It is not unusual to expect a group of 13-year-old girls to giggle and whisper among themselves when they hear words like guptang (private body parts) or see representational pictures of semi-naked bodies.
But this did not happen while half-a-dozen police personnel were interacting with students from Classes VIII and IX and telling them about which touch should alarm them. The 100-odd students of Little Flowers Public Senior Secondary School in northeast Delhi’s Shahdara were all ears as the smartly-dressed personnel addressed them as part of ‘Operation Nirbheek’.
It was not the fear of the khaki that drew their attention. Rather, the interesting and open manner in which the police interacted with the girls. The police, whose primary focus is to “break the ice” with the children, usually interact with girls aged six and above during these sessions.
Generally notorious for their intimidating behaviour, the personnel freely mingled with the children to win their trust, kept an eye on the group to spot any troubled child.
Seven foot tall, Shahdara Station House Officer K.P. Rana’s imposing figure might come across as unapproachable to many, but he tries to portray himself as friendly as he can. “If you don’t believe in us, you can test it by asking any policeman on the road for help,” Mr. Rana said in all earnestness.
A short animation film Komal , made by non-government organisation Childline India Foundation, is interesting enough to draw the attention of every child for close to 10 minutes. But it is the Delhi Police’s presentation that has a real impact. The presentation does not shy away from using words and pictures that may otherwise be considered taboo in conservative societies. The body parts that others must not be allowed to touch are clearly marked out for the children.
No student looks bored and sleepy after the film and the presentation, and the police return to the real issue of extracting incidents of sexual harassment from the children.
The children are encouraged to speak up and the hesitant ones cajoled as every effort is made to make them open up.
“I complained to my father when I saw a man eve-teasing my friend on the road,” a Class VII student finally spoke up.
Unsure of how her father responded to the situation, constables Poonam and Rachna tell her to post these incidents in the complaint box installed in the school premises.
“Rachna or I visit this school every week to check the complaints in the box,” added Poonam.
