A few months ago, an 11-year-old girl was going to school, and all of a sudden she was accosted by a stranger and taken to a secluded spot.
In a confused state of mind, she grabbed a metallic sheet she found nearby and managed to hit the stranger and escape.
Another girl, recollecting her horrid experience with her neighbour, said: “He is a grandfather of my friend. Whenever I go to my friend’s house, he would discreetly try to show his private parts to me.”
These were just a few of a dozen dark experiences that girls shared at the five-day workshop presented by Amulya Kotha, a Class XI student of Briar Woods High School, Virginia, at Prema Samajam to build awareness on sex education and maintaining menstrual hygiene.
Meant for both teachers and students of Classes VI and VII, the workshop that concluded on Friday was packed with activity-based sessions to suit the target audience.
Sensitive subject
What appeared to be surprising was that the platform opened new doors to many girls to put the pieces together, think in a new direction, and chart out remedial measures to address myriad forms of child abuse.
“I have started carrying a pack of chilli powder in my school bag,” says M. Lavanya, a Class VII student.
Several teachers expressed their apprehension over sex education as they considered it as a sensitive subject to deal with. “However, with a set of curriculum designed for the purpose, combining both theoretical learning and activity-based content, we can now approach the subject with ease and try to bring about marginal shift in the thought process,” said Vidyamani, an English teacher.
Amulya says that she is looking forward to host similar workshops in various schools. She says, “The prime focus is to help children identify child abuse and open up. Initially, I was a little worried about how the project would take off. With encouraging response to the presentation, I am sure I can plan similar workshops during my annual visit to India.”
Several girls share their experiences at a five-day workshop
