New approach in educational field should be developed by the state government to teach children that safety and security should not be taken for granted. According to Ministry of Women and Child Development estimate, more than 53% of children have faced personal abuse in their lives. And majority of the cases usually go unreported.
So the need is to Introduce personal protection education early on in school. Revised version of education should be introduced by JKBOSE early from class I that should taught about personal protection (humiliation, child sexual abuse) in detail with the help of educational films and counsellors.
If such lessons have been introduced before, then there were chances that URI Gang-rape and Murder may not have happened, and the girl child after acquiring such education may have then informed concerned persons and/or departments and chances were that action may have taken place by the person(s), department(s) against the accused(her step mother and brother). Unfortunately, except Jammu and Kashmir, the sexual cases against children are tried under Protection of Children from Sexual Offices Act (POCSO), 2012. Nither J&K legislation have any such law, nor does even it consider of enacting such law.
There is a proverb “Better Late Than Never” So the need of the day is that government should introduce at least personal protection education early on in schools to overcome the fear of indignity, social stigma, and lack of communication between parents and children and teachers. Also regular awareness camps should be conducted by government, local bodies and NGO’s about personal protection involving parents, teachers and children specially.
Most of the personal abuse cases are not reported in our state because of fear, lack of exposure which in many cases lead to situations like depression, anxiety and many disorders. Children will be able to handle these situations better only when there is collective consciousness and easy to speak about such issues with parents/ guardians, teachers. And by this hopes are that URI Gang-rape and Murder Case will not repeat in future.
Syed Danish Showkat
Kashmir University
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