A workshop for teachers and staff to raise awareness about child sexual abuse

Remember the Alia Bhatt starrer movie Highway? Not only did the movie bring to light the latent talent within the present doyen of the film industry but also talked about a crime existing incognito within our society that, in most cases, is swept under the carpet — child sexual abuse.

According to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, crimes against children increased in India by 16.2 per cent between 2020 and 2021. There were just under 1.5 lakh cases of crimes against children registered last year across all states and Union Territories. This includes child sexual abuse, abduction, murder, and child marriage among other crimes.

The reason for such numbers is simple. It is easy to trap and lure children. According to Interpol, an estimated 2.4 million instances of online child sexual abuse were reported in India from 2017 to 2020. Eighty per cent of these children were girls under the age of 14. When it comes to child sexual abuse material, they are getting much more proactive in India. Therefore, it is important that we not only identify but also raise our voices against injustices and crimes.

 

Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park has always been committed to making the teachers and students modern-world ready. The school has time and again strengthened its teachers and students through various self-defense workshops and other crucial life skill seminars. In sync with this philosophy, the school recently conducted a comprehensive Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 (POCSO) workshop for all school teachers. The workshop was conducted by Dr Tanushree from Zone 4 Solution, a renowned consulting organisation.

 The seminar aimed at raising awareness among the teaching, non-teaching, and ancillary staff about the sensitive issue of child sexual abuse.

The informative session covered crucial topics like the fundamental rights of children and the importance of identifying and reporting instances of abuse.

Dr Tanushree explained the features of the POCSO Act which protects all children under-18 years of age. She pointed out that the Act is gender-neutral and elaborated on the different forms of abuse ranging from sexual harassment to pornography to both penetrative and non-penetrative assaults. She then counseled the teachers on the correct approach to address such cases and reiterated the significance of creating a safe and supportive environment for all students within the school. Teachers were directed to gain the confidence of students so that they could feel safe enough to confide in any form of sexual abuse.

Sandeep Singh Kathuria, principal of Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park appreciated the session and highlighted that it equipped all attendees with valuable knowledge on a critical subject matter.

The teacher in charge, Mukta Amba stated that the workshop helped the school staff understand an unspoken taboo issue. She said, “Every teacher at Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park strives to account for the safety of all children under their care. The workshop was successful as it helped acquaint teachers with the laws of the POCSO Act. Every student is as dear as our child and we as teachers have always left no stone unturned to contribute to their growth and development.”