School’s ‘Good Touch, Bad Touch’ lesson empowers girls to speak against uncle’s sexual assault

A 35-year-old man in Mumbai has been booked for sexually assaulting his two nieces, aged 12 and 10. The incidents came to light during a school lecture on sexual assault awareness. The accused is yet to be arrested.

Mumbai: A 35-year-old man has been booked for allegedly sexually assaulting his two nieces, aged 12 and 10. According to police officials, the accused would invite the girls to his home under the pretext of playing with his children and then allegedly engage in sexual assault.

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These acts came to light when the girls disclosed the incidents to their class teachers and social workers during a “Good Touch and Bad Touch” lecture at school. The Dharavi police have registered a case against the accused.The accused, who runs a leather bag making unit, is yet to be arrested.

The school had organised a lecture in collaboration with non-governmental organizations specialising in child abuse and sexual assault awareness. “During one such awareness programme two sisters told the NGO workers that they were sexually assaulted by their uncle – the husband of their mother’s sister who lived near by. He used to call the girls to play with his children and then touch them inappropriately. They have told us that they have been experiencing it since 2019,” said the police officer.

The police disclosed that the accused had threatened the minors, warning them of physical harm if they spoke about the incidents.

“The NGO worker and the school immediately informed their parents about it. The parents asked for time to register an offence. The NGO workers themselves reported the matter to the police after the parents of the girls sought time to approach the police,” said a police officer.

A case has been registered under various sections, including 376 (rape), 376ab (rape on a woman under twelve years of age) of the Indian Penal Code, and sections 4 (penetrative sexual assault), 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault), 8 (sexual assault), and 10 (aggravated sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.