribution of the productive population to GDP growth. Among the propagators of the India Demographic Dividend story are Dr. Manmohan Singh, Hon’ble Prime Minister and many notable figures around the world. Many present the story as though the demographic contours of India have been carefully sculpted through policy, management and governance. Far from it, India has a history of ignoring demographic trends and not preparing for it.

The 2001 census threw up the figures that children under 18 accounted for almost 43% of India’s population of about 450 million. Yet, inspite of the first UPA government manifesto of a commitment of nine per cent of annual Union budget for children, even as of 2011, a little more than four per cent is allocated towards children. In this gap between the needs of the world’s largest children’s population and (amongst) the world’s lowest per child budgets that is allocated in India is the story of Indian Children’s contribution to the GDP. The story of Child Labour in India.

The story is best unfolded by an examination of the Census data on child Labour. The Census data for child Labour has traditionally been presented as children upto 14 years:

Year	Child Labour as reported by Census
1971	10753985
1981	13640870
1991	11285349
2001	12666377

The figure of 12.67 million as child labour has been widely reported. The department of Census, Government of India has just published provisional census data for the Census of 2010. (http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-common/censusdataonline.html) .

Once again the age wise data reported by the Census is 5-9 yrs, 10-14 yrs and 15-19 years. Since the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000 has pegged the age of children, in line with international conventions, at 18, we can no longer overlook the population of working children in the age group of 15-18. However, the Census does not show this breakup.

Population of Main workers in Census, 2010:

All India Main Workers	Male	Female	Total
5-9 yrs	501890	308209	810099
10-14 yrs	3070300	1858116	4928416
15-19 yrs	15098122	5448644	20546766
Total India	18670312	7614969	26285281
% of child labour to total workforce	7.78%	10.47%	8.41%
Total workforce (all ages)	239923441	72708941	312632382

As can be seen in the table above, children upto 14 total

The Census also reports population of children in Marginal workers of India:

All India Marginal Workers	Male	Female	Total
5-9 yrs	495494	534927	1030421
10-14 yrs	2711397	3146172	5857569
15-19 yrs	5821090	5929351	11750441
Total India	9027981	9610450	18638431
% to total workforce	25.90%	17.67%	20.89%
Total workforce (all ages)	34859808	54374298	89234106

Lets us see the picture when both Main workers and Marginal workers are combined:

All India Total Workforce	Male	Female	Total
5-9 yrs	997384	843136	1840520
10-14 yrs	5781697	5004288	10785985
15-19 yrs	20919212	11377995	32297207
Total India	27698293	17225419	44923712
% to total workforce	10.08%	13.55%	11.18%
Total workforce (all ages)	274783249	127083239	401866488

If you take the children up to 14, the total number of children in the workforce is 12626505. Almost the same as previous census of 2001. The real picture emerges when you start adding the child work force in the ages 15-19. One could argue that 19 year olds ought to be excluded from the calculation of child Labourers. However the Census does not, as yet provide that data. However, a detailed analysis of the same shows that vast bulk of 15-19 yr olds have not completed 10th. So, they have been in the workforce before they turned 18. For the sake of discussion we have to include this age group (15-19) in the workforce.

The shocking news is that 11% of the workforce of India is child labour. One in every 10 workers in India is a child! If you allocate a tenth of India’s GDP to this share you can see India’s Child Labour has a stake in India’s GDP.

A detailed analysis of the various sectors presented in the Census data for both main and marginal workers clearly shows that some sectors are more prone to child labour than others.

What can be done about Child Labour? In 1979, the Government appointed Gurupadswamy Committee studied the issue of child labour and observed that as long as poverty remains, it would be difficult to totally eliminate child labour and hence, any attempt to abolish it through legal recourse would not be a practical proposition.

The Committee recommended a ban on child labour in hazardous areas and a multiple policy to deal with the problems of working children. Based on the recommendations of Gurupadaswamy Committee, the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act was enacted in 1986. The Act prohibits employment of children in certain specified hazardous occupations and processes and regulates the working conditions in others.

Bringing change

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 07:45:00 +0000

hweta, a 13-year old from Kuarmunda in Sundargarh district is an active member of the Children’s Parliament since 2009. She was confident when asking her parents about her rights. Since she joined the Children’s Parliament in 2009, Shweta decided to start raising awareness on various issues related to children from her school and community. She participates regularly in the meetings of the Children Parliament and most recently in the Children’s Parliament held on June 5, 2011 at Rourkela. During the session, she confidently asked the representatives about the need to provide children in the age group of 3-6 years, supplementary nutrition in the form of a cooked, nutritious meal at the AWCs.” She supported her questions with examples to show the real situation of children.

Shweta, a strong advocate of the Children’s Parliament talks about her experiences and realises how far her character has developed throughout the whole- the new skills and experiences with children’s parliament.

I live with my parents in a remote village near a forest and hill called Kalosiria in Kuarmunda block of Sundargarh district. I love to sit with my children’s group. I learned a lot of my rights. I play, sing and dance in my group says Shweta.

Parents sometimes show some sort of bias among their girl and boy children. Earlier my parents were not allowing me to go out except their work. Children’s parliament gave me opportunity to come out and sit with other children and learn. I told my parent to allow me to play in the afternoon like my brother. Now I am playing in the afternoon with my group. They were not allowing me earlier to play. I got the courage to ask them to play as I learnt it from my children’s cadre training of CHILDLINE. I also ask for new copy and book for me in the class which my parent any how gives me. Earlier they were only asking me to manage with the old and borrowed ones.

“Being a member of the Children’s Parliament is an amazing experience. I have become more confident, people show me respect when they know I am a member of the Children’s Parliament. I really feel empowered and have a role to play in creating change in the situation of children in my village.”

“During last year and now, I participated in trainings carried out by CHILDLINE and trainings have developed my skills in advocating for the rights of the children in my village and learned about Child Rights and Child Protection. I feel I am knowledgeable and more informed about problems encountered by the children in my village.”

Making a Difference!

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 02:39:00 +0000

Urvi Wani*

As a law student I had to study various legal systems such as the Indian criminal law, juvenile justice law, etc and the laws I read with particular reference to children always troubled me, they troubled me not because these systems were bad but because they were incomplete. A legal system must ideally provide not only punitive and remedial measures but also preventive and deterrent measures. Some such measures are provided in our laws but they don’t go a long way that is when I had heard of The CHILDLINE India Foundation’s program on Child Sexual Abuse Awareness volunteer recruitment drive, I immediately signed up to do my bit (as small as that may be) to change the status of children in India.

This program primarily focused on the preventive aspects of child sexual abuse, by creating awareness amongst young children by giving them age appropriate information. As a Volunteer I would be given the adequate training and assigned a certain number of schools wherein I would be conducting the workshops.

As one of the guinea pigs( I say Guiea Pigs because it was the very first time both for the organisation and me, and being the first timer always has its share of testing times) being the very first batch of the volunteers I think we were lucky. Like a fresh slate with no scratches, our training workshops were unsoiled with no predisposed notions on the part of the participants or the speakers. Everybody was relying on their gut instinct. It was a varied experience with lectures from experts in every field related to Child Sexual Abuse, such a law, police, mental health, medicine, etc. The practical sessions on story telling were fantastic and most enjoyable! Who would have thought that a room full of adults could actually enjoy the experience of storytelling and role playing so much?!

I have never been in a classroom except as a student. That being said, I was extremely confident about conducting the workshops. I had read my material over a dozen times and had practiced voice modulations in front of a mirror and made funny faces at children on my morning jogs as an experiment to see which ones they reacted to! So when I showed up at the doors of my assigned school on that pleasant february morning, it was surge of emotions I was excited, anxious, confident , This was a great school to start with, the principle was inviting and the PTA members present and hospitable (excessively !). The story telling workshop with the younger children (std 2, 3 & 4) was wonderful! They had look at you with their eyes brimming with innocence and limitless interest. But my little bubble burst when the older ones (std 5 & 6) showed up. Getting them to sit in their seats was a mammoth task in itself! Thankfully once the story telling session began, they gradually calmed down. I don’t think I have ever been asked more difficult questions in my life, not even in the numerous oral exams I have had given in the 18 years of education. They were so curious and they would connect random thoughts at lightning speed. And God Forbid they catch you if you make a mistake … phew !!! But trust me the experience was so addictively exciting!

Many other schools and workshops followed, a pattern began to grow. Anxious teachers wondering if this was a Sex Education workshop, an inquisitive child hoping this was a Sex Education workshop. There is this one particular incident that truly stands out. During a hot humid week in July I was conducting these workshops in one of the schools. At the end of my fourth day, a member of the CHILDLINE team called me and said she needed to tell something about a call she got in regards to my workshops of that day and then the phone line got disconnected. I was extremely nervous and even a little scared while I tried to call her back to no avail… Did I use a word I shouldn’t have? Did I say something I shouldn’t have? Did I forget something important?! I finally got back on line with her and she told me a mother had called the CHILDLINE office and my heart sunk! I knew I was in trouble, big trouble.

She then went on to tell me that the mother had heard about the workshop being conducted from her child who even narrated the stories to her. I was just about to blurt out a string of apologies when the CHILDLINE team member said that the mother was thrilled and extremely grateful that we had handled such a sensitive topic with such care. Words fall short of describing the feeling …. The parent was happy, the CHILDLINE team was happy and I was ecstatic!

This journey of ten schools of every demographic has really given me incredible insight into schools in our city and how much a school influences a child’s overall development, and what makes a good school.

Thank You CHILDLINE!

*Urvi Wani, a 24- year- old lawyer is a volunteer for the CSA Awareness program in Mumbai.

Empowering Children: Children's Parliament at Rourkela

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 05:40:00 +0000

By - Sudeesh PM*

Members of Children’s Parliament may be young, but they serve as the first line to present on children's issues and can influence the adults. Children's Parliament on Child Rights saw one of the biggest gatherings ever in the district. Organised by CHILDLINE Rourkela, three hundred students participated in the event.

The issues presented by children ranged from poor education, health facilities, education, health facilities and civic amenities, gender and caste discrimination. A 15-year-old girl who is a member in Children’s Parliament, told, the questions from children are always spontaneous and honest. Children’s Parliament discusses children issues in the presence of officials from government and other organisations.

Conducting their session just as the grown-up members of Parliament do, the child parliamentarians allowed members to present their concerns to their adult counterparts and the general public. In the meetings, children discuss serious issues like child education, child trafficking, domestic violence, hunger, child labour, Nutritional food and more.

Children's Parliament raises a strong voice on major issues

Children Parliament passed the following resolutions:

Universalization with quality: The universalization of ICDS is urgently required to protect the rights of children under six.

Equity: In the process of universalizing ICDS, priority should be given to marginalized communities. In particular, SC/ST hamlets should get priority in the creation of new Anganwadi Centers (AWCs).

Supplementary nutrition: For children in the age group of 3-6 years, supplementary nutrition should be provided in the form of a cooked, nutritious meal at the AWCs, using locally procured food. For children below the age of three, nutritious take-home rations (THR) based on locally procured food may be provided.

Day care: Wherever required, day care services should be provided. The requisite resources, infrastructure, staff, space, training etc., should be available for this purpose.

Differently-able children: Special provisions should be made for differently-able children. Also, surveys of children under six conducted by AWWs should include a survey of children with special needs.

Excluded children: Special provisions should also be made for other marginalized groups of children, such as street children and children of migrant families.

Emergencies: ICDS also needs to respond to disaster situations (floods, earthquakes, conflict, etc.) by opening emergency centers in the area as soon as possible.

No privatization or External Funding: There should be no privatization of any ICDS services. Moves towards privatization, such as the introduction of user fees in ICDS, or privatization in the name of community participation, should be resisted.

Right to information: All ICDS-related information should be in the public domain. The provisions of the Right to Information Act, including pro-active disclosure of essential information, should be implemented in letter and spirit in the context of ICDS.

Supreme Court orders: Supreme Court orders on ICDS in the “right to food case” (PUCL vs Union of India and Others, Civil Writ Petition 196 of 2001) should be immediately implemented in letter and spirit, especially orders relating to universalization with priority to SC/ST hamlets and urban slums.

Right to food: Mid-day meals are not just an incentive for the universalization of education but an entitlement for children’s right to food. Budget allocations for mid-day meals should be raised. Proper infrastructure for mid-day meals should be mandatory, including cooking sheds, storage space, drinking water, ventilation, utensils, etc.

Social discrimination: Serious action should be taken in the event of any form of social discrimination in mid-day meals, such as discrimination against Dalit children or Dalit cooks.

The children themselves echoed this in a resolution they drafted on June 3-5, 2011 states: the root cause of all the problems the children are facing is hunger. It is the poor economic condition and non availability of food that has forced the children to become the child labour.The resolutions passed during the convention on the issues of poor education, health facilities, food, gender and caste discrimination will be sent to different officials for appropriate action.

“The children spoke and adults listened. There was proper documentation of the whole proceedings and issues referred to special committees for consideration. If only we elders lend the children our ears and let them speak out fearlessly and freely this world will be a much safer and peaceful place to live in.” said A K Azad, Director, CHILDLINE Rourkela

The programme gave a platform for children to share their problems, feelings and thoughts and to create the children aware of the powers of a parliamentary democracy. They would know how to be a responsible citizen and the importance of involving themselves in community affairs. It was a big children's get to gather ever in the district.

The District Collector and other resource organisation of the district appreciated the programme. More than 300 children parliament members from Panposh sub-division participated in a Children’s Parliament organised by CHILDLINE Rourkela at Gurudwara Hall from June 3-5, 2011.

Children’s Parliament had a clear message: Every child has a right to live without experiencing prejudice, exclusion, and discrimination. The Children’s parliament has provided the children with an excellent platform to raise their voices, and project their concerns. After all who can understand the problems faced by the children better than themselves?, who can advocate their problems better than themselves? !! Their Own chosen representatives. "

*-Sudeesh PM is currently working as Program Assistant with CHILDLINE India Foundation.

Every Child has a Right to Education

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 11:26:00 +0000

The Right to Free and Compulsory Act, came to effect on April 1, 2010 could alter the educational landscape. The RTE is rolling out fast in all states and will have significant impact on roles of organisations in the child space. The enforcement of this right represents a momentous step forward in our 100-year struggle for universalizing elementary education.

ducation has given many of us the opportunities to lead a better quality life and attain our goals. However, for millions of Indian children, education remains a distant dream - due to poverty, caste, gender discrimination and lack of access to schools. The quality education remains the most important tool towards the realization of rights of all children.

The elementary education in India: Where do we stand? Education in India is on the concurrent list. This means that while the Centre is responsible for providing general direction in terms of educational policy and curriculum, the running of the vast school network is the responsibility of individual state governments. Article 45 of the Indian Constitution states that, "The State shall strive to provide free and compulsory education to all citizens up to the age of 14" and the 93rd Constitutional Amendment (1994) made education a fundamental right that guarantees free and compulsory education to all children in the age group of 6 – 14.

The elementary education is considered a basic developmental right of every child. However, the right remains largely unrealized:

India spends only 3.3 percent of its GDP on education, compared to an average 5.8 percent in developed countries. GOI had made a commitment to spend 6% of GDP on education in 1968, however the highest spend made so far is 4% of GDP.

53% of girls in the age group of 5 to 9 years are illiterate.

High cost of private education and need to work to support their families and little interest in studies are the reasons given by 3 in every four drop-outs as the reason they leave.

1 in 40, primary school in India is conducted in open spaces or tents.

The common reasons given by 3 out of four drop-outs for leaving school are

High cost of private education
Need to work to support their families
No interest in studies.

Dropout rates increase alarmingly in class III to V - its 50% for boys, 58% for girls.

The number of recognized schools imparting elementary education is over 1,285,576, of which 80% are Government run.

The number of children enrolled in Grades I-V in 2009 was 1,34,377,324, and in Grades V-VIII was 53,350,189.

Source: (DISE 2008-2009 Flash Statistics, National University for Education Planning and Administration [www.niepa.org])

As a signatory to the United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child (UNCRC), India already recognises fundamental rights of children to Survival, Development, Protection and Participation. Honouring the commitment made to the nation's children in Article 21A of the Constitution, The Right of Children to the Right of Children to Free and compulsory Education Act 2009 (Popularly referred to as RTE) has now become operational.

The Right to Education Act 2009

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE), which was passed by the Indian parliament on 4 August 2009, describes the modalities of the provision of free and compulsory education for all children between 6 and 14 years in India under Article 21A of the Indian Constitution.

The Right to Education Act has been debated, discussed and deliberated by experts before it became a law. The RTE Act is the first legislation in the world that puts the responsibility of ensuring enrollment, attendance and completion, on the Government.

The Right to Education Act 2009 ensures

Free, compulsory education for all children from all ages 6-14 in a neighborhood school till completion of elementary education..
Mandated quality of education, including periodic teacher training, and quality monitoring.
Focus on continuous evaluation of students.
Local community participation in schools.
Government will set up or upgrade existing schools to meet quality, or it will provide for transportation and fees to nearby private schools.
Special provisions for disabled children, the Act guarantees all children with disabilities to the fundamental right to education.
The Act makes it obligatory on part of the state governments and local bodies to ensure that every child gets education in a school in the neighbourhood. Any cost that prevents a child from accessing school will be borne by the State which shall have the responsibility of enrolling the child as well as ensuring attendance and completion of 8 years of schooling.

The Right to Education (RTE) Act grants every child, between the age bracket of 6 to 14 years, the right to free and quality education. The Act also specifies minimum norms in government schools and in private schools, a reservation of 25% of seats to children from poor families (to be reimbursed by the state as part of the public-private partnership plan).

The RTE will ensure that quality education is provided to children of all community, including minorities and backward classes. However, the reservation for weaker section will not be implemented from this year as the admission season is almost over and will be implemented from 2011-12.

According to the Act, no child shall be held back, expelled, or required to pass a board examination until the completion of elementary education. There is also a provision for special training of school drop-outs to bring them at par with students of the same age.

All children between the ages of 6 and 14 shall have the right to free and compulsory elementary education at a neighbourhood school. There is no direct (school fees) or indirect cost (uniforms, textbooks, mid-day meals, transportation) to be borne by the child or the parents to obtain elementary education. The government will provide schooling free-of-cost until a child's elementary education is completed.

The state government and local authorities will establish primary schools within walking distance of one km of the neighbourhood. In case of children for Class VI to VIII, the school should be within a walking distance of three km of the neighbourhood.No child shall be denied admission for want of documents; no child shall be turned away if the admission cycle in the school is over and no child shall be asked to take an admission test. Children with disabilities will also be educated in the mainstream schools.

RTE also calls for improving school infrastructure and training teachers so that every child in India has access to a quality education.

How does RTE promote Child-Friendly Schools?

All Schools must comply with infrastructure and teacher norms for an effective learning environment. Two trained teachers will be provided foe every sixty students at the primary level.

Teachers are required to attend school regularly and punctually, complete curriculum instruction, assess learning abilities and hold regular parent-teacher meetings. The number of teachers shall be based on the number of students rather than by grades.

Watchdog: Mechanism for of RTE violations

The National or the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights is responsible for examining the safeguards for rights under the act and recommending measures for effective implementation. It is also responsible for inquiring into complaints relating to child’s rights to free and compulsory education. A National Advisory Council constituted by the central government will advise the central government in effective implementation of the act. The committee will comprise a maximum of 15 members, all of whom are expected to be knowledgeable and experienced with elementary education and child development. Similarly, a state advisory council constituted by each state government will be responsible for advising the state government.

The passing of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009 marks a historic moment for the children of India. This Act serves as a building block to ensure that every child has his or her right (as an entitlement) to get a quality elementary education, and that the State, with the help of families and communities, fulfils this obligation. It is also important to ensure the proper implementation of the Act and the implementation will directly benefit close to one crore children who do not go to schools at present. These children, who have either dropped out from schools or have never been to any educational institution, will be enrolled in schools. The reach and effect this Act on the primary education landscape could be enormous.

Read more about RTE and its implications visit:

http://www.childlineindia.org.in/The-Right-of-Children-to-Free-and-Compulsory-Education-Act-2009.htm

Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Program in Schools

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 04:12:00 +0000

* By Trishla Jasani *

CIF has launched Mumbai’s largest initiative in the CSA Awareness space. The program aims to reach 1000 schools, 1 million children and their families within the next year. The program, supported by funding from HDFC, is carried forward by trained lady volunteers, each of whom is allotted a list of schools to complete according to her area and language preference.

Volunteers are required to go through an intensive 2-3 day training program in the beginning of the program, comprising of knowledge and skills component and also a session which trains them to deliver the program on safe and unsafe touch in an age appropriate manner.

The school program is in no way a Sex Education Course, rather uses a simple story telling method in schools to introduce children to the concepts of safe and unsafe touch, and what to do if they find themselves in an uncomfortable situation i.e Personal Safety Rules.

After registering via filling out the required details in our registration form, either on the website or manually, prospective volunteers will be called for a 1 hour orientation session to the CIF office at Grant Road. Here, the volunteers will clear their doubts and get more familiarized with the program. This interaction also provided as the basis for which the team may select volunteers. . After this, all those selected will need to sign a Commitment Document at the time of confirmation.

In this section, Trishla Jasani* outlines a step by step process of completing workshops in Schools. This article will act as your guide/checklist in the field and will make sure you do not forget any vital component of the program in each school.

Step 1: Contact and meet with the principal of the school.

From the list you will be given in the field kits start contacting your schools and setting up appointments to meet with principals. At times principals will not give you an actual appointment but will suggest you come to the school during their office hours. Also some schools have separate primary and secondary school principals. You will have to meet with both of them in order to get permission for the various classes. Remember: For your first meeting in each school contact the CHILDLINE CSA Project Team and we will send one person to come with you. Hand over a copy of the authorisation letter given to you by CIF and obtain a formal permission from the principal. The formal permission is important. During your meeting with the Principal and while getting formal permission let the principal know of all components of the program, i.e. the stories, the labels, the letter to parents and the posters. Be complete upfront so that there is no confusion or problem later.

Step 2: Use the Planner

Use the Planner provided to mark out time for each class and each division (2nd to 6th). Also make sure you plan for parent/teacher sessions if you have been requested to do so by the principal prior to the classroom sessions.

Step 3:

a. Conducting the Sessions in Classes

During the sessions you will need the following items - This handbook - The Flipchart (English, Hindi or Marathi depending on the medium of the school) - 1 Label Sheet per child in class - 1 Letter to Parents per child in class (English, Hindi or Marathi depending on the language spoken at home) Follow the instructions given in the Appendices, tell the story and hand out the labels. At the end of the session hand out one pre-stuck inland letter to each child and ask him/her to write their name and hand it to parents/guardian when they get home. Remember: Thank the children for their time and for listening

b. Conducted Parent Teacher Sessions

A complete module of information you need to cover in a parent/teacher session has been included in, in three languages. In addition to this information feel free to talk about the stories (classes 2nd to 6th), flipcharts and labels. Also let parents know they will receive an informational letter regarding the same through their children. Keep some letters on hand if parents ask for it at the session.

Step 4: Put up posters

Once all sessions in each division and class are complete in a particular school, approach the principal once more about posting the posters if she/he has not done so already.

Step 5: Get the Principal to Sign Off

Once all sessions in each division and class are complete in a particular school, approach the principal with this handbook and ask him/her to sign in the demarcated column in the Planner

Step 6: Report to CHILDLINE CSA Team

Note: CIF is providing you will all the materials you require. The CSA Project Team will be maintaining a record of all materials handed over to volunteers. When you run out of letters/labels/posters please contact the CSA Project Team to organise for more. Please give us at least a week’s notice so that we have time to print if necessary. At the end of your one year period please return all materials to the CIF Office.

These include:

Flipcharts (All that were assigned to you)
Extra Labels
Extra Letter to Parents
Extra Posters

Read more about CSA program here

Click Here to Register for CSA program.

* Trishla Jasani was a Consultant Program Coordinator at CHILDLINE India Foundation.

Dealing with Child Sexual Abuse Disclosures

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 04:30:00 +0000

- By Dr Shubhada Maitra *

Discussing issues related to child sexual abuse comes in the context of a discourse around sex, sexuality and related issues. Disclosures about CSA can never take place in a context where all discussions, questions, curiosity about sex and sexuality are thwarted or left unanswered with a 'you will know when you grow up'. kind of a response. Following are some helpful ways in which discussions around 'taboo' topics and sexual abuse can be facilitated:

Use appropriate language and words for body parts. If a nose is a nose, ears are ears, hands are hands, why do we need nicknames for breasts, penis, vagina, buttocks, anus? Teach the child these words so that there is no hesitation or barrier in discussing sex related issues. If sexual abuse happens, the child will find it less difficult to share what happened if s/he has the language to describe the experience.
There is no perfect age to start 'educating'. children about sex. When the child first pops the questions is the perfect time. Children as young as four may ask, 'how are babies born', 'where did I come from', 'when are you going to bring me a baby sister/ brother', 'why don't I have a younger sister/brother', 'will I be able to born children like you born me' and so on. Talk to the child in a way s/he will understand. Do not overload or under-load the child with information. In other words, share information in a manner the child will understand, giving too much or too little information will confuse the child. For example, at age 4 when the child asks any of the above questions, talking about sexual intercourse will surely be overloading. Telling the child that this is not the time to talk about such things, or that s/he will understand when s/he grows up or that s/he should go and play is under-loading. When my 4 year old son asked me the last question posed above, I simply said emphatically, "Yes, surely". He was happy and scampered off. A couple of years later he asked me whether he will be able to grow a baby inside his body like I grew. him inside mine. And I said, 'No, because I have bag inside me in which you grew. You don't have that bag'. Again he asked no more and seemed satisfied with the response. It was at 9 years of age when we spoke of the ovum and the egg (thanks to his reading the Child craft series) and at 13 years of age he did not need information from me. But we continue to talk about sex, sexuality condoms, love, responsibilities of a relationship and so on.
Remember, sex and sexuality education is an ongoing process, not a onetime activity. Keep your communication doors open for children to ask questions about these matters, whenever. There is no 'The End' to such conversations.
Do not change channels if an advertisement of a condom or a sanitary napkin suddenly comes up. Do not show your discomfort. Answer any queries if the child asks. Behave as normally as possible keeping your tone even.
If the child exhibits any age inappropriate sexual behavior or uses any inappropriate sexual language, do not reprimand the child. Instead it might be more helpful to ask, 'Where did you learn that from or where did you see/hear that?' Listen to the child patiently instead of panicking, expecting the worst.
Believe the child when the child discloses any discomforting incident with an adult or older child, no matter who that person is or what relationship you share with the person. When the abuser is someone close to the child, the child often wonders if what is happening is real or is the child only imagining things. The last thing the child who is abused needs is disbelief from the adult who the child/ adult survivor has gone for help.
A grandfather was abusing his granddaughter from age 7 to age 13 when she visited him during vacations. When she saw him turning his attention to her younger sister, she told her mother. The mother believed her daughter and never sent the two girls to the maternal grandparents. house again. A few years later she confronted her father about the abuse. Do not ever blame the child. Sexual abuse is never the child's fault. The child never invites or enjoys such attention. Take the example of a young 13 year old girl who was being abused by her maternal uncle. She was living with her maternal grandparents and their son, while her parents lived away for their work. One afternoon, the grandparents left home to visit someone, leaving the 13 year old girl alone with her maternal uncle who was 27 years old at the time. He threatened her and brought her in his room and was about to penetrate her anally when the grandmother arrived and saw what was happening. Instead of taking action against her son, the grandmother blamed the 13 year old for enticing her son into doing dirty things! The young girl could not convince her grandmother that in fact it was her son who had forced and threatened her into doing this. Do not offer excuses for the abuser's action.
Nothing justifies abuse of children. By finding reasons for the abuser's action, one is in fact only supporting the abuser. Once you know of the abuse, offer immediate emotional support to the child. Tell the child that you believe her/him. Tell the child that it was not her/his fault. Not taking any action also amounts to silently supporting the abuser. A girl who was being abused by her granduncle and uncles was distraught to see them visit her house time and again, despite her having shared it with her mother. Yet, women may not be able to take explicit action against the men in their life, given women's position in the society and family. Blaming the women for inaction or for not stopping the abuse is like taking the blame and attention away from the abuser. Women may find support from survivor groups, women's groups, child rights organizations, counselors, or organizations working on sexual abuse to plan appropriate action in such an instance. The child should be at the centre of any decisions made with respect to disclosures about abuse.
Do not minimize abusing by attributing it to child's fantasy or attention seeking behavior. Remember, it is extremely difficult for the child to disclose what is happening to her/him. Research shows that disclosures are almost always delayed, well into adulthood. When they do happen, it is important to acknowledge it as reality and the need to take action that conveys your support to the child.
Do not wait for problems to crop up if sexual abuse is disclosed.
Do not expect that the child will forget about what happened. See a child counselor or a mental health professional to begin some initial support to the child.
Do not ask the child to describe graphic details of the abuse. Let the child share as much as s/he is comfortable sharing. One doesn't need to know the details of what and how it happened. Focus on the child's emotions and listen intently to what the child is sharing. Do not ask victim-blaming questions like 'What were you doing there' or 'what were you wearing' or 'why did he do this to you''. Remember, there are no justifications for sexual abuse. Finally be alert.
Anyone can abuse a child. Teach children to come and talk to you if they feel uncomfortable about anything or if any touching that might happen to them-be it at home, in school, on the playground, in a place where people gather to pray, on the streets, in the bus. Let children know that a lot of unwanted touching happens, that it is never their fault and that they should come and share it with a caring adult.

* - Dr Shubhada Maitra is currently Associate Professor and Chairperson, Centre for Health and Mental Health, School of Social Work, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Deonar Mumbai. Her PhD thesis was on Mental Health Correlates of Child Sexual Abuse.

The Child - A Traumatized Victim

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 04:19:00 +0000

- By Jaya Aiyappa *

"My mom would drop me off in the evening with her older sister (my aunt) to spend the night while she would go out. In most cases, this would be a safe haven babysitter for a child, Right? Wrong! My cousin was 18/19 years old at the time and addicted to drugs. In the small house in which they lived, I was always put in the cousin.s bed to go to sleep prior to him getting home from a "night out". I vividly remember the first time it happened. I went to bed, asleep by myself - 6 years old - only to be woken up by being raped by my cousin. I remember having my face shoved into a pillow so my screams and cries for help wouldn.t be heard by anyone. When it was over, I was told if I ever mentioned it to anyone, he would kill me - and I believed him."

I was eight when it happened. My older brother had made a bet with me and I won. He said I got to pick a dare. I thought it would be funny if I saw his underwear and sung the song "I see London, I see France, I see your underpants". He said we'd do it later. Next thing I know he's in my room when I was getting ready for bed and he said I'll show you mine if you show me yours. I said ¡°that's not fair, but he insisted I do it, and I did. The next night he came in my room while I was in bed and he reached down my pants touching me. I kept my eyes shut because I thought it would help me escape. For many weeks it would happen sometimes randomly, but then every night. He touched me, and took my hand and made me hold and stroke his penis"

These are not random cases of CSA that have been mentioned. CSA is prevalent not just in India but all around the world in alarming figures. According to the first ever National Study on Child Abuse in April 2007, covering 13 states in India and a sample size of 12,446 children, a disturbing number of 53.3% children reported sexual abuse. The survey also found that boys and girls were equally at risk. The most frightening aspect was that 50% of the abusers were known to the children and the children trusted them.

Stages of Child Development

According to Erickson psycho social stages of development the child passes through various stages which help him to become mentally and emotionally strong as an adult. The major developmental task in infancy (0-1year) is to learn whether people, especially primary caregivers, regularly satisfy basic needs. If caregivers are consistent sources of food, comfort, and affection, an infant learns trust- that others are dependable and reliable. If they are neglectful, or perhaps even abusive, the infant instead learns mistrust- that the world is an undependable, unpredictable, and possibly dangerous place. From 2-3 years if caregivers demand too much, ridicule early attempts at self-sufficiency, children may instead develop shame and doubt about their ability to handle problems. During 4-5 years the children are realizing for themselves if they are good or bad and may develop guilty feelings for actions for which they feel they are to blame. The later stages (6-11 years), help the child develop a sense of worth self confidence, a sense of loyalty, his identity and purpose in life (12-19 years). However these ages are not fixed and can overlap and gratification in each stage effects the development of the other.

Any trauma or distress during any of the stages can result in the child being maladjusted or having a problem in some sphere of his life. CSA always impacts a child but in varying degrees. Childhood is the stage when our personalities and beliefs are being formed and any trauma at this stage does impact the psychological and emotional development. No child can be unaffected by the abuse. However not all are affected to the same degree. A child who is severely abused over many years may be affected differently from a child who has been abused once. Also a child who has been abused by a person whom he trusts and loves would be affected differently from a child abused by a stranger.

Indicators of abuse

There is no one single identifiable sign or symptom that all children will have. They may have very subtle or very pronounced symptoms. Most often the abusers are known to the children so there is little or no use of force. Hence the physical evidence of abuse becomes difficult to spot. There may be urinary infections, bleeding from the vagina or anus, STDs, pain in genitals specially during urination, difficulty in walking or sitting, throat infection (due to oral sex) or pregnancy.

Behavioural changes in the child may be subtle or very prominent but will always be there. Children often do not tell with words that they have been sexually abused. Usually a child hardly talks about his abuse and even if s/he does, no one takes him seriously and that further creates more problems in the child increasing his feelings of shame, guilt and the feeling that he is responsible for the abuse. A child could show any of the followings symptoms, but having any, does not necessarily mean the child is abused. The reason for the behaviour must be explored.

Waking up in the night screaming, nightmares or other sleeping problems
Showing an unusual fear of certain people, places or things
A reluctance to be with a certain person
Loss of appetite or trouble eating, eating disorders
Fear of the bathroom
Excessive crying, depression, anxiety
Mood changes, anger outbursts or withdrawal or fear
Becomes worried when clothing is removed
Wearing layers of clothing to hide injuries or provocative clothing
Knowledge of sex which is age inappropriate
Imitating sexual acts with other children or toys, such as dolls
Withdrawing from activities they used to be involved in
Academic problems
Lowered self esteem
Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder such as panic attacks
Regressive behaviour like bedwetting (after being potty trained)
Having new words for private body parts
Excessive masturbation, addiction problems.

Any sudden changes in the behaviour of the child along with physical symptoms must be taken seriously and is a warning signal. It is necessary for the primary caretaker to be vigilant and alert to any changes in the behaviour of the child and also to be aware of what the child may be trying to convey verbally though indirectly.One common feeling that most children and adolescents have is of guilt and shame. Children usually feel a sense of guilt over the abuse that occurred. It is important to remember that under no circumstance is the child ever responsible for what happened to them. There is a sense of betrayal as the abuse is often by a person whom they trust and love. It is crucial that "re- victimization" does not happen.

Some ways a child can be re- victimized is by saying to the child: "Uncle, or Grandpa would never do that to you, why are you lying?" or "It couldn't have been that bad or you would have told me sooner".

The Silent Problem

As we can see that the children are traumatized so why is it that they still don.t tell and talk about their abuse. Especially in India, the children are taught to respect their elders come what may, the elders know what is good for you and they are never wrong.

Other reasons why the children keep quiet is because of their relationship with the offender, they do not want to put the abuser into trouble, their sense of loyalty towards the abuser or at times even to protect another who is not an abuser. The child is confused between the behaviours of the adult who is caring at times and abusive otherwise and hence cannot distinguish who the real adult is. Abusers may offer a combination of gifts and threats about what will happen if the child refuses or tells someone. Threats include physical threats or what will be lost in the form of family breaking up. The child.s fear is played upon by the abuser. At times the child may experience a physical pleasure or arousal and this confusion makes it difficult for the child to speak up. Very often the child thinks he is to blame for being bad and is being punished this way. He is too ashamed or embarrassed to tell anyone. He feels no one will believe him. The reasons may differ depending on the age of the child at the time of abuse and who the abuser is.

Consequences of CSA

Child sexual abuse victims usually carry this trauma with them for the rest of their lives. Depending on the seriousness, duration and type of abuse, the effects can vary in intensity but mostly do affect all victims in some aspect of their lives and are manifested in psychological, social, sexual or physical problems. ¡°I realize that I build walls between myself and people who love me, including my wife - it's the only way I know to protect myself from getting hurt. I don.t know how to let someone love me. My wife has gotten tired of running into that wall. I realize that the long term affects of child abuse has caused me to form defensive personality traits which make it difficult to have adult relationships. I feel as though I am damaged, I have no self esteem / confidence, everyone else is "better" than me. My life has been moulded by the abuse and hurt I suffered as a child and I make those around me miserable as a result.

Psychologically the person can report panic attacks, depression, fears, panic attacks, sleeping problems, nightmares, irritability, outbursts of anger and sudden shock reactions when being

touched. They have low self esteem and little confidence and respect in themselves. They may resort to self destructive behaviours like addictions, prostitution. Socially they are not able to trust others and do not have satisfying relationships. They may deliberately get into relationships where they will be abused as they see themselves as .damaged goods.. Sexually they may not want to be touched as it brings back memories, or have problems with pain and orgasms or be averse to any particular act like oral sex. This affects relationships as the partner does not understand what is happening.

Many psychosomatic illnesses may occur which could include eating disorders, inexplicable aches and pains and may suffer from post traumatic stress disorder.

Role of a Trusted Adult

The foremost thing that an adult can do is to believe the child. Children rarely make up stories about sexual abuse. However vague or imaginative the narration may be, the child is entrusting you with a part of himself that is sore, painful and terrifying and embarrassing. Let the child know that you are willing to listen patiently to whatever the child has to say however painful it may be. Here is a person the child can trust, feel understood and not betrayed. Validate the child.s feelings of anger, pain, fear, helplessness as the child needs to express them and be heard. Be genuine in your response even if it is of outrage but do not make your feelings overwhelm the child.s. If for some reason you are unable to handle it and are extremely upset or defensive, it may be from a feeling you have repressed from the past, in which case you can encourage the child to speak with someone else whom they see as trustworthy.

Most importantly, view the person as someone strong who has come for help rather than as a victim.

It is important for the child to be helped to overcome the abuse by trained professionals who in an unthreatening atmosphere help the child to regain control over his life. This is done through various play methods or through the creative arts like dance, drama or drawing. No child should be made to go through the trauma and suffer all his life for a fault which is not his.

Parents/teachers need to educate the child about CSA, how to prevent it and what the child needs to do. They need to be given age appropriate sex education and explained about appropriate touch and inappropriate touch.

Remember - No child seduces an abuser. Children ask for attention and affection not abuse.

* - Mrs. Jaya Aiyappa completed her MSW from Delhi University. Since 2008, she has been working with the Women Graduates Union as a counselor. In her position she handles personal counseling and individual clients as well as conducts Workshops and Seminars for men, women and adolescents.

Medical Procedures and Protocols in Child Sexual Abuse

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0000

By Dr. Chhaya Prasad *

As far as the clinical aspect is concerned, a child is defined as one who is less than 12 years of age for obtaining medical care in a Government health facility in India. A request from Indian Academy of Pediatrics to increase the age limit up to 18 years is still under consideration by the Government of India. As the context here is child-rights and child abuse, the legal definition of the child, by age, is important. During the initial census of India, persons below the age of 14 years were defined as children and most of the Government programs on children are still targeted for the age group below 14 years. Thereafter, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989 (Article I) defined the child as below 18 years of age.

In India, the legal definition of child varies from seven years to eighteen years of age, but after the introduction of the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection of Children Act, for all practical purposes, a child is considered as a person below 18 years.

1. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000: “Juvenile” or “Child” means a person who has not completed eighteenth year of age.

2. Family Law (Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929): „Child. means a person who, if a male, has not completed twenty one years of age, and if a female, has not completed eighteen years of age.

3. Criminal Law (Indian Penal Code, 1860): Nothing is an offence which is done by a child under seven years of age (Section 82). Nothing is an offence which is done by a child above seven years of age under twelve, who has not attained sufficient maturity of understanding to judge the nature and consequence of his conduct on that occasion (Section 83).

4. United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child, 1989 (Article I): A child means every human being below the age of eighteen years unless, under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier.

5. Constitution of India, Article 24: Any one below the age of fourteen.

6. The Child Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986: „Child. means a person who has not completed his fourteenth year of age.

Definition of Child Sexual Abuse According to the World Health Organization (Used by Medical practitioners for all practical purposes)

Child abuse or maltreatment constitutes all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child.s health, survival, development or dignity, in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power (WHO 1999).

Physical abuse of a child is that which results in actual or potential physical harm from an interaction or lack of interaction, which is reasonably within the control of a parent or person in a position of responsibility, power, or trust. There may be single or repeated incidents (WHO 1999). Any non accidental injury resulting from the following actions done with intention to harm a child - punching, hitting, throwing, kicking, chocking, biting, shaking, heating and burning with an object, scalding, banging, etc.

Child sexual abuse is the involvement of a child in sexual activity that s/he does not fully comprehend, is unable to give informed consent to, or for which the child is not developmentally prepared and cannot give consent, or that violate the laws or social taboos of society. Child sexual abuse is evidenced by an activity between a child and an adult or another child who by age or development is in a relationship of responsibility, trust or power; the activity being intended to gratify or satisfy the needs of other person.

This may include but is not limited to:

The inducement or coercion of a child to engage in any unlawful sexual activity
The exploitative use of a child in prostitution or other unlawful sexual practices
The exploitative use of children in pornographic performances and materials (WHO, 1999).

At the expense of a child, the involvement of the child in sexual activity intended to gratify the needs of another person: inappropriate kissing, unnecessary touching either directly or through clothing the private body parts of a child for reasons other than hygiene or health care purposes, fondling, exhibitionism, voyeurism, vaginal, oral and anal intercourse, pornography incest, rape, etc.

Emotional abuse includes the failure to provide a developmentally appropriate, supportive environment, including the availability of a primary attachment figure, so that the child can develop a stable and full range of emotional and social competencies commensurate with his/her personal potential, and in the context of the society in which the child dwells. There may also be acts toward the child that cause or have a high probability of causing harm to the child.s health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development. These acts must be reasonably within the control of the parent or person in a relationship of responsibility, trust or power. Acts include restriction of movement, patterns of belittling, denigrating, scapegoating, threatening, scaring, discriminating, and ridiculing.

Child abuse is a misuse of power by adults over children that endangers or impairs a child.s physical or emotional health and development. Here we are referring to all kind of abuse, physical, sexual or emotional abuse. It is commonly believed that child abuse is a problem of lower socio-economic class and happens to vulnerable children staying in unsafe places but the truth is that most of the abuse occurs to normal children in regular homes. An episode of abuse can occur anywhere, at home, in streets, public places, foster homes, schools, etc. All children can be at risk, whether they are normal children or the vulnerable group. Vulnerable group includes destitute children, orphans, abandoned children, street children; HIV/AIDS affected children, child beggars, substance/drug abusers, child laborers and neglected children. Children of poor parents or with physical, mental or terminal illness, children with a single parent, children of refugees, migrants, construction workers and of prostitutes, rape victims, sex workers also form a part of the vulnerable group. The abusers can be parents, care-givers, teachers, neighbors, family members, frequent visitors, strangers, employers etc. Parents turn abusers if they are immature, have poor parenting skills, personality disorders, mental health problems,

social pressures, are victims of domestic violence, when they single parents or are substance abusers.

Pediatrician's Response

A pediatrician's response to a case of child sexual abuse in outpatient and inpatient settings is based on the following cardinal principles.

1. Child centered and child friendly: It keeps the best interest of child in mind. Safety of the child is considered to be of utmost importance.

2. Family supportive: Response should provide adequate support to the family as family forms the backbone of the child protection system. Keeping the child permanently in an institution is the last option in child protection.

3. Provision of legal safety to the Pediatrician managing the case: The management and documentation of the case should be impeccable to avoid professional litigation later. The goal of a pediatrician.s response includes:

1. Short term goal is to ensure safety and provide emergency care if needed.

2. Comprehensive medical assessment including history taking, examination and investigations. To ensure proper documentation.

3. Short term goals include providing immediate emotional (counseling) and social support to the child and family and treating physical problems like injuries, providing immunization, STD prophylaxis and emergency contraception.

4. Long term goals include complete physical and psychosocial well being of the child as well as ensuring reintegration into the family and social system.

When a child is brought with history of unexplained injury or a genital infection, a high index of suspicion should be kept in mind. A detailed medical and social history, including presenting symptoms is mandatory. Any history of fall, fracture or injury (including head injury), unexplained bruises, redness, poor growth and stunting, recurrent UTIs or abdominal/ perineal/ anal pain and mouth and genital sores or discharge should be noted.

Behavioral History will include:

Fear of certain people or places, nightmares, trouble sleeping, or other extreme fears without an obvious explanation.
Loss of appetite, or trouble eating or swallowing or sudden changes in eating habits.
Sudden mood swings: rage, fear, anger, insecurity or withdrawal, unexplained abdominal pain.
Bed-wetting or thumb sucking, adult-like sexual activities with toys or other children, new words for private body parts, resistance to bathing, toileting, or removing clothes.
Talking about a new older friend.
Inconsistency in history, complaints not correlating with physical findings, previous or repeated similar injuries / complaints of illness but delay in seeking medical help.
Circumstantial evidence should be noted.

Comprehensive Medical Assessment The presence of a chaperone, preferably a nurse is a must during the assessment. The assessment should be recorded in a special Performa. History taking from the parent or caretaker should be documented separately from that of the child. History should be taken with a sensitive, empathic and nonjudgmental attitude and recorded verbatim. Repeated interviews are avoided. The child and the parents are to be treated with respect and dignity without making accusations. Points to be covered in history include place, time, witness, present and past history, noticeable behavior change, developmental and immunization history. Family history, pedigree chart and social history are extremely important.

A psycho social history known by the acronym HEEADDSS can be taken directly from an adolescent patient. This includes details regarding home, education, eating behavior, activities and peers, drugs, depression, suicide, sexual history and sleep pattern. To make a final conclusion after discussing the case with seniors, peers, psychologists and probably even NGOs and social worker.

The responses of a pediatrician to a child abuse case can be broadly classified into the following:

1. Urgent response is needed if the child is brought dead or with a life threatening injury or with acute sexual assault (reports within 72 hours of the abuse). The child will need emergency care and the police would require immediate forensic samples to book a strong case against the abuser. Such cases are best managed in a government hospital setting.

2. Admission to the hospital is needed in all cases of serious injuries. A child may be admitted incase it is felt that there is an immediate threat to his safety at home.

3. Social Services like Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and Child Helpline (#1098) or local NGOs to be contacted if the parents refuse to follow the treatment plan or if there is an immediate threat to safety of other sibs. CWC and Child Helpline can also be contacted in any case where child rights are violated like neglect, child labor, corporal punishment at school, child marriage etc.

4. Planned response is the best. Here a planned interview and examination are performed in a child friendly atmosphere with the appropriate equipment and health personnel (social worker, psychologist, gynecologist if needed). A child friendly atmosphere is one that is sensitive to the needs of the child, where he/she feels comfortable, relaxed and at ease to confide his problems.

Examination Parental and (preferably) the child.s consent are essential for a medical examination. The child may prefer to get examined by a doctor of the same sex. He/she may also choose to have a trustworthy adult during the procedure. The pediatrician may seek the expertise of a forensic physician and a gynecologist while examining a case of sexual abuse.

The following should be recorded:

1. Resistance to examination, especially in a case of sexual abuse and dissociation (going to sleep during examination)

2. General demeanor (like unkempt appearance in neglect)

3. Vitals and tip-to-toe general physical examination, especially noting pallor, bruises, vitamin deficiencies

4. Height, weight and head circumference to be plotted on growth chart

5. Sexual Maturity Rating for adolescents

6. All injuries are to be marked on anatomical diagrams. Special sites to look for injuries include ears, inside the mouth, soles, genitalia and anus.

7. Systemic examination is done especially to look for other injuries.

8. Examination of genitalia in girls should be done in supine frog leg, knee chest prone and left

lateral position.

Details of hymen and injuries are to be noted. If possible, photographic evidence to be recorded. Anal dilatation on a rectal examination indicates sodomy. Presence of discharge, genital ulcers, warts and inguinal lymphadenopathy are to be noted. It is important to note that in 70-85% cases of documented sexual abuse, the physical examination is normal. Examination of clothes of victim for semen stains, struggle tears, trace material etc. should be done.

Investigations The following investigations need to be done.

Sexually Transmitted Disease screening, including low and high vaginal (in post pubertal girls) swabs and urethral swabs in boys and serology for HIV, Hepatitis B and Syphilis are done in cases of:

Acute sexual assault
Penetrative abuse
Vaginal/ urethral discharge
STD in abuser
Pregnancy test is done for an adolescent girl

Forensic samples maintaining the chain of evidence include skin, hair, clothing, saliva, oral and genitourinary secretions are sent in cases of acute sexual assault. Skeletal survey can be done to explain associated multiple unexplained injuries. It is mandatory if the abused child is below 2 years. Multiple bruising entails a detailed hematological profile, including bleeding and coagulation profile. Neuro imaging and Ultrasonography of abdomen are indicated in a case of head and abdominal injury respectively.

Management

Management should be child friendly and should aim at achieving the short term and long term goals. The current and future plans of action should be discussed with the non offending family members. The need for breaking immediate contact with the abuser if he/she is a known person should be emphasized.

1. Accelerated Hepatitis B vaccination schedule(0,1,2, 12) should be considered if the sexually abused child is not vaccinated. DPT/ DT vaccination should be given in non vaccinated children.

2. STD prophylaxis and Emergency Contraception is to be given to an adolescent with acute sexual assault.

3. Multiple types of abuse may co exist in the same patient and should be looked for. Counseling of the child and family forms the corner stone of the management.

The immediate counselling of the child that can be done by the paediatrician focuses on the following:

1. Believe the child, reassure and absolve feelings of guilt/ blame.

2. Explain about the existence of a medical, family and social support system.

3. Listen carefully to all fears and concerns associated with disclosure.

4. Teach coping and assertive skills.

5. Referrals to appropriate specialties should be made according to the need of the child.

These will include psychologist, psychiatrist, orthopedic surgeon, surgeon, social services and police. The family members may also need counseling and treatment from mental health professionals.

Medicolegal Aspects: Documentation and Reporting

Most victims of child abuse are brought directly to hospitals, usually Government hospitals, for medical examination by police. They may be accompanied by Social worker (NGO), but at times are brought by parents / guardians. At times, there can be incidental recognition of child abuse when they are brought for some other medical problem for consultation. The child can also be brought merely for age determination. At present there is no uniformity in text of report, method of examination or prescribed format for documentation.

Different states follow different practices depending on local laws and procedures. Medical examination is done in a routine matter without proper clinical or forensic screening. Swabs and slides are taken only in sexual assault cases without giving due importance to minute details and injuries. Age determination, which is mandatory as per the Prevention of Immoral Traffic Act, is done only on request and done only in few hospitals. Age range given in reporting is too wide, which often goes against the victim and favors the accused.

How and what should be documented

All consultations with the patient should be in hand written notes, with diagrams, body charts, and if possible.

During examination of a case of sexual abuse, the police need to be informed and consent is a must. Complete examination is necessary. Evidence collection (specimens) is to be done and samples are carefully preserved in refrigerator or suitable place. Photographic documentation should be done wherever possible. It should be understood that both age determination and complete examination requires multidisciplinary references. Their opinions either in person or telephonically should be recorded.

The examining doctor should make sure that important details are not omitted. All aspects of consultation should be documented and detailed notes must be made during the consultation, Patient.s records have to be kept strictly confidential and stored securely. The documentation should be confined to areas of health care expertise only; interpretation of the same has to be

done by a trained person if the examining Medical Officer is not trained in examination of medico-legal cases.

Consent:

Consent is a voluntary agreement, permission or compliance, it may be

1. Expressed,

2. Implied or

3. Written.

In other words, according to Section 13 of the Indian Contract Act, two or more persons are said to consent, when they agree upon the same thing in the same sense at same time.

Follow up

Follow up after 2 weeks is essential to reassess the child. In acute sexual assault of an adolescent girl, a repeat pregnancy test is warranted. A repeat serology for syphilis at 4-6 weeks and for HIV at 3-6 months is required. The long term after-effects of abuse on the physical and mental health are well known, but some children suffer no adverse consequences.

The outcome is influenced by the following factors:

Nature, extent and type of abuse
Age of child, temperament and resilience of the child, relationship of abuser to the child
Response of the family to abuse and medical management

A single episode of non contact sexual abuse by a stranger may just need reassurance and letting out feelings in one or two counseling sessions. It usually has a good outcome. Prolonged abuse by a close family member requires longer and multiple counseling sessions to heal completely.

Regular follow up of the abused children includes the following:

1. To verify if abuse has stopped.

2. To monitor physical and mental health.

3. To evaluate development and ensure that it is normal.

4. To refer for therapy (counseling, cognitive behavior therapy or medication) for delayed presentation of symptoms.

Child Protection Services

The Existing Services are CHILDLINE, Child Welfare Committee, Local NGOs, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, and the Police. There is need for a Child Protection Group for Comprehensive Services that includes a Pediatrician, Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Gynecologist, Surgeon, Forensic Expert, Social Worker, Police, and Lawyer. (Source: WHO, UNICEF, CRY, CSWB, DWCD document – 1st National Conference on Child Abuse for Multidisciplinary Professionals in Feb. 2004, Chennai organized by ICCW, Chennai and SRMC, Chennai, Manual on Recognition and Response to Child Abuse: The Indian Scenario, IAP)

* - Dr Chhaya Prasad is a Developmental and Behavioural Paediatrician, at the Govt. Regional Institute for Mentally Handicapped, Chandigarh. She recently successfully completed her post graduation in Developmental Neurology from the Kerala Univesity.

An opportunity to make a lasting change

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 03:50:00 +0000

"I dream of joining the police to help unfortunate girls like me stand on their feet again." These are the words of an innocent 20 year old girl who saw the light of justice 6 years after being a victim of rape and flesh trade. The story of Neha is no ordinary narration.

On 23rd February, 2006, CHILDLINE Ahmednagar received a call from an anxious father to report a complaint for his missing 14-year old daughter. In September 2010, the District and Sessions Court judge Makarand D. Keskar convicted the accused under section 376(2)(g) gang rape, 120(b), 376(rape), 120(b) and section 5(a)(1)(d) of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA) and 366 (kidnapping).The convicts were given double life terms.

CHILDLINE was largely instrumental in the conviction of 20 high profile individuals exposed for their participation in a brutal case of gang rape, trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation and received the much deserved accolade and appreciation from various NGOs, Police and the Media for successfully carrying out this case.

It has been a great year for CHILDLINE. We have extended our service from 83 to 162 cities/districts since December 2010 and aspire to reach out to many more in the next few months. CHILDLINE remains single mindedly focused in its endeavour to be present and accessible to all children across all 596 cities/districts of India.

Today, after 15 years of our existence, having responded to 18 million calls and rescued 8 lakh children, we stand proud. We have managed to contrive and sustain relationships with corporates and individuals who have become an integral part of the CHILDINE family. Each one of you has helped us move forward in achieving our set goals.

Once again, we seek your assistance in raising sustainable funds for our project titled ‘Rescuing a child is just a phone call away’. Your support ensures that we are able to continue reaching children and providing them a safer haven.

Support us and to know more visit

http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/rescuing-a-child-is-just-a-phone-call-away/

Thank you.

CHILDLINE India Foundation

Police Procedures and Protocols in Child Sexual Abuse Cases

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 03:04:00 +0000

By Trishla Jasani & Sneha Kupekar

(Edited by Sheela Sail- DCP Enforcement, Mumbai Police) *

1. Receipt of Information Under Section 154 of CRPC a complaint of any cognizable offence can be made telephonically or through an application or in person by the victim or a person familiar with the facts of the case. If the victim is present at the time of lodging a complaint, then the FIR can be filed immediately. However, if the complaint is made by a third party or telephonically or through an application, then the police firstly visit the place of occurrence and speak with the victim to ascertain the facts of case and then record the FIR. If the complaint is lodged out of jurisdiction, then the FIR can be filed and then transferred to the relevant police station.

2. Registration of FIR The child victim is interviewed by a police officer, sometimes in presence of a social worker. A lady officer/constable is present throughout all the process if a female victim is involved. If a lady constable is unavailable then the police have a list of NGO?s, Social Workers, Doctors and the Mahila Dakshata Committee through which a lady witness is made available. If urgent medical/ psychological attention is needed, then it has to be done before the FIR is registered. However, a precise station diary entry has to be made. While filing an FIR, it is important to ensure that all the ingredients mentioned in the relevant section of the IPC and other acts are recorded in the FIR.

First Information Report (FIR)

First Information Report (FIR) is a written document prepared by the police when they receive information about the commission of a cognizable offence. It is a report of information that reaches the police first in point of time and that is why it is called the First Information Report.

Anyone can file an FIR as long as they have knowledge about a cognizable offence. When an oral report of an offence is given, the police are required to write it down and read it back to you if you want them to. The FIR must be signed by the person giving the complaint. It is your right to get a copy of the FIR free of cost. If it is not given to you please ask for it. The FIR must include the name and address of the person filing the complaint, date, time and location of the offence, true facts of the incident and names and descriptions of people involved as well as witnesses.

Please ensure that you never make a false complaint, give wrong information, exaggerate or distort facts or make unclear or vague statements.

In the case that your FIR has been refused or not lodged you may write a complaint to the Superintendent of Police, file a private complaint in a court having jurisdiction. 21

3. Concurrent action to be taken at the time of registration of FIR Steps that are taken after a complaint is lodged :

1) FIR is registered

2) A separate team takes the victim to the hospital

3) Another team is sent to the place of occurrence

4) A team is sent to pursue the offender

5) If the accused is absconding, neighbouring police stations are informed

6) Either manually or computer generated sketch of the accused is dispatched

7) In case of serious offences, immediately all the details are conveyed to the control room, so that the information can be relayed throughout all the police stations in the city

8) If required legal aid is offered.

4. Medical examination of the Victim This usually takes place at government hospital. The medical officers are instructed to immediately arrange for this examination as soon as requisition is received. A lady has to be present at the time of the medical examination of the victim. Consent has to be obtained, along with a signature of a witness. The victim of 12 years and above is eligible to give valid consent for such examination. However, if the child isn?t in the mental state to give the consent, then the guardian?s signature is obtained. An FIR is not required for conducting the medical examination.

5. Examination of place of occurrence Immediate visit to place of occurrence is necessary for collecting physical & oral evidence. A police team is deputed to ensure that the evidence isn?t tampered. After that, collection of the physical evidence like samples of blood, sperms, pubic hairs, nail clipping, clothes on body for forensic tests is done & panchanama is drawn. The police officers will also gather other information including statements from witnesses & also about the alleged offender.

6. Medical examination of accused The accused is examined for collection of physical evidence.

7. Role of Child Welfare Committee Production of child victim before CWC is important. Parallel enquiry is conducted by the probation officer, who submits enquiry report to CWC which help the police to investigate the case. CWC keep a child in protection home if he/she is in need of care & protection. Child guidance clinics provide necessary counseling and other services for the protection of the child.

8. Submission of the charge sheet. All evidence relating to the IPC sections mentioned in the FIR has to be submitted along with the charge sheet. FIR, panchanama, witness statements, medical experts opinion, forensic experts opinion are the primary documents of evidence. If the accused is already in police custody, then the charge sheet has to be submitted within 60/90 days depending on the Penal Section, otherwise the permission of the court has to be obtained for extension. The evidence & statement gathered by the police will be reviewed by the Public Prosecutor. He will decide whether there is enough evidence to file charge sheet. The documents on which the public prosecutor is relying will also be provided to the accused.

9. The Role of Media Disclosure of identity of the rape victims is an offence U/s 228 (A) of the Indian Penal Code. Under trial offences should not be given exposure in media as it creates negative impact. Media should be used to make public awareness & to create fears in the minds of wrong doers.

* Mrs. Sheela Sail is the present Deputy Commissioner of Police, Enforcement, Crime Branch, Mumbai City, Maharashtra. She has 10 years experience as a police officer and 7 years experience as a research officer.

* Trishla Jasani was working as a Consultant Program Coordinator at CHILDLINE India Foundation.

* Sneha Kupekar is currently working as Assistant Program Coordinator at CHILDLINE India foundation.

Role of the Child Welfare Committee

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 02:54:00 +0000

By Trishla Jasani*

As per the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000 (amended in 2006) State governments are required to establish a CWC or two in ever district. Each CWC should consist of a chairperson and four members. The chairperson should be a person well versed in child welfare issues and at least one member of the board should be a woman. The CWC has the same powers as a metropolitan magistrate or a judicial magistrate of the first class. A child can be brought before the committee (or a member of the committee if necessary) by a police officer, any public servant, CHILDLINE personnel, any social worker or public spirited citizen, or by the child himself/herself.

Click Here to Download CWC Poster

The CWC usually sends the child to a children's home while the inquiry into the case is conducted for the protection of the child. Children‟s homes are government funded institutions that provide temporary shelter, food and clothing to children in need of care and protection. Children in the homes are meant to receive basic education and life skills lessons. The CWC meets and interviews the child to learn his/her background information and also understand the problem the child is facing. The probation officer (P.O) in charge of the case must also submit regular reports of the child. The purpose of the CWC is to determine the best interest of the child and find the child a safe home and environment either with his/her original parents or adoptive parents, foster care or in an institution. A final order must be given within four months of the admission of the child before the CWC.

The CWC also has powers to hold people accountable for the child such as in the case of child labour, the employers are fined or made to give bonds to the children. CWC also has the power to transfer the child to a different CWC closer o the child's home or in the child's state to dispose of the case and reunite the child with his family and community. In the case of individual child sexual abuse, reporting the abuse can be difficult, since it is often a family member or a known adult that is the abuser. The CWC will instruct the local police station to file a report against the abuser(s) under the relevant IPC clause. Children who have been sexual abused require special attention and tact on the part of the CWC. The case needs to be handled very sensitively and should allow for the child to express their emotions and concerns.

The child‟s statement should be recorded in great details so that the report can be used in a court of law. The child needs counselling and guidance from a clinical psychologist or social worker. The CWC must issue a memo for the medical examination of the child. Medical reports are vital to the prosecution and conviction of the abuser. In the case of pregnancy as an outcome of the sexual abuse, the CWC can issue request a medical termination of pregnancy with the consent of the parents. If the pregnancy is too advanced, the girl can be taken to a girls‟ home for counselling and care until delivery. Once born, DNA testing of the baby, can be used in evidence of the crime.

Note: This article has been adapted from “Child protection and juvenile justice system: For children in need of care and protection” by Dr Nilima Mehta, 2008, published by CHILDLINE India Foundation, Mumbai

Dr. Nilima Mehta is an Honorary Consultant with several organisations like UNICEF, CRY, CHILDLINE, ICSW, ICCW, IAPA, FSC, VATSALYA FOUNDATION, as well as with the State and Central Government and the Planning Commission for Policy Development, Research and Review of National Legislations. She is a visiting faculty member at the TISS, SNDT & NN colleges in Mumbai.

* Trishla Jasani was a Consultant Program Coordinator at CHILDLINE India Foundation.

Child Sexual Abuse and Law

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 02:47:00 +0000

By Dr. Asha Bajpai *

It is a fact that millions of girls and boys worldwide are being sexually abused within homes and outside. They are abused by families and known persons. The perpetrator can be anyone who exploits the child’s vulnerability to gain sexual gratification. It involves mental, physical and emotional abuse of a child through overt and covert sexual acts, gestures and disposition – when informed consent or resistance by the child victim to such acts is not possible. It can also include activities which do not involve direct touching.

A form of child sexual abuse in India are child marriages. In Rajasthan on Akshya Tritiya day which is popularly known as the Akha Teej, hundreds of child marriages are openly performed. The sexual abuse of children not only has damaging and long-term impact on the victim, but also affects the families, communities, and society at large. Like any crime that continues to go unchecked, the sexual abuse of children- both within our homes and outside is an issue of grave concern and directly suggests the health of a society as a whole.

Laws Relating to Child Sexual Abuse

There is, at present, neither a comprehensive law nor a policy to deal with child sexual abuse in India. Legal intervention is presently in the form of investigations which start with registration of offences under the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2000 or the Indian Penal Code The Indian Penal Code generally deals with the sexual abuse of children in the following sections:

Section 375 that defines rape

Section 376 of the Indian Panel Code provides for the punishment of rape which shall not be less than seven years but which may extend to ten years, unless the women raped is his own wife and is not under twelve years of age in which case, he shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or both. When the girl is under 12 or where the rapist is a person in authority (in a hospital, children‟s home, a police station etc.), the punishment is greater.

The other IPC provisions that are invoked is relating to unnatural practices is Section 377 This is generally invoked when boy children are sexually abused. Although forcible sex with a boy is an act of rape, the rape law of the country under IPC does not cover it

Outraging the Modesty of a woman or a girl is dealt with in Section 354

For insulting the modesty of woman is in Section 509

Obscenity and pornography are dealt under the Young Persons (Harmful Publications) Act , 1956. .A young person means a person under the age of 20 years. It is an offence to sell, let, hire, distribute or publicly exhibit harmful publications.

Under Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, publication and transmission of pornography through the internet is an offence.

Inadequacies in Laws

The ordinary criminal laws are totally inadequate to protect the children, who are victims of sexual abuse These sections do not include the common forms of child sexual abuse nor their impact on the children. The restrictive interpretation of "penetration‟ in the Explanation to Section 375 is an obstacle to cases of CSA. Explanation to Section 375 does not treat forced sexual intercourse by a husband against the wife (above 15 years) as an offence. Section 376(A) also has the same reasoning. The Indian Penal Code needs to be reviewed.

The existing definitions of rape and molestation should be suitably amended to adequately address the various types of sexual assault on children. In fact, sexual assault on children should be made a specific offence requiring stringent punishment. There is no provision to deal with the trauma of the child. The testimony of the child victim is not recorded sensitively by the police/judge/prosecutor magistrate. The recording of the statements of child victims need a special provision in the CrPC. There is no such provision at present.

Trained personnel should interview the victim children. The language of the child is to be understood by the legal system. Under the present system the natural habitat of the victim is generally disturbed, which is a source of trauma to the child. The delays in the system at every stage further add to the trauma of the child victim. There are several cases pending in the courts as the trial goes on for years. In several cases the girls have become adults by the time the final judgment comes through. The investigation of trial of sexual offences have to be made time bound. Special courts need to be set up. There is a need for a special provision relating to medical examination of child victim in the CrPC. The absence of a proper medical report in the case of a sexual assault goes against the child assaulted the mental health of victim needs to be attended to, as the trauma has to be reduced.

Conclusion

It is experienced that limiting the exposure of the child to the courtroom and providing therapy for traumatized children produces more complete testimony. Such protective provisions for victims of child sexual abuse are possible under Article 15(3) of the Constitution of India, which guarantees special protection to children.

With the growing number of cases on child abuse, there is an urgent need for the law reform. Judges, lawyers, law makers, child care social workers, the police, doctors, mental health professionals, teachers and parents need awareness, sensitization and training to handle these cases. NGOs, child rights activists and the media must vigorously advocate the law reforms along with creating public awareness and sensitivity, as law is an instrument of social change capable of bringing about change along with other social institutions and organizations.

*- Dr Asha Bajpai is a Professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Deonar, Mumbai. She is affiliated with the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies & Human Rights. She has completed her L.L.M., M.Phil and Ph.D. from National Law School of India University, Bangalore.

Children in 12th Five Year Plan (2012-2017): Nine Big ticket Recommendations

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 03:00:00 +0000

CHILDLINE India Foundation

Mumbai: The Consultations for 12th Five year Plan, which commences April 2012, have commenced.The 11th Plan marked the very first plan which earmarked Child Protection as its mandate. The Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) of the Ministry of Women and Child Development was approved in the 11th Plan but only commenced in the 3rd year of the Plan period. The 12th Plan , therefore, has to see the ICPS effectively rolled out and implemented. In order to ensure a significant impact is achieved on the development of children during the 12th Plan, CIF is making the following big-ticket recommendations for the 12th Plan.

1. Budgets for children: Despite of the 11th plan specifically commenting on inadequate budgets and the UPA making a manifesto commitment towards 9% share of Union budgets for children, the allocation is 4.5% of Union Budgets. It is imperative that the 12th Plan correct this and ensure that on a uniform basis, budgets for children account for 10% of Union Budgets. Children under 18 constitute over 43% of India's population. Our estimates are that 40% of all children in India are marginalized due to a variety of factors including poverty.

2. Age of children: While the 11th Plan set out to uniformly define age of children as below 18 and ensure all laws reflect this, this has not been achieved. Failure to achieve age rationalization is also a failure to meet UNCRC commitments by India. The 12th Plan has to set a goal of age rationalization across all laws/policies.

3. Consolidation of Child Related Governance: One of the most acutely critical issues in Governance is the segregation of Child related programs/policies/laws/protocols/processes amongst various ministeries. With little effective coordination and distributed accountability the system has been inefficient. The RTE is implemented by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. However, RTE being now a right for children in age group of 6-14, its implementation inevitably links with Child Rights/Child Protection issues- both of which fall under MWCD jurisdiction. The MHRD has no program of ensuring CR/CP interventions. Similarly, Ministry of Labour implements the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) however, rescue and rehabilitation of child labour is under MWCD. The objective of consolidating Women and child under a separate ministry now should be driven to its logical conclusion: All governance spaces for children- education, health, labour, etc - should be consolidated under a unified Department of Children under the MWCD. We recommend that the Department for School Education and Literacy and the NCLP projects be shifted under a unified Department of Children under the MWCD. Similarly responsibility for implementation of all laws related to Children should be transferred to the proposed dept under MWCD. This will ensure that the Department of Children will be accountable for all aspects of children's development until 18 years of age.

4. Documenting and Reporting: One of the big issues in the governance of Child related spaces is the lack of a unified documenting and reporting across all states and across all departments dealing with Children. The Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation (MOSPI) has repeatedly highlighted the problems of putting together statistics of MDG goals citing the lack of appropriate formats for data gathering/documentation/reporting. We recommend that during the 12th Plan an uniform format of data gathering/documentation/Reporting be implemented across the GOI and across all states for all programs in the Children space. In addition and district level upwards MIS be initiated across the country. This will facilitate not only accurate reporting for Children's development in India but also allow for transparent Monitoring and Evaluation.

5. Consolidation of laws relating to Children: As is well known various laws have differing treatment for issues relating to children. The Juvenile Justice Act 2000 covers children in need of care and protection and children in conflict with law. Separately THE RIGHT OF CHILDREN TO FREE AND COMPULSORY EDUCATION ACT 2009 (RTE) has clauses relating to physical punishment and mental torture. However this has not been defined. Similarly The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 does not comprehensively cover the issues relating to rehabilitation/restoration of rescued children. Many acts either do not comprehensively cover children related issues or give cursory coverage. Child Sexual Abuse is not covered in any law. Similarly the concept of "neglect" as indicated in JJ Act and in the National Charter for Children 2004 is not clearly defined in any law. "Neglect" is a huge issue with children in India. The Immoral Traffic Prevention Act also has several issues that need to be elaborated- the amendment to IPTA has been in abeyance for some time now. We recommend that the 12th Plan targets for a consolidation of all laws relating to children in all statues in a single comprehensive law covering Children. We also recommend that subsequent to this, the IPC and the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPc) be comprehensively updated. We also recommend that CrPc lay down standards, processes and protocols for handling children at Police Stations, in Courts and during police related medical checkups at hospitals. The Goa Children's Act has laid down some standards for children in courts . However we need a national standard laid down in the CrPc.

6. Monitoring of Direct GOI programs: It has become the norm in most states that Children's programs are under spent by March every year. This is due to a combination of lack of budgets at the correct time each year or inadequate / inconsistent M &E of these programs. We propose that a separate M&E team be created under NCPCR with the mandate of direct M&E of those programs directly implemented by the GOI- both at centre and state levels. The current mandate for NCPCR does include M&E however, the NCPCR neither has the budgets nor the structure to take on the role of a program M &E body. The M&E team would need to be a large program M&E team with the ability to independently report on program implementation. Such reports must be made public and the M&E process must be completely independently managed by NCPCR.

7. UID for Children: The GOI has earmarked Rs 1000 Crores for the implementation of the UID scheme. We recommend that the 12th Plan adopt a program to ensure that every child born anywhere in India receive a UID. This UID must be tracked throughout the child's life upto the age of 18. All schooling, hospitalization, travel etc must use this UID. The UID must entitle the Child to all rights enshrined in our constitution and under various statutes/policies/programs. The objective of the Children's UID scheme is to ensure that we can track children's development and be able to intervene when the child drops out of school or needs nutritional support or health care etc. Even for missing children such a UID scheme would be invaluable. The ICDS scheme of the GOI can help ensure that every pregnant mother is made aware of the Children's UID scheme. The digitally loaded UID would store the child's basic information and a centrally data base can track every Children's UID issued in India.

8. Pre-Primary schooling: It has been assumed that the Pre-Schooling Program of ICDS run by Angan Wadi Workers (AWW) is adequate to meet the needs of preprimary schooling. The RTE has left out pre-schooling completely (possibly due to the fact that ICDS covers it). In actually fact ICDS has no systematic program for pre-schooling nor any defined standards for pre-schooling. The result is largely informal pre-schooling. Meanwhile the private sector, sensing a killing in an unregulated sector which also has no government presence, moved in and is making a killing with setting up chains of pre-schools on franchisee model. We recommend that the ICDS pre-schooling be restricted between 2.5 and 3 years only and be restricted to a play school. We recommend that pre-schooling for 3-6 yr olds be regulated, a standard defined and a PPP model developed for implementation by NGOs in a partnership with the government. The GOI needs to set up an institute to undertake research in pre-schooling pedagogy and ensure that existing Govt. funded teacher training institutions offer specialized and certified training to Pre-school teachers. The govt. supported certified pre-school program implementation would ensure that children across India receive a standardized pre-schooling in the critical years of their brain development and be as uniformly ready as relatively affluent middleclass child in urban India is. The program would also be enormously popular with citizens as it would ensure a level playing field for all children as they enter Class 1.

9. Linkages with Poverty alleviation programs: We recommend that the 12th Plan achieve linkages between ICDS/ICPS and poverty alleviation programs, particularly NREGA. We recommend making it mandatory that all beneficiaries of poverty alleviation programs ( such as NREGA) need to comply with norms that ensure their children are not working/ will not be sent to work/ will not be removed from school. Further we recommend that NREGA disbursements record the details of children of all beneficiaries so that local ngos in the CR/CP space can track such beneficiaries. This will have a huge effect on prevention of child trafficking which arises out of poverty.

Ten Myths & Facts about Child Sexual Abuse

noreply@blogger.com (CHILDLINE) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 04:02:00 +0000

- By Dr Shubhada Maitra *

Myth 1: Only strangers abuse children sexually

Fact: Danger from strangers is only a small part of the problem. Research evidence world over indicates that in a majority of cases, (upto 85%) the child’s relatives, family, friends or someone known and trusted by the child is involved

Myth 2: Both women and men sexually abuse children

Fact: An overwhelming majority of those who sexually abuse children is men although women are the ones who spend most time with children. Only a small minority of women report to have abused children.

Myth 3: Men who sexually abused child are mentally sick or perverted

Fact: Prevalence of child sexual abuse ranges between 30 to 85% in any society depending on the definition used for child sexual abuse. Mental illness on the other hand accounts for not more than 15% of the total population. If those who sexually abuse children were truly sick or perverted then we are living in a .sick and perverted. society. Unfortunately the men who sexually abuse children are often ordinary, respectable men holding positions of responsibility in the family, society, workplace and fulfilling their duties as per the demand of their role.

Myth 4: Child sexual abuse happens only in poor or problem families

Fact: Child sexual abuse cuts across classes, caste, religious and educational barriers and occurs irrespective of what the background of the abuser and the child is.

Myth 5: When children say they have been abused, it is often a figment of their imagination or fantasy.
Fact: Most times, children are unable to disclose or talk about abuse. In rare instances, when they do talk, it is not their imagination or fantasy but very real; children need to be believed and supported if they talk about any sexual touching or if they express any reservations about interacting with particular adults.

Myth 6: Only beautiful or sexually precocious children are abused.

Fact: All children, irrespective of their age, colour, family background, sexual knowledge are vulnerable to abuse. They are perceived as easy targets because of the power the abuser has and the inability of children to speak up or stop abuse.

Myth 7: Children enjoy being touched sexually, that is the reason they do not report sexual abuse

Fact: Children do not report abuse for several reasons: They are afraid no one will believe them, they are afraid that the abuser may harm or kill them or their loved ones, they are afraid they will lose the love of their parents and near and dear ones, they do not have a language to disclose abuse. At no point does a child enjoy the sexual attention of an adult; children feel extremely overwhelmed and distressed by such attention irrespective of how their body responds to sexual touching.

Myth 8: We can tell if a child is sexually abused

Fact: Children are experts at hiding their pain. It is difficult to say from external appearance if the child is sexually abused. However, adults need to be alert to any changes in the child’s behavior, performance at school, emotionality, fear of certain places or people, resistance to go or meet some people and sleeping and eating patterns. A traumatic experience in a child’s life is often expressed through indirect means. Also many children may not show any change in their behaviors or other patterns until much later.

Myth 9: Child Sexual Abuse can never happen in one’s home.

Fact: Almost 30-50% children are abused by persons known to them; relatives, family friends, neighbours, drivers, watchmen, doctors, religious leaders. Such abuse often takes place in one’s home which is considered as a .safe haven.. The abuser enjoys the trust of the family members and has easy access to the child.

Myth 10: Boys cannot be abused

Fact: Although more girls are reported to be sexually abused, (one in every four) research indicates one in every seven boy’s world over are abused. These are just a few of the many myths that abound in every society. Myths help us in denying the fact the Child Sexual Abuse is very real, very personal; they keep us from scrutinizing the men we know, love and respect. They help us brush child sexual abuse under the carpet, falsely believing our own children cannot be abused and the abuser will almost always be unknown to us. It is time, as adults, as responsible adults who want to care for and protect our children to be alert, aware and stop child sexual abuse.

* Dr Shubhada Maitra is currently Associate Professor and Chairperson, Centre for Health and Mental Health, School of Social Work, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Deonar Mumbai. Her PhD thesis was on Mental Health Correlates of Child Sexual Abuse