Mumbai: ‘Put well-being of sexually assaulted children above prestige of school’

Out of 2,500 Mumbai parents surveyed in 2020 by the Podar Institute of Education in collaboration with the ECA, 1,800 identified rape as a form of child sexual assault. Representation Pic

Following a recent case at a Kandivli preschool where a four-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a peon, the Early Childhood Association (ECA), a national non-profit organisation, has appealed to schools to put the well-being of the child and parents about concerns about prestige and public image. The ECA urged schools to provide support to the affected child and parents and adhere to the guidelines outlined in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. In a set of recommendations for schools, the association has called for the government to establish a registry of POCSO-accused individuals.

The ECA also recommends mandatory workshops and training to school staff in POCSO law at every school. Swati Popat Vats, president of the ECA, India, told mid-day, "Ensuring the safety of children should not be a reactionary measure but an integral part of the ethos of every school. The government must enforce a standardised safety policy that is mandatory for all preschools, crèches, daycare centres and other institutions catering to children under the age of six."

The recent case

The Kandivli incident gained prominence when the parents of the girl and around 200 others stormed the school premises on February 4. The crowd demanded action against the school authorities for negligence, as they allegedly attempted to cover up the incident without informing either the parents or the police. The parents claimed that the teachers were aware of the incident but chose not to inform them. They are now calling for the preschool's licence to be revoked and for it to be permanently closed. According to ECA, schools are obligated to report such incidents to the police and inform parents, as failing to do so is a violation of the POCSO guidelines.

"In child sexual abuse (CSA) cases, either the parents file a case under POCSO and the person is punished by law or a school usually removes staff members who are accused and parents are not willing to file a case. In both cases, what happens to the safety of children when other schools employ these staff? We have to create systems in which we can safeguard our children from them. In other countries, there is a paedophile registry and our government must set up a POCSO accused registry so that schools can find out if a particular staff member has ever been accused in a CSA case," Vats said. She added, "I am sure after taking advice from lawmakers, the government can make this a fool-proof system that will benefit children and safeguard them from abusers."

Survey's findings

In a survey conducted in February 2020 by the Podar Institute of Education in collaboration with the ECA in Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Bangalore, concerning findings regarding parents' understanding of POCSO and child sexual assault emerged. In Mumbai, out of 2,500 parents surveyed, 1,800 identified rape as a form of CSA, while 500 did not believe that "sexual" should be associated with children, suggesting that they may perceive such incidents as mere touching. Additionally, 200 parents were unaware of the term ‘child sexual abuse'.

In Ahmedabad, 1,700 out of 1,800 parents recognized rape as a form of CSA, while the remainder believed that it is common for children to be touched on body parts. In Bangalore, 1,900 out of 2,000 parents asserted that any form of touching on "private parts" constitutes child sexual abuse. However, many of them did not consider touching other body parts as such. Regarding whom they would approach for help or report incidents of child sexual abuse, of the 6,300 parents surveyed across the three cities, 55 per cent indicated that they would not report it and would handle it within the family; 20 per cent stated they would approach the media, while another 20 per cent would seek help from the police or relevant authorities. Five per cent expressed uncertainty, admitting they had not considered the matter.

Some of the ECA's recommendations

>> Parents must file a POCSO complaint immediately so that legal action can be taken against the perpetrator
>> Schools must immediately conduct a transparent inquiry and ensure that the parent is in the loop
>> Schools must make all their staff aware of the POCSO law
>> The government also needs to set up a POCSO accused registry, so that schools and parents can do a background check of job applicants on it before appointing them

Feb 4
Day parents stormed Kandivli school premises