THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With reports of child abuse on the rise, the Mahila Samakhya Society, which runs eight Nirbhaya homes in the state, has decided to embark on an ambitious prevention programme. The focus will be on children in scheduled caste and scheduled tribe families, as they are considered the most vulnerable. The first step would be to identify SC/ST children under threat of sexual predators, and for this a ‘vulnerability mapping’ will be carried out. The mapping will detail the emotional and physical conditions in which vulnerable children live. Once the mapping is done, the most vulnerable of the kids will be under constant, but non-intrusive, supervision.
The objective is to find circumstances in which a child could be lured or trapped into abuse, and then “creatively alter” it for the good of the child. Since it would require the services of a large number of people from various departments, the project will begin small, limited in Wayanad and Palakkad districts. “School teachers will be the most crucial link in identifying children under threat,” a top Social Justice Official said. It has been found that most of the victims had either shown a sudden drop in academic levels or had been missing for a long time from school. “Such unusual changes can be reported only by teachers. So, an awareness programme for teachers in Wayanad and Palakkad districts will also be done along with the mapping,” the official said.
Fundamentally, the mapping will light up hitherto dark areas. Meaning, it will find dwellings, not just of the poor, but also ones that are generally ignored, or abandoned, by society. Here are some indicators that will guide the search: homes with a single parent, in poramboke land, homes with ailing or mentally-challenged parents, single-room shacks, homes standing in desolate places, singe-or two-room shacks with multiple families. Further, the ‘vulnerability plotters’ will also scan the neighbourhood for alarm signals like the presence of serial abusers. “They will even talk to women in the neighbourhood to ascertain the behaviour of the child,” the official said. Besides teachers and neighbours, the plan is to involve representatives of local bodies and Janamaithri police in a big way. “The help of local politicians and police is necessary to keep constant vigil on the vulnerable child,” the official said.
