Child Protection India Project #19656

Help prevent sexual abuse of children in India

by ARPAN

Help prevent sexual abuse of children in India

Project Report | Oct 14, 2016
Arpan receives GuideStar Platinum Award

By Communications Arpan | Communications Manager

Arpan receives GuideStar Platinum award

The Month that was: September 2016

Arpan receives Guidestar Platinum Award for Transparency & Public Accountability

We are proud to announce that Arpan has received the GUIDESTAR TRANSPARENCY AWARD IN THE PLATINUM CATEGORY this month for the year 2015-2016. GuideStar India launched the GuideStar India NGO Transparency Awards to recognise organisations that practise and voluntarily demonstrate their transparency and accountability in the public domain. They received 717 applications out of which 307 are declared winners! Out of these 307, only the best 14 were selected for the Platinum category.

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We continue our work in schools, revisiting many from the previous years and start afresh in a few.

When we revisit schools it is observed, children not only remember messages from the previous Personal Safety Education Lesson Plans, they also remember trainers’ names. Their understanding of PSE messages becomes stronger when the personal safety messages are re-iterated. In earlier sessions, children are told about their wonderful body in Personal Safety Education lesson plans. During the Step-up lesson plans, as the same children grow older, we share information about healthy and unhealthy behavior with respect to their bodies. Children thus quickly grasp what is being taught.

“We do not respect ourselves when we cut (slit our wrist) ourselves after someone’s rejection”, a child describes when talking about self-respect.

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A CHILD FROM 10TH STANDARD SHARES HER THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PERSONAL SAFETY EDUCATION. It gives us immense pride in sharing the write up here.

"Everyday, human knowledge enhances itself. No one can claim that he has knowledge about each and everything. This thinking of mine was substantiated last week when we listened attentively to the thought provoking lectures of an organisation called arpan. Whatever they said was life related. We often experience that parents, usually, disregard the views of children and rebuke them. This may lead to violence among children and if it not nipped in time, the consequences may be hazardous. But on the contrary, one should try to strike a balance between these two kinds of behaviours. Giving freedom to children does not mean that they should go scot free. We also came to know about the importance of privacy in one's life, we have to maintain moral standards in our lives and should not adopt those attitudes which would force us to go haywire. There are various aspects of the development of human personality. These aspects were demonstrated clearly by the office bearers of arpan. The one week session was thought provoking, creative and mind blowing. It provided us an opportunity to rebuild the lost traits of our personality. I sincerely wish that the office bearers of arpan should revisit us to enlighten us more about human personality and character."

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Our training team had the opportunity to connect with the Deputy Commissioner of Konkan Zone, Maharashtra, India. In the meeting when we offered them to train their department on CSA he was very appreciative and mentioned that, “If Arpan is coming forward and providing us training, we should appreciate their gesture and take advantage of their services". Initially, he was of the opinion that it was (non-governmental) organizations’ need to work with government bodies but now he realizes that this is not true. It is equally the need of the government bodies too to get these trainings from specialized people. In our experience, it is the first time that any Government officer has taken such positive stand and opened up their institutions for betterment of the children. We conducted the training with 44 members including care takers and social workers in the Konkan Zone.

The team in collaboration with another NGO, worked with 43 social workers in Bhopal in a project funded by UNICEF. The training was to provide understanding of Child Sexual Abuse across 3 days. This was a training that was “the first of its kind” in the words of a participant. We are extremely happy to be reaching out to people who would otherwise miss out on such a critical piece of knowledge regarding children. Here’s hoping that we are always able to provide support and knowledge to all those who are in need.

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WORLD WISE
94% OF ACCUSED ARE KNOWN TO THE CHILD

In a recent newspaper report from the Times Group it is evident that National Crime Bureau Records show that there are 8,800 reports of Child Sexual Abuse. Of the 8,800 POCSO cases, in 8341 (94%) instances, the accused were known to the victim.

“Neighbours were the largest abusers of children with 3,149 cases registered against accused who reside in the same neighbourhood. This was followed by employers or co-workers (2,227), other known persons (2,036), extended relatives (581), close family members (210), blood relatives including grandfather father and brother (138). The accused were not identified in 459 cases.”

To read the whole document please visit the following link:
http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31804&articlexml=95-of-rape-accused-known-to-victims-reveals-03102016008037

POCSO is stands for ‘Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act’, 2012. It is considered a landmark legislation in the area of child protection that not allows justice for children who are victims of sexual offences but also takes into account the best interests and well-being of the child.
Understand more about it on:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Analyzing-the-POSCO-Act-2012/articleshow/19718160.cms

To highlight the striking features:

POCSO provides for child-friendly measures, procedures and infrastructure to ensure minimum trauma is visited upon the child during the judicial process.
POCSO puts the burden of proof on the accused rather than the child.
If the offence is committed by a person in a position of trust or authority like teachers, police, parents, public servants etc or if the child is below 12 years or if the child has a disorder if the injury to the child is grievous or if the child becomes pregnant, the assault is termed as ‘aggravated’.

Arpan's Personal Safety Education in Schools

Training on Understanding Child Sexual Abuse

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Oct 14, 2016
Arpan wins its 1st international award at ISPCAN

By Communications | Arpan

Arpan wins its first international award at ISPCAN

The Month that was: August 2016

Arpan wins its 1st International Award

We are excited to share that Arpan received its first international award, the C. Henry Kempe Award by ISPCAN, USA for SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE FIELD OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. Members of the committee shared that it was elaborate process of shortlisting organizations.

The Kempe Award is presented to professionals and philanthropists who have contributed substantially to the community on behalf of children The award is given every two years by ISPCAN, The International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, to a professional or organization working in any discipline in the field of child abuse and neglect.

We are extremely thankful that we were chosen for the award, it motivates us to continue working for children.

Last month, Arpan exhibited its resources and publications at the XXIst ISPCAN International Congress on Child Abuse and Neglect in Calgary, Canada.

We also participated at the CSR SHOW in Mumbai at the World Trade Centre. We showcased our work, publications and engaged in rich conversations about Child care and protection. Thank you for visiting our stall and giving us great feedback.

From the Personal Safety Education Team

AS THE WORK WITH OLDER CHILDREN PROGRESSES, we learn new ways in which children express their motivation towards Personal Safety Education.

One girl from 10th Standard writes “the best part was how the Trainer behaved with us. She was like a friend to us. I want to be like her. I would love to be a part of your [Arpan’s] group.” It makes us very proud to be able to initiate such enthusiasm about safety in children.

The Personal Safety Education program with younger children continues to provide awareness and skills to children about keeping themselves safe.

FROM THE TRAINING TEAM

Our training team is focused empowering as many enthusiastic trainers as possible in understanding and dealing with CSA. This month has seen many school and NGO trainings across states.

In a training with a group in Delhi a participants observes “the trainer never once shared their personal opinion with us that has been extremely effective in believing what they are saying, because it is not from a position of any bias.”

As a society, we believe that CSA happens elsewhere and not in our homes. This mental block underlines the importance of the need to break the silence surrounding CSA. Awareness helps in dealing with the trauma. AFTER AN AWARENESS SESSION, a young adult shares her greatest takeaway:

"I was abused as a child but now after this session, I know how there was grooming involved and I don't have to blame myself"

Understanding Child Sexual Abuse - GROOMING

Grooming is the process by which an offender draws a victim into a sexual relationship and maintains that relationship in secrecy. The shrouding of the relationship is an essential feature of grooming.

The sexual offender must plan the entire process before sexually abusing the child. Sexual abuse is not about individual touching acts, but about relationships. In order to set up a relationship with the child, the perpetrator grooms the child and/or the family. Thus sexual offences begin far before the touching. Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Michael Welner explains the six stages that can lead up to sexual molestation.

Stage 1: Targeting the victim
The offender targets a victim by gauging up the child's vulnerability—emotional neediness, isolation and lower self-confidence. Children with less parental oversight are more desirable prey. It allows the offender to recognize the needs of the child that he/she can meet and develop a relationship with the child and possibly the family.

Stage 2: Gaining the victim's trust
The sex offender gains trust by watching and gathering information about the child, getting to know his needs and how to fill them. In this regard, sex offenders mix effortlessly with responsible caretakers because they generate warm and calibrated attention

Stage 3: Filling a need
Once the offender has identified the vulnerability of the child and the family, s/he will accordingly act by taking the role of father figure or a teacher or someone who cares either by giving chocolate/food/ clothes/attractive toys or though words and attention.

Stage 4: Isolating the child
The sex offender uses the special relationship with the child to create situation/s in which they are alone together. This isolation further reinforces a special connection.

Stage 5: Sexualizing the relationship
Desensitization occurs through taking, pictures, even creating situations (like going swimming/giving bath/cozy sitting opportunities ) in which they can be physically close. At that point, the adult exploits a child's natural curiosity, using feelings of stimulation to advance the sexuality of the relationship.

Stage 6: Maintaining control
Once the sex abuse is occurring, offenders commonly use secrecy and blame to maintain the child's continued participation and silence.

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Aug 8, 2016
The Month that was June 2016

By Amit | Communications Mnager

This is a time when we are buzzing with resources, gearing up to launch the Personal Safety Education Kit. This is a feature rich set of tools and instructional guides to help Teachers, NGO professionals and Government officials to teach children Personal Safety skills. This Kit will help School Authorities and Institutional caregivers at spreading the message of Safety to children and the community at large, thus safeguarding more children against sexual abuse. We also look forward to interactive sessions with you to explore ways and means to enhance our Child Protection services, like training and capacity building of child care professionals.

OUR WORK WITH ADOLESCENTS FROM 9TH AND 10TH STANDARD HAS STARTED.

We have been working on the step up program where we are going to the children again and giving them repeating the messages of personal safety for them. Serendipitously, we have found that the children who have been taught 4-5 years ago, remember messages from PSE lessons. Children remember the names of trainers that they met and it makes us very proud to see that our work has stayed in the hearts and minds of children. It is an experience that is new for all members. We are learning and having fun. Trainers are brainstorming strategies to manage a more vocal and less yielding group of youngsters to work with.

Our counsellors are pulling up their socks. The adolescents have concerns around their sexuality that counsellors will be a source to provide help with.This group has new stressors, many questions that need to be understood and answered along with explaining the need for personal safety to them.

INTERNALLY THIS MONTH!

We have 10 new members in the PSE team. They have been Inducted and are gearing to go on Field. We also had Michael from Spark Leadership who held a half day training on leadership with the middle and senior management of Arpan.

FROM THE TRAINING TEAM

This month the training team has made a leap in terms of people trained. Amongst many trainings, notably, we have trained a group 92 senior teachers on Child Sexual Abuse and Personal Safety Education Programme lesson plans.

STORY OF HOPE!

One trainer shares her experience of being hassled by a group of attention seeking children and what she did to work with them.

“In my class, I had a group of children that would giggle and talk amongst themselves. I believe that these are the children who just need to be know that they are visible, that attention is being paid to them. I simply, asked these children their names. Initially, they thought that I am doing to this to complain about them but later could realise that I just wanted to refer to them with their names. Just a calm reminder that they can speak to me instead of their friends helps me sustain their attention in class now.”

We are learning that children no matter how young, or old need to be heard, need to just be paid attention to.

WORLD NEWS FOR CAREGIVERS

COMPREHENSIVE SEXUALITY EDUCATION (CSE)

Comprehensive Sexuality Education enables young people to make informed decisions about their sexuality and health. These programs build life skills and increase responsible behaviours, and help advance human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of young people.

See more at:http://www.unfpa.org/comprehensive-sexuality-education#sthash.cimz72lr.dpuf

Find the website link to an assessment of the CSE.
This report provides an overview of the status of CSE implementation and coverage on a global level, drawing on specific information about the status of CSE in 48 countries, generated through analysis of existing resources and studies.
http://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/CSE_Global_Review_2015.pdf

Do send us your feedback on our newsletters here: communications@arpan.org.in

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