Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 14: The Directorate of School Education Department, Jammu have asked the Heads of Departments of various institutions through the Chief Education Officers to spread awareness regarding prevention of child sexual abuse in the schools.
Directions however, are also issued to make students aware of the POCSO Act and also install CCTVs at vulnerable spots.
The Directorate of School Education, Jammu in an order issued recently has directed to spread mass awareness among schools, both Govt. and Private, general public (rural and urban) about the menace of Child sexual abuse.
“All Chief Education Officers (CEOs) of Jammu Division are directed to instruct the HoDs of all the Schools to implement several guidelines,” read an order.
The guidelines were framed with reference to the subject and references comprising minor children irrespective of their sex are being sexually abused, a white paper on Child Sexual Abuse was issued by Kashmir Women’s Collective with suggestions to prevent the menace of child sexual abuse.
“The schools have been directed to conduct sensitization programmes on child sexual abuse, safe unsafe touch, POCSO act 2012, gender sensitization etc awareness through counseling cells so as to aware all the stakeholders,” it read.
“Creation of child friendly reporting mechanism (contact number, email, complaint Box) in the school so that children can easily report the incidence of child sexual abuse, installation of CCTV cameras at feasible and vulnerable places adjacent to washroom and play zone of the school, cruches are also among the suggestions,” the order read.
“The schools have also been asked to make children aware about Child line (1098) and “Aao Baat Karein Helpline” (6006800068) of the Directorate to report cases of child sexual abuse, conduct open houses with students (especially female students) to know about any incidence of child sexual abuse and involvement of already constituted counseling cells in schools in carrying out special campaign regarding child sexual abuse,” it read.
It further stated that the schools have also been told to check antecedents of cab drivers of school and creches with the help of local police and in case of any complaint getting established against them, take necessary action, involvement of mental health and counselling experts should be involved in dealing with the victims of child sexual abuse sensitively.
Use of different experiential methodologies (short movie screening (Komal by Child Line), role play, poems, storytelling etc) to sensitize young children about the menace of sexual abuse and make aware about the POCSO e-Box (It is NCPCR’s online complaint box for reporting child sexual abuse should also be included in the routine sessions
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