The South India Girl Child Initiative
Important Drama on Child Rights Created
and Staged in 2007
On October 25, 2007 Nalamdana staged a Drama on Child Rights, with a special scene on child sexual abuse, in Avvai Home (one of the sites we work on under the South India Girl Child Initiative) We were fortunate to have in attendance some of our funders from World Education, Aseema Trust and other NGO partners and supporters.
The main audience watching this one hour program was approximately 500 girl students from 6 - 11th grade, about 30 teacher trainees and their management from the Avvai Home (School campus) and 14 mothers from Nalamdana's "recipe group" from the nearby slum community, Urur alcot Kuppam (Some of these mothers' daughters were in the audience)
The drama was watched very attentively and afterward, several girls came on stage to share their views and feelings:
- Physical abuse of the girls, trauma caused by fighting parents and clear indications of child sexual abuse emerged. There was emotional sharing and we felt the need to link these students with the expert counseling needed.
- The school management is ready for linking with services already available. Childline information (Toll Free help line, dial 1098) has been distributed but we do not know how effective this is in this area or elsewhere in Chennai. The need to make this available with a cell phone is urgent, as most children do not want to talk on public phones or from booths.
- One girl wanted to know if such sexual abusers can be apprehended and punished. Several talked about how they would fight back and learn to protect themselves! (offer Martial Arts lessons along with life skills?)
- One girl broke down and spoke directly to her headmistress,
stating she was a victim of abuse from an uncle at home.
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