Child sexual abuse: Girls club takes combat education to schools

EMN
Dimapur, March 29

When ‘bad things’ happen to them, children, the first thing they need to do is to confide or report to the authorities. Many children suffer sexual assault in one form or the other. It is a time when they need more than just comfort–they need help.
The Nagaland Adolescent Girls’ Club conducted seminars in various schools in Kohima during the week focusing on ‘creating awareness’ about sexual abuse of children. The girls’ club, under the aegis of Nagaland State Social Welfare Board (NSSWB), collaborated with the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA) for the event.
The schools visited by the club’s members were the government middle school of L Khel; Modern School; and Bayavü School. Teachers-in-charge and their students numbering around 150 in each school attended the events.
During the “awareness drives,” the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme (‘save the girl child, educate her’) was introduced to the students by Juliana R. Medom, assistant state coordinator for the State Resource Centre for Women, and Vekhwüsalü Dawhuo, assistant district coordinator of Mission Poorna Shakti.
In relation to said scheme, students were encouraged to empower themselves with education, and also to complete their schooling, and go for higher studies, because, “It is only when you are educated, you will be empowered.”
Thejapfütuo Khezhie, panel lawyer with the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority explained the legal perspectives about child sexual abuse and the legal provisions Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) 2012 to the students. He informed that out of 1 billion population in India, 40% are under the age of 18 years “and the most alarming thing happening is that of this 40% population, 53% of children have experienced sexual abuse in one form or another.” He also encouraged the students not to remain silent when such things happen to them, and always make it a point to share it with someone they trust and report to the police or call the toll free number 1098.
Khezhie further elaborated three aspects of child sexual abuse:
1. Sexual harassment
2. Sexual assault and
3. Penetrative sexual assault of a child
He further told the students not to feel guilty if such things happen to them but to confide in someone they trust since it is not their fault. He informed that it is always the attacker who is at fault. Komal, the National Award winning movie on child sexual abuse by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India was screened in all the schools, following the formal events.
The awareness drives conducted have so far been successful in reaching out to the school children of Kohima. More schools will be visited in the near future in order to generate awareness amongst young students on this very serious issue.
Citizens’ Factfile
Child sexual abuse or child molestation is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in sexual activities with a child (whether by asking or pressuring, or by other means), indecent exposure (of the genitals, female nipples, etc.), child grooming, or using a child to produce child pornography.
Child sexual abuse can occur in a variety of settings, including home, school, or work (in places where child labor is common). Child marriage is one of the main forms of child sexual abuse; UNICEF has stated that child marriage “represents perhaps the most prevalent form of sexual abuse and exploitation of girls”.
The effects of child sexual abuse can include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, complex post-traumatic stress disorder, propensity to further victimization in adulthood, and physical injury to the child, among other problems. Sexual abuse by a family member is a form of incest and can result in more serious and long-term psychological trauma, especially in the case of parental incest.
The global prevalence of child sexual abuse has been estimated at 19.7% for females and 7.9% for males. Most sexual abuse offenders are acquainted with their victims; approximately 30% are relatives of the child, most often brothers, fathers, uncles, or cousins; around 60% are other acquaintances, such as “friends” of the family, babysitters, or neighbours; strangers are the offenders in approximately 10% of child sexual abuse cases. Most child sexual abuse is committed by men; studies on female child molesters show that women commit 14% to 40% of offenses reported against boys and 6% of offenses reported against girls.
The word pedophile is commonly applied indiscriminately to anyone who sexually abuses a child, but child sexual offenders are not pedophiles unless they have a strong sexual interest in prepubescent children. Under the law, child sexual abuse is often used as an umbrella term describing criminal and civil offenses in which an adult engages in sexual activity with a minor or exploits a minor for the purpose of sexual gratification. The American Psychological Association states that “children cannot consent to sexual activity with adults”, and condemns any such action by an adult: “An adult who engages in sexual activity with a child is performing a criminal and immoral act which never can be considered normal or socially acceptable behavior.” (Source: Wikipedia)