Over 1 lakh students, their parents sensitised on POCSO Act in Jammu: Official

More than one lakh stakeholders were sensitised during a month-long awareness campaign on the POCSO Act and child sexual abuse protection, using both online and offline modes, in all schools of Jammu division, an official spokesman said on Sunday.

Directorate of School Education, Jammu, through its counselling cell organised a mega ‘Mothers Centric Parent Teacher Meet’ on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and child sexual abuse protection, marking the end of the month-long awareness campaign on provisions of the child protection law, the spokesman said.

“Around 1.08 lakh stakeholders were sensitised covering students of primary, middle, high and higher secondary levels and their parents, specifically mothers,” he said.

He said the campaign was launched in response to vulnerability of children to sexual abuse during COVID-19 pandemic as the National Crimes Records Bureau (NCRB) has revealed alarming statistics of crimes against children in India in its recent report.

Director School Education Jammu, Anuradha Gupta, expressed satisfaction over the successful completion of the month-long awareness campaign.

She said the objective of the campaign was to make child protection activities sustainable by involving all the stakeholders.

Congratulating the stakeholders involved in the campaign, she said such events will go a long way in bringing the much needed social change and build up a healthy atmosphere for the children.

“Child sexual abuse is an issue which is rarely talked about in households as if it did not exist but the statistics reveal a completely different picture,” she said.

Gupta said the most concerning and scary part of it is that in the majority of cases the crime is committed by someone within the family or the trusted person making it impossible for the child to share it with parents.

“It is therefore very important that parents, especially mothers, are made aware of the magnitude of the problem and also equipped with the knowledge of the legal provisions like the POCSO Act which can help them protect their young ones,” she said.