CBSE goes online in fight against child sexual abuse

Gurvinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 23

An animated short film — Komal — posted on CBSE’s Youtube Channel has become one of the most viewed videos. The short film has been made by Ministry of Women and Child Development to create awareness about child sexual abuse. Made in both languages — English and Hindi, the film has got 21,000 views.

In the movie, a jubilant girl named Komal starts playing with a new male adult neighbour. He plays with her and treats her well in the beginning but entices her to a ‘secret game’ with her and molests the child. The girl gets depressed, after the incident. On asking about the reasons, she finally tells about the incident to her mother. Parents also seek help from child counsellor at Childline apart from reporting the incident to the police.

Then the cousellor is shown counselling children about making them aware for safeguarding themselves. She tells the children the distinction between safe touch and unsafe touch.

“We all have our personal space in our body. These are four zones that should not be touched by anybody and only the most trusted people like your mother may see or touch you in your personal spaces. For example you mother touch you in four zones when giving you a bath or doctor checks in the presence of parents, to keep you clean and healthy it is safe touch. If anyone else touches you in the four areas, it is wrong. It may also make them feel uneasy or scared, or tries to show unhealthy, dirty pictures, and films or touches personal parts in front of children, it is ‘unsafe touch’, she tells the children.

If someone attempts to touch them wrongly, the children must shout out loud and run to parents or someone they trust. They should also call on1098, a free emergency phone service for children in need for aid or assistance.

The counsellor in the film guides children that when such an untoward thing happens, they should not be afraid and should speak up. “It is never your fault, but someone touched you wrongly,” she tells them.

Mona Singh, principal, Guru Nanak Public School, said parents and school teachers and authorities must become aware and monitor children for their safety. “We have not shown the film to children, because they might misinterpret it, but we are asking parents and teachers to watch the film. Parents should not trust anyone too much and must also make children aware and counsel them. Counsellors at schools must also make children aware about safeguarding themselves.”