- A child keeps silent about sexual abuse out of fear or because the child does not know he or she has been wronged.
- If a child approaches a teacher with a complaint of sexual abuse, the teacher has to write down what the child is saying in the presence of another staff member.
- If the accused is a staff member, the school cannot back him/her.
The Early Childhood Association (ECA), a forum of pre-schools, and the Association for Primary Education and Research (Aper) have been conducting workshops at schools about child sexual abuse.
Teachers, other staff members in schools and parents need to be made aware of
child sexual abuse so they don’t wait for an incident to occur, said a member of the association.
Young parents often lack the knowledge. Newly appointed teachers and other staff members must be told about the school’s policy on the issue, said the member.
“Incidents go unreported because parents are scared of the stigma attached to sexual abuse and schools are worried about their reputation. In any case, the most important thing is to protect the child’s identity,” said Suman Sood, a member of the association’s national core committee.
“Schools are also worried about news of such an incident reaching other parents. We tell schools that with the right approach, the parents will understand that if anything happens, the school will stay beside them rather than the accused staff. If such incidents are brushed under the carpet... the perpetrator will get away and feel protected,” said Sood.
Being in denial can be more damaging, said Sood.
Recently, Calcutta International School engaged with Arpan, a Mumbai-based NGO, to conduct a Pocso (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act training session for its staff and the vendors have access to the campus.
“When we think of Pocso, most people would think of the worst level of sexual abuse. But besides, there are boundaries that every adult has to respect. A child may not approve of a hug or a pinch on the cheek,” said Tina Servaia, senior school principal of Calcutta International School.
A teacher said a no-touch policy was advisable because a perpetrator might use the “child’s need for affection” to sail through a difficult day to his or her advantage.
While children need care and affection, there have to be alternative ways by which adults can show their affection, said psychotherapist and school counsellor Farishta Dastur Mukerji.
“It could be a high-five, holding the hand, or verbally expressing affection,” she said.
Many working in the field said constituting Pocso committees in school to tackle the issue was inadequate.There has to be regularsensitisation.