Child Abuse is a very big topic and I m going to cover only what is relative to our parents and children at school.
The other day I went to visit a friend at a high- rise apartment building and at the lobby I found a maid-servant carrying a two year child and playing with him. Accompanying her at the building premises were two drivers and was shocked find them pulling the child’s trousers and making it a game and laughing about the whole act. I reprimanded them then and there and said I would complain to the parents about it. It was only a harmless play they pleaded and went away apologizing about it. I asked the maid to carry the child back to the house and here was a case where I could not explain to them the negative effects of such acts.
Many cases we have heard of uneducated care- takers using small children for sexual acts, using both girls and boys when they are not being supervised by the elders. Many parents who use built in cameras at home cannot control such acts when it is done outside the viewing areas.
What can we do to prevent such incidences:
Better to keep very young children and the care taker in-charge, in the house under the care of an elder; if that is not possible it is better to keep the children in a good reputed Day Care Centre.
Explanation of the body parts and how each functions should be done by the parents and the school simultaneously and care should be taken to explain about how one should not be ashamed of ones own body etc;. Movements classes help in understanding their body parts and its functions in a more mature manner.
Young children should be very clearly taught of how the private parts of theirs should not be touched / handled by outsiders, other than the ones who their parents have given permission to wash etc; for example the maids and accas in school are permitted to wash and clean them but nothing beyond that. Even curious older child might indulge in fondling smaller children and only if they are taught that it is not to done, they will understand; the child should be taught to come and report of all such incidences to the parents or the teachers immediately.
We are proud to say that at Play Coop we take regular classes explaining to the children about their body parts and the required safety measures in dealing / and reporting cases of unwanted attention from any one.
We have an excellent Movement Session every week, where the children are taught flexibility and appreciation of their own body structure.
We keep all our premises under the surveillance of the cctv camera and do not allow male maintenance staff to enter without the presence of a teacher.
—-Mrs.Princess Naik
