Gurgaon: To check the number of crimes by and against juveniles, the child welfare commission has decided to educate children from underprivileged sections of the society and their families about criminal tendencies in minors. A CWC team will visit the slums and schools and talk to the children on how to utilise their time and keep away from crimes.
Talking about the initiative, CWC chairman Sunil Kohli said that there is a need to spread awareness about crimes against children and crimes committed by children. “A large number of these children come from migrant families where parents work as labourers in factories. Hence, we have decided to reach out to automobile companies and export houses for the awareness campaign. We will organise family activities for workers and their children to direct their energy in constructive causes,” he said, adding that they are less likely to commit crimes then.
Earlier, many cases of crimes were reported against minors from slum areas where the accused is generally an acquaintance. Officials at the commission said that the employers can also help in organising these campaigns and workshops under their CSR initiatives. Beside the companies, the commission will go to the major slum areas and counsel the children and their parents.
Upasana Sachdeva, a CWC member, said, “While children studying in private schools are taught about good touch and bad touch, no one tells these children about this kind of behaviour.” The chances of these children getting sexually abused at an early age are much higher given that they live in single room dwellings. For this, the commission will work with NGOs and provide basic education to these children.
“These children are exposed to sexual abuse at a very early age and there is no one to guide them. This could lead to violent behaviour or stress in these children,” Kohli said, adding that he has already approached the deputy commissioner with the initiative and an official proposal would soon be finalised. Kohli said that such crimes can only be reduced when they address the root cause instead of penalising the accused. Gurgaon along with Faridabad have the highest number of Pocso cases in the entire state. While Faridabad reported 415 cases under the Pocso Act in the past five years, Gurgaon saw 354 cases in the same period.