Protecting Our Children: A Collective Responsibility
As a parent, ensuring our children’s safety requires more than just love and watchfulness. Conversations about abuse have always been whispered in my shadow as I journeyed from being a teenage girl to a woman, an educator, and now a mother to a little girl.
Starting the journey to raise awareness and create safer environments for my daughter and the children I interact with, I’m faced with alarming statistics. During the initial 11 days of lockdown, Childline received over 92,000 SOS calls, revealing the prevalence of child abuse. Shockingly, one in two children endures sexual abuse before adulthood.
Reflecting on my upbringing, I recall the safety measures instilled by my parents — “avoid strangers,” “return home before dark,” “stay away from boys.” Despite following these precautions, I encountered boys following me home from college. This raised questions about the effectiveness of these warnings and prompted deeper contemplation. Were these precautions adequate? Was I to blame? Shouldn’t girls be empowered to defend themselves from an early age?
Why aren’t girls and women encouraged to cultivate self-protection skills or develop inner resilience from a young age? Discussions about abuse often overlook male victims, a subject shrouded in silence. However, the reality concerning our young children is that all children are vulnerable. The statistics are indeed alarming.
A government-commissioned National Study of Child Abuse in India conducted in 2007 unveiled alarming findings — although these figures highlight the severity of the issue, it’s crucial to acknowledge that they may not fully capture the actual incidence of abuse:
- Over half (53%) of the surveyed children admitted to experiencing one or more forms of sexual abuse.
- Surprisingly, among those reporting sexual abuse, 57% were boys.
- The vast majority of victims (72%) chose not to report the abuse, with only 3% reaching out to the police.
In my capacity as an early educator, I have often sought strategies, content, and activities to address abuse issues and ensure the safety of young children. However, finding research-backed methods proved challenging. I questioned why and how a society that has leveraged technology for enhanced learning has overlooked empowering children to feel safer. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs also emphasizes that ‘safety comes first’!
Child protection is now our top priority. We must understand that it’s never too early to teach children about safety. They need to understand their surroundings and know how to react. Having honest conversations with our children is crucial. We can start by talking openly within our families and then expand these discussions. It’s never too late to talk about body safety or address any uncomfortable situations our children may face. The key is to empower ourselves to have these conversations.
Through this journey, I’ve found answers to my questions. As I figure out what to address and how to proceed, I realize that, like other learning and awareness, it starts with conversations within society and among children and communities.
As you use these simple methods to create a safe environment for your children, remember that even preschoolers can understand body safety and embrace values where they value themselves and speak up for their well-being. I’m not worried about the children; my concern is whether adults — teachers and parents — can have these conversations with maturity, composure, and genuine intention.
Resources: Body Safety Rules ; Child Sexual Abuse Myths
