In light of April being recognised as Child Abuse Prevention & Counseling Awareness Month, the imperative to address the alarming rise in crimes against children in India cannot be overemphasised. According to data published by the National Crime Records Bureau in 2023, India reported a 26% increase in crimes against children during 2022. It states that a total of 162,449 cases of crimes against children were registered in the year, showing an increase of 8.7% over 2021, with kidnapping being the major offence against children at 45.7% followed by incidents related to child abuse. The increase in various offences against children also calls for extra caution.
Since schools are the second home of students and they spend a considerable amount of time there every academic year, educators are also liable to play a leading role in ensuring the safety of pupils. Teachers must offer valuable tips to children to help them understand that their body belongs to them. They must be made aware of good touch, bad touch, and confusing touch. Once they are taught about what constitutes a safe touch, it will help them realise that nobody has the right to touch them in a way that they do not like.
In incidents that affect their mental health, children may be afraid to open up. One of the better ways to overcome this situation is by promoting open communication among teachers and students. Further, teachers should also ensure that the communication channels between them and the parents are effectively open. Children also need guidance in seeking help from safe adults they can trust when they feel scared or threatened. Teachers can be reliable figures whom they can trust, and open communication between both will give children confidence to speak up when it matters.
According to a report by UNICEF on ‘Eight ways teachers can support students’ mental health,’ educators should also be extra cautious and spontaneously attentive to changes in children’s behaviour. If teachers notice continuous changes, it is necessary to seek additional support and guidance. In this regard, schools must also maintain a protocol and provide support to teachers. In case of serious incidents related to children’s well-being, additional support should be sought, including child protection services, primary care physicians, or counsellors if one feels the child needs special help.
With virtual classrooms and online applications becoming a major part of our education, it is necessary to educate children on the various types of online dangers. Starting from inappropriate content and fraudsters to fake social media accounts that try to manipulate students, children should be made aware of these potential threats. Even though they may not encounter such incidents, proper education on safety tips on the internet will help children make smart decisions online. This will also help them deal with cyberbullying and cyber harassment.
To sum it up, children should be empowered with the awareness of a safe environment and encouraged to strongly express discomfort and say ‘no’ in circumstances that make them feel unsafe.
