ANGUL (Odisha): In a bid to create awareness about child abuse and its repercussions, Jindal Mahila Samiti of the Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) organized a Child Abuse awareness programme at the O P Jindal School campus here on Tuesday.
Addressing, on the occasion, Mrs. Usha Jha, president of the Jindal Mahila Samiti and a noted social activist elaborated the various aspects of child abuse and its impacts on our future generations. Defining child abuse as a curse to the society, Mrs. Jha said that it constitutes all forms of physical and emotional ill treatment which results in actual or potential harm to the child’s physical and mental health, development and dignity.
“Child abuse does not necessarily involve violence. Often it emanates from the adults exploiting their power over children and using them as objects rather than individuals. It can be physical, emotional, spiritual or sexual abuse”, she added.
“Counseling by the mother to the children on various possibilities of child abuses can minimize such incidents. This will sharpen the children to distance themselves from such evil elements on the first sign of such behavioral aberrations.
This will also socially expose such miscreants involved in child abuse”, she added. Statistics reveal that more than 53 per cent children are facing one or more forms of sexual abuse. Two out of every three children are physically getting abused. Every second child reported facing emotional abuse. And it is very common among children in the age group of zero to four years.
It is alarming to note that most abusers are many times family members or others close to the family. Stating that CCTV cameras are being installed in the O P Jindal school campus shortly, Dr Mahesh Kandpal, principal of the school appreciated the efforts of JSPL and Jindal Mahila Samiti to prevent all possible social crimes in its periphery villages through social awareness campaigns.
