Time parents discussed sexual abuse with children: Experts

The conversation among parents about child sexual abuse has started, post the murder of seven-year-old Hasini, and more number of schools and parents are approaching experts to conduct workshops and seminars.

S Mrinalini, a mother of seven-year-old, says, “I saw a post about a workshop on child sexual abuse and I immediately enrolled for it. It was for both parents and children. We always think that something this horrific will never happen to us, but listening to the experts, I realised that children are not safe anywhere.”

NGOS and social groups have come forward to organise regular workshops. Aware, a city-based NGO, has reached out to kids in schools and gated communities. We organise workshops every weekend for both parents and children. So far, we have reached out to hundreds of kids,” says Sandhiyan Thilagavathy, founder of Aware, further adding that when they started, people were hesitant to talk about the issue, but things have changed now.

However, experts say that education must not be just limited to good touch and bad touch. “The parents have to create an atmosphere where the children can talk freely to their parents about these so-so called taboo subjects. The touch is just a part of it. The predators often start with the good touch and take the victim into their confidence and then abuse them. The parents should also have to make sure that no one gets access to that kind of proximity,” points out Dr Manorama P, former chairman of Child Welfare Committee.