Why Is Sexual Abuse Hushed Up For ‘Ghar Ki Izzat’? Panel Argues

I told Nirbhaya’s mother we must fight for a forensics lab to help nab rapists: Robin Hibu, Joint Comm, Delhi Police

A mime performance brought out the dangers children face at schools and at home. (Photo Courtesy: Urmi Bhattacheryya/The Quint)

Judges today are becoming more and more sensitive towards child sexual survivors. In one particularly memorable case in Kolkata, a child once froze when she was asked to identify her abuser. The judge deemed that identification enough and did not ask the child any more questions.

<b>Michelle Mendonca, Project Director, Counsel to Secure Justice</b>

Mendonca’s impassioned assertion of courtroom sensitivity towards child sexual survivors was only one of the highlights of a campaign launched to end child sexual abuse in India. Spearheaded by World Vision India (WVI) – a humanitarian organisation that works on child protection across India – legal experts, academics and NGOs came together today to kick off the 5-year-long campaign “It takes every Indian to end child sexual abuse in India”.

While Mr Rinchen Chophel, Director-General of SAIEVAC (a SAARC apex body for children), chose to go philosophical:

We have a saying in Bhutan, where I am from. “We may not know where we’re going, but we should never forget where we’re coming from”. So, in case of our campaign, we may not know where we’ll reach, but we know our aim is to create a safe world for children.

Mr Rinchen Chophel, Director-General of SAIEVAC (a SAARC apex body for children). (Photo Courtesy: Urmi Bhattacheryya/The Quint)

An enthusiastic Robin Hibu, Joint Commissioner, Delhi Police spoke about how he was getting police medals everyday that he has no space to keep! “Why not award the silent volunteers instead, who are working 24x7 to combat child sexual abuse?” he demanded.

But perhaps the most poignant moment of the afternoon was a mime performance by female students of Classes 8 and 9 from Sonia Vihar Government School. The girls, faces painted white and mouths voluntarily shut, enacted chilling episodes of sexual abuse around us.

A chilling mime performance. (Photo Courtesy: Urmi Bhattacheryya/The Quint)

Here are some of the key points that the panelists talked about:

(Photo: The Quint)

(Photo: The Quint)

(Photo: The Quint)

(Photo: The Quint)

(Photo: The Quint)

(Photo: The Quint)

(Photo: The Quint)