Sitting down after addressing about six meetings in under 12 hours in the city, being held up in traffic for an hour and a half near Charminar and a bout of Delhi belly didn’t deter Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi from calmly stating facts about child sex abuse, trafficking and the need to fight it by raising conscience.
“Ten years ago, one out of two children were abused at some time in their life. The average age of the victim was 16. Now it has fallen to 6-7 years. Children as young as two months are being raped. People think of pride, respect and honour and don’t speak up. This is a hidden epidemic that cannot be tolerated,” said Mr. Satyarthi, when asked about the aim of the Bharat Yatra.
The outpouring of love and affection for Mr. Satyarthi was evident through the day as he did a whistle-stop tour of the city campaigning for an end to child abuse and trafficking for sex.
In a voice quivering with rage, Mr. Satyarthi said: “The men arrested for trying to marry young girls are beasts. Don’t think about it as an issue of a community. They are our girls. They are our sisters and daughters. Marriage after payment of money is nothing more than rape. It is a matter of shame for India. This is not an isolated incident. It is a nexus of all who are responsible for these rapes under the garb of marriage. It has happened earlier, but now we put a stop to it. We have to break our silence.”
Asked about the response to Bharat Yatra, he said: “Social change begins with conscience. I am doing that with this Yatra. I am quite overwhelmed by the response over the 11 days. Earlier, the efforts to fight this monster were scattered. Now, we have seen hundreds of NGOs, faith leaders, politicians, children, school teachers and parents teaming up to break the silence and joining me in the pledge to fight child sexual abuse and trafficking. This has never happened before and not on this scale.”
“Through this campaign, the enforcement agencies are being held accountable. We are asking the rate of prosecution, conviction, disposal of cases. We have to protect victims and witnesses so that the movement rolls on and brings about a social change,” he said.
Asked about the response in Telangana, he said: “Being young is a virtue. I have met Vinod Kumar, who spoke on teaching children the good touch, the bad touch and how it will be made part of the curriculum. Sex education is the need of the hour. Children must know their body. We don’t have to copy European and American education pattern. The debate is going on and I hope it becomes part of the national curriculum.”
