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.
