Childline to start nationwide campaign against child sexual abuse

LUCKNOW: An 11-year-old boy alleged sexual assault by a few drunken relatives in Vikas Nagar in December. A nine-year-old girl from Para was reportedly abused by men known to her. Another minor was repeatedly sexually harassed by her stepgrandfather in Madiaon. In yet another recent incident, a child complained of sexual assault by the child’s father in Vrindavan colony. The shocking cases highlight the rampant sexual exploitation of minors by family members and relatives.

Lucknow Childline volunteers claim that at least 2-3 cases of sexual abuse of minors are brought to the heldpline’s notice every month. This is in addition to the cases that are reported with the police.

In an attempt to check the menace, the Childline has called for a nationwide awareness campaign against sexual abuse of children. The 15 day long campaign will start in Lucknow on Thursday.

Coordinator of Lucknow Childline, Ajeet Kushwaha said, “As part of the campaign, we will organise activities in city slums, special schools and Kasturba Gandhi residential school. Children below 10 will be taught about ‘good’ and ‘bad’ touches and how they can speak out against any sort of abuse.”

Ajeet said though a number of such cases are reported from Madioan and Para, such abuse is prevalent in posh areas of the city too. In just 2016, 316 such cases were registered by the Lucknow Childline in 2016, he said.

Child rights activist Sangeeta Sharma says, “There is no doubt that awareness among people has gone up. So much that even people from poor families and the less educated have now started reporting such abuse. Police are prompting in reporting such cases due to the fear of POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act.” POCSO Act has provisions for punishment for all who do not take complaints of children seriously.