Ryan school abuse incident: Sexual assault on children in schools horrifying, say parents
The recent Ryan International School incident, in which a child was raped and killed, has shocked Delhi. But no city is free of such crimes. Celebrities who’re also parents speak up in order to effect change.
delhi Updated: Sep 11, 2017 20:49 IST
Hindustan Times
Ever since the incident at Ryan International School, Gurgaon, where an eight-year-old boy was found sexually abused and grievously injured in the school’s washroom, the issue of child safety in school — or the lack of it — has jolted everyone. Celebrities have joined in the discussions, too, hoping to effect change.
Actor Renuka Shahane recently posted a long message on her Facebook, expressing her shock, horror and dismay at the news of two school children in Delhi being affected due to lack of safety — the other incident is of a five-year-old girl who was raped by a peon in the toilet of her school in Gandhi Nagar, East Delhi. The question that Renuka asks in her post — How do we make things safe for our kids? — looms large.
Delhi-based actor Adil Hussain says, “I just signed a petition on Change.org — Make Schools Safe For Children. We need to understand the mindset of these criminals. I believe this is happening because we lack a value system. We need to think why are children being targeted sexually? Our education only provides skills to get a job. So, we’re a nation full of skilled workers but what we need to create is quality human beings. We need to radically change the education system.”
Sonalika Sahay, Delhi-based model and mother of two young daughters, says, “We, as parents, expect schools to not only take responsibility for our kids’ education but also [of] their safety. I feel it’s important to keep a check on those things even more now. Times are changing, and so are people. We need extra care.”
Vijender Singh, boxing champ and father to a four-year-old boy, says in fury, “Seeing this news, I was so angry! The school is to be blamed. How can they hire a person involved in any criminal activities, be it a teacher or a chaprasi (peon)? The Indian government should ban the school. Another five-year-old girl was raped. Come on, when will this stop?”
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First Published: Sep 11, 2017 20:48 IST
