We read about child rape and child sexual exploitation in the papers daily. India leads the world as a country with maximum cases of child sexual exploitation. Statistics show that in India, every 155 minutes, a child under 16 years of age is raped. Parents of sexually abused children are scared to tell anyone due to fear of being shamed in society. It is not true that only strangers commit this crime. It can also be committed by members of the family, relatives and even neighbours.
According to a survey, 90% of people sexually exploiting children are known to the children or are people whom the children trust. There have been many instances where the father himself, cousin brothers, uncle or neighbours have sexually exploited children. This shows that children need protection even while at home. They are afraid to mention this to anyone when it happens, probably out of fear of not knowing what has occurred. Sexual exploitation is not rape alone. There can be many forms of sexual exploitation like clicking indecent photographs of children, making children watch pornographic content, physically teasing them, etc. The trauma of sexual exploitation in children sometimes impacts the children through life; they become guilty, fearful, lonely and worried.
Based on the concerns voiced by the community women with regard to safety and security of their children while they are out at work, AWAG has recently embarked upon the issue by creating a widespread awareness on it. Since it is not possible to keep an eye on the children all the time, creating awareness on the issue is the need of the hour. AWAG has commenced upon undertaking awareness meetings/gatherings with youth and school children in its rural and urban work areas in Radhanpur, Patan district and in Ahmedabad respectively. In a span of three months, around 400 participants comprising of community youth and school children have been reached out to. Over the year we intend to create an extensive spread of the much needed awareness on the issue.