INTRODUCTION

Kids are terrifichappy, innocent, and free. They can remind us of what is best about ourselves. When they are sexually abused, that happiness is dimmed, sometimes for life. With your help, more kids will get to grow up full of light and life. Kids shouldnt have to try to prevent sexual abuse all by themselves. We adults have to learn to recognize when people are acting inappropriately around our childrenand to speak up before a child is harmed. Thank you for all you already do to help our children grow up free from sexual abuse. One in three girls and one in seven boys are sexually abused before age 18.

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IN INDIA

NEW DELHI: In a shocking revelation, a government commissioned survey has found that more than 53% of children in India are subjected to sexual abuse, but most don't report the assaults to anyone. The survey, released on Monday and which covered different forms of child abuse physical, sexual and emotional as well as female child neglect, found that two out of every three children have been physically abused. Parents and relatives, persons known to the child or in a position of trust and responsibility were mostly found to be the perpetrators of child sexual abuse in the country. According to the women and child development ministry-sponsored report, which assumes greater significance in the backdrop of the Nithari killings that brought into focus the issue of children's safety, those in the age group of 5-12 years reported higher levels of abuse. While releasing the survey, women and child development minister Renuka Chowdhury said, "Child abuse is shrouded in secrecy and there

is a conspiracy of silence around the entire subject. The ministry is working on a new law for protection of children's rights by clearly specifying offences against children and stiffening punishments." The survey, carried out across 13 states and with a sample size of 12,447, revealed that 53.22% of children reported having faced one or more forms of sexual abuse, with Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and Delhi reporting the highest percentage of such incidents. In 50% of child abuse cases, the abusers were known to the child or were in a position of trust and responsibility and most children did not report the matter to anyone. The survey, sponsored by WCD ministry and carried out by the NGO Prayas in association with Unicef and Save the Children, found that over 50% children were subjected to one or the other form of physical abuse and more boys than girls were abused physically. The first-ever survey on child abuse in the country disclosed that nearly 65% of schoolchildren reported facing corporal punishment beatings by teachers mostly in government schools. Of children physically abused in families, in 88.6% of the cases, it was the parents who were the perpetrators. More than 50% had been sexually abused in ways that ranged from severe such as rape or fondling to milder forms of molestation that included forcible kissing. The study also interviewed 2,324 young adults between the ages of 18 and 24, almost half of whom reported being physically or sexually abused as children. When it comes to emotional abuse, every second child was subjected to emotional assault and in 83% of the cases, parents were the abusers.

WHAt iS CHiLD SexuAL AbuSe? There is no universal definition of child sexual abuse.However, a central charecteristics
When any adult engages in sexual activity with a child, that is child sexual abuse. When the sexual activity is between children or adolescents, it is not always so clear. Some kinds of sexual behavior between children might be innocent explorations rather than abuse.

Why do we need to learn about chilid sexual abuse

Every day, adults miss real opportunities to prevent child sexual abuse because of misinformation and confusing stereotypes about sexual abuse. It is estimated that more than 300,000 children are sexually abused every year. Chances are, you already know a boy or girl who has been sexually abusedand in all likelihood know someone who has abused a child. By educating yourself, you can become a powerful force in making the world a safer place for kids. Its only in the last few decades that we, as a society, have started to acknowledge how widespread child sexual abuse has been and how much it hurts children. One in five adults report that they were sexually abused as children, an experience that increases vulnerability to depression, substance abuse, aggression, and other difficulties. More than 88% of

adults who were abused say they never reported the abuse to authorities. In response to this new awareness, lawmakers have focused on managing convicted sex offenders and publicizing their whereabouts. While these measures have increased community awareness, they address only a tiny portion of those who are at risk to sexually harm childrenthose who already have been caught and convicted. Children are routinely taught to speak up if someone approaches them in a sexual way. But to make our communities safe, we need to do more. Kids shouldnt have the burden of preventing sexual abuse by themselves. Adults must act on their commitment to keeping kids safe by learning to recognize and respond to inappropriate behaviors around kids, before a child is harmed. And adults have to learn what to do when it seems like someone may be sexually interested in children or is harming a child in a sexual way. As when you see someone who is drinking and planning to drive: you step forward and offer help so they dont hurt someone. This guidebook contains a lot of the information about how adults can step forward and help protect children. It describes what to look for and how to talk with other adults and with children about preventing sexual abuse. It offers guidance about what to do when you have a concern, even if you think, Maybe Im just over-reacting. And most importantly, it offers information about who to call for advice, for help, or to report a case of abuse.

WHAt to WAtCH for WHen ADuLtS Are WitH CHiLDren

Have you ever seen someone playing with a child and felt uncomfortable with it? Maybe you thought, Im just over-reacting, or, He/She doesnt really mean that. If you are uncomfortable, but dont see specific signs, trust your instincts and ask more questions. Below is a list of behaviors that might be cause for concern. Do you know an adult, adolescent or older child who: Makes others uncomfortable by ignoring social, emotional or physical boundaries or limits? Refuses to let a child set any of his or her own limits? Uses teasing or belittling language to keep a child from setting a limit? Insists on hugging, touching, kissing, tickling, wrestling with or holding a child even when the child does not want this physical contact or attention? Frequently makes sexual references or tells sexual or suggestive jokes with children present? Exposes a child to adult sexual interactions without apparent concern? Has secret interactions with teens or children (such as games, sharing drugs, alcohol, or sexual material) or spends excessive time emailing, text messaging or calling children or youth? Seems too good to be true, for example, baby sits different children for free; takes children on special outings alone; buys children gifts or gives them money for no apparent reason? Allows children or teens to consistently get away with inappropriate behaviors?

A CALL to ACtion

Our silence allows people who sexually abuse children to get and maintain access to vulnerable children. We can all help prevent and stop the sexual abuse of children by speaking up and by learning some simple action steps. If you know that a child has been sexually abused, you need to report it. You can call your local police department or your local child protective services office. You can also bring the child directly to a therapist or a doctor, both of whom are required to report the abuse. More often, concerns lie in a gray area of vague uneasiness, sketchy details or uncertainty about what is actually happening. Sometimes concerns persist, even after an outside inquiry or evaluation fails to uncover abuse. There are still things you can do. Prevention is a process