Kozhikode: At a time when the reports registered by Child line and Kerala police reveal a grim picture of the increasing crimes against children in the state, the need for a serious discussion on the importance of sex education, co-education at school level and awareness programme have been highlighted.
The surveys and reports have underlined the grave concern that like girls, even boys are at high risk for abuse and at this point educational experts, social activists and psychiatrists stress on the need for sex education among students at an early stage of their school life.
Recent reports of cases registered under the protection of Children from sexual offenses act (POCSO) 2012 has highlighted that as many as 1,375 sexual abuse cases were registered in 2014, while it was 1,124 in 2013. At the same time, the Kerala Police website that has registered cases of crime against children, shows that 1,877 cases of child abuse were registered in 2013 while there was a steep rise to 2,286 cases in 2014.
“It is high time for our society to realise the fact that boys can also be sexually abused and recent cases reported around the State proves it right”, said Kerala Higher Secondary Teachers Association President Joshy Antony. “Hence sex education is one such way to create awareness among children and tell them they may live in not such a safe place even though they are protected by their parents, teachers and friends,” he added. KHSTA has conducted several seminars and raised the urgent need for sex education among students and to take steps to promote boys safety along with girls.
Dr Suresh Kumar, noted psychiatrist, demanded setting up of a countrywide child helpline to report cases of abuse, and to train schoolchildren on how to use it without revealing the name or identity of the victim and their family. “It is high time that we did something to save our children from such abuse,” he added.
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