Women Students Prevent Incest and Help Victims

Summary

Developing peer educators, raising awareness and helping victims of incest and child sexual abuse amongst young Indian women students through skills training, counseling and popular communication.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

Studies conducted by RAHI amongst women college students in India have shown that incest/child sexual abuse is prevalent and impacts their lives. Due to silence on this issue, there is little information, training or services. Young women want access to information and healing resources and feel the need to be engaged in social action for prevention and intervention. Our project, aimed at women college students of Delhi, addresses these needs and is the only project of its kind in the country.

How will this project solve this problem?

Theatre, films, exhibitions, lectures, communication material production and distribution, campus campaigns, developing training manuals, courses, disclosure workshops, team-building, peer leader training, self-help groups, one-on-one counseling.

Potential Long Term Impact

Students empowered to work with peers as educators and helpers; counseling services for victims; early intervention so victims break cycle of abuse and make healthy life choices; students engaged in social action against incest/child sexual abuse.

Project Message

My friends often speak of their incest experiences. This project has given me confidence to help them. Now as a peer educator I make the student community aware of incest and help in its prevention
- Ankita Handoo, 20 year old woman, Student peer leader

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).

Resources