“12 yrs old critical after sexual assault”;
“Elder jailed for trying to rape 4-year-old girl”;
“Man arrested for rape attempt on friend’s child”;
“A 2 year old girl from Colva was raped by her neighbor”
“A four-year-old child, who was sleeping outside her house with her parents, was kidnapped and raped by two men, aged 28 and 16 on Saturday”
“10-yr-old child raped by cook at Parliament Street”.
Reading these articles in newspapers has become an everyday affair. Lot of us parents don’t even read the article; actually we don’t have the guts to read them, they are too scary. But notice how we are becoming immune (read hardened) to these. It’s becoming a matter of fact. Unfortunately we start looking at them as ‘news’ – something which is happening to others. Some of us pray that this does not happen to us whilst some of us choose to ignore thinking we can’t do anything about it, let’s leave it to god!
Closing our eyes to it, ignoring it, wishing it away – does not work. If we can’t do anything about it, then who will? At least, for our own children.
Sex (education) has been a taboo in our society. That’s Hypocrisy at its best. Producing the maximum no. of children (world’s largest population), sexually abusing children is in but talking to them and educating them is a taboo!
Let’s bring the mickey out of the closet; coach and train our children on ‘sex’ – starting from what is sexual abuse; how they can protect themselves, how not to perpetuate it themselves, about their bodies, how they came into this world, safe sex et all. Let’s create an environment at home where they feel safe to share and ask whatever they want to and not only get the support they are looking for but also get the right answers. If each one of us takes it on for our own children – we would create an entirely new world!
This may sound difficult. I can share my experience as a father and as a parent coach. We spoke to our children about sexual abuse when they were 5. (actually late by a couple of years) and about reproductive system and reproduction process at 9. It was far simpler than we thought it would be. What we had to deal with was our own thoughts and feelings, children took them like any other process of their body! And that’s the experience of hundreds of parents and children we have done these sessions with. For some pictures and comments visit www.facebook.com/parwarish
We can’t be silent spectators to the happenings around us. These are our children, the most precious. Let’s take it on ourselves and create a safe future for our children. I don’t think there is anything more important to you than your child’s well being. Let’s break our barriers to create a safe place for them. They deserve it. They should not be paying for our inhibitions!
Happy parenting….
