Help prevent sexual abuse of children in India

• PROJECT SUMMARY

Arpan’s flagship programme, the Personal Safety Education (PSE) Programme, comprises of 85% of Arpan’s work. It is one of the core interventions of Arpan that focuses on empowering children with adequate knowledge, attitude, and skills to prevent instances of child sexual abuse as well as to seek support when such an incident has occurred. Arpan conducts this module with children in privately owned and government schools as well as with highly vulnerable groups of children referred by NGOs, and in shelter homes and orphanages. It supports children with counselling, post disclosure, as well as work with children who indulged in sexual misbehaviour so that there is no reoffending. The PSE programme also involves awareness building and skill enhancement of adults (like parents, teachers and institutional caretakers) who are the primary stakeholders and caregivers in a child’s life to create strong safety and support networks around children in their respective environments

Arpan, through the PSE programme, works with schools both privately owned and Government schools. It is always a challenge to get permission from the BMC (The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai) to work with Government schools on the issue of Child Sexual Abuse. We have succeeded in getting permission to conduct the Personal Safety Education Programme in 5 BMC Zones this year which are, M West, F North, P south, K Ward, H-East. Since April we have pitched the PSE programme in 64 schools started work in 17 schools. Till the 31st of July, we have reached out to 2601 children, 3171 adults (parents, teachers, service staff).

We aspire to reach out to 8,880 children, parents, teachers and other staff of various socio – economic backgrounds by the end of September 2017.

• TESTIMONIALS OF PERSONAL SAFETY EDUCATION PROGRAMME:

Shraddha Trimbakkar, Principal, Vidya Vikas Mandal Primary School: The work that Arpan has done for students is priceless, and their work is commendable. It is very important for all our students, and we would like to thank Arpan for it. Because of this organisation, the confidence and self-esteem of our children have increased so that they can keep themselves safe. This program has increased their decision-making capabilities.

Surekha Patil, Teacher, Pragnya Bodhini School: I really like the work that the Arpan team has done because I feel like there are some things in our society that people don’t talk about. But the Arpan team works for that cause, and that’s why it’s a good initiative.

• SUCCESS STORIES

A child in the 7th grade, during the individual session, shared a story with the trainer. There was a new boy who recently moved in his area. One day, this new boy, touched the child’s friend’s penis. This incident shook up his best friend. The little boy was very fearful, nervous & became very scared. Seeing these changes in his friend, the child inquired, and his friend narrated the entire incident and told him about the abuse. That’s when the child assured his friend, not to worry as he can and will try to help. He recollected what was taught in the Personal Safety Education lessons and he implemented it in his practical experience by 1st listening to his best friend, not laughing or making fun of him, not making any promises, reassured him that this time they would need to take the help of their elders, thanking him for sharing his feelings and telling him that it was not his fault. The child took the friend to his parents and informed them, about it all, together they went over to the new boy’s house and immediately informed his parents. The child’s best friend’s parents were curious and asked him where he got so much information, and he told them that Arpan NGO had come to his school and given him and his entire class the knowledge and skills to keep themselves safe. His parents felt very proud & happy that the school had invited Arpan to conduct such lessons. The friend’s parents said that they want to take admission for their son in the child’s school itself so that their son could learn about Personal Safety as well and learn how to keep himself safe. The child thanked Arpan and the trainer for giving him the opportunity to help save his friend.

It is stories like this that continue to inspire us to impart the necessary knowledge to develop the skills and attitude of children to help them in keeping themselves safe.