Child Sexual Abuse - India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Soon-law-to-tackle-child-sex-abuse-Moily/articleshow/6108543.cms CHENNAI: India will soon have its first law to deal exclusively with child sexual abuse cases. The provisional draft of the bill, titled ‘Sexual Offences Against Children Bill, 2010', seeks to substitute the word ‘rape' with technical terms and cover several forms of abuse of both boys and girls, which now remain grey areas in the absence of a specific legislation. The proposed legislation calls for setting up of special courts, special public prosecutors and child-friendly proceedings. "We have prepared a provisional draft in consultation with NGOs and experts, which will be forwarded to the ministry of woman and child development for inputs. We have not set a deadline to present the Bill in Parliament but we want to do it at the earliest, given the increasing number of child sexual abuse cases in the country," Union law minister Veerappa Moily told TOI. Calling ...

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQ0gvMjAxMC8wNi8zMCNBcjAwMjAw&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom Nowhere in the world was the Criminal Justice System(CJS) written with a child victim in mind. Having to face a system that is geared to the needs of adults can be a difficult experience for any victim of crime. When it comes to child victims and witnesses the experience can be doubly traumatic, thereby seriously undermining the full respect of the rights of the child. At the very least it can be intimidating. The implications of not having evolved ( since the 19th century) procedures to address this oversight unlike other countries( including other Commonwealth countries) does not work in favor of instilling a sense of confidence in families and the community to report so that the gap between prevalence and reporting can be narrowed. Furthermore it continues to undermine the abusive experiences of children and its impact while emboldening perpetrators. It i...

Imagine a childhood disease that affects one in five girls and one in seven boys before they reach 18 (Finkelhor & Dziuba-Leatherman, 1994): a disease that can cause dramatic mood swings, erratic behavior, and even severe conduct disorders among those exposed; a disease that breeds distrust of adults and undermines the possibility of experiencing normal sexual relationships; a disease that can have profound implications for an individual's future health by increasing the risk of problems such as substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, and suicidal behavior (Crowell & Burgess, 1996); a disease that replicates itself by causing some of its victims to expose future generations to its debilitating effects. Imagine what we, as a society, would do if such a disease existed. We would spare no expense. We would invest heavily in basic and applied research. We would devise systems to identify those affected and provide services to treat them. We would develop and broadly imp...

Talking to children and young people about sexuality is never easy. This no-nonsense, straightforward and accessible guide will help adults get across the necessary information in the best way possible. Since 1996, TARSHI has been counseling and supporting people – young and not-so-young – on issues to do with sexuality and sexual health. Building on the success of the highly popular Red Book (for 10 to 14-year-olds) and Blue Book (for 15 and above), the team have put together The Yellow Book specifically for parents and teachers. Full of tips and tools, information and advice,The Yellow Book will help you to talk to your children about sexuality, whether they are toddlers or teens, and help them on their way to becoming happy, healthy and confident adults.