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How to differentiate good touch from bad touch

Apeejay School, International sensitises students about body safety in an online workshop

Published

3 years ago

October 1, 2021

It takes courage to grow up, understand who you are and step into the adult world. And this process of growth can be challenging, uncomfortable and difficult. To make students of Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP) understand the importance of necessary changes which appear in their minds and bodies as they enter adolescence, Apeejay School, International (ASI) organised a virtual workshop on ‘Body Safety and Gender Sensitisation’ conducted by Ms. Deepshikha Patra, school counsellor.

India recorded 1.28 lakh cases of crime against children registered in 2020, according to the ‘Crime in India 2020’ report published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Ms Patra educated students about the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences), 2012, a law that provides protection to children from sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography.

Students learnt about the physical and psychological changes that occur regularly with them and understood why they feel sad, angry, nervous, guilty or anxious. While it is easy for adolescents to become suffocated and disconnected at home during the pandemic, they were advised to seek support from their peers, teachers, parents, and family, so that these shortcomings don’t hamper their academic or individual growth.

Enlightening them with their legal rights, Ms. Patra shared the National Child Helpline number – 1098, along with a POCSO e-box website cautioning students to not become easy targets of sexual abuse and maintain clear physical boundaries with unknown individuals.

“At ASI, we are focused on developing student agency through rigorous implementation of the curriculum. This session on body sensitisation served a dual purpose, it not only led to students understanding their own self but also helped in advocating change in the society by making them aware about their rights and privileges.”
-Mr. Purshottam Dutt Vashist, Principal, Apeejay School International, South Delhi

Mrini Devnani is a Principal Correspondent and Marketing Coordinator at Newsroom. She covers student achievements, conducts interviews, and contributes content to the website. Previously, she served as a Correspondent specialising in Edu-tech for the India Today Group. Her skill areas extend to Social Media and Digital Marketing. For any inquiries or correspondence, you can reach out to her at [email protected].