The Convention of School Counsellors on Child Sexual Abuse Prevention and Intervention- Emerging Role of Schools was attended by School counsellor, Ms. Sukhmeen Cheema at the India International Centre on 6 February, 2013.
The convention aimed to create awareness and develop a perspective about child sexual abuse. The participants were told the meaning and definition of the term abuse. Abuse was defined in terms of Age-differential, gratification-differential and power-differential. It discussed issues like sexual abuse, preventive measures and effective community participation to deal with the issue.
Listing the myths people have about child sexual abuse , eminent counsellor , Dr Ravindran, Director General of the Institute of Counsellor Training Research and Consultancy (ICTRC) attempted to equip one and all present at the convention with a sustainable approach towards such issues.
Using various case studies Dr. Ravindran explained that one needs to be sensitive to signs like a sudden drop in academic performance or the child showing signs of being unusually disturbed or socially withdrawn. At the same time one should be careful not to jump to conclusions too fast either. The main aim should be to empower the child to stand up for himself/herself. He also emphasised that schools should adopt a no- touch policy.
Dr. Amla Rao and Ms. Remi Chabbra , social activists dealt with the issue of gender- sensitivity and the dominance of patriarchial values in our society.
The convention concluded with the voicing of the need for an empathetic society where all work towards recoginising and preventing sexual abuse amongst children. As filed by Ms. Sukhmeen Cheema, School Counsellor
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