Together,Against Abuse

The event addressed various myths associated with child abuse,the main one being that nothing can be legally done about such a situation. Says Shubhada Randive from Muskaan,“The event had parents,teachers and young adults supporting the cause. Each one was so keen to know about the issue. Breaking the silence about abuse is the best thing to do. Child sexual abuse cases should be reported and there are ways to empower the child to deal with it.”

The other panelists included Anuradha Sahasrabudhe,director of Childline India (Pune),Dr Radhika Rawat from Muskaan,Dr Naina Athayle from Holistic Child Development India,pediatrician Dr Anupama Sen,and lawyer Gaurav Sharma. “I have launched anti-child abuse campaigns for years now and I’ve realised that majority of people tend to brush the issue under the carpet. They avoid talking about it. Take Back The Night was a good platform for people to ask questions and get more informed,” says Sahasrabudhe. “People think that such things don’t happen in our society,but the truth is that this form of abuse is spread across all sections and income groups. It is important for parents and teachers to ensure that a child has the correct support system,” she adds. For that,she stresses that appropriate sex education should be imparted at a young age. “A lot depends on how parents approach the topic. Their body language should be such that the child is encouraged to talk about abuse if it takes place,” she says.

The crux of the event was that child abuse is not a personal or family issue. It is a societal issue. Bajaj stresses,“Most juveniles have at some point faced abuse in their lives. Very often,the victim later becomes the perpetrator. Also,people think that it is strangers who abuse,but 70 per cent of the times,the abuse is done by someone that the child trusts – even a family member.” The evening also saw everyone participating in a candle light vigil post the interactive panel discussion. “The candles were lit in the hope that together,by spreading more awareness,the abuse will be effectively dealt with and children will be saved from the trauma,” Bajaj concludes.