Noida: After two incidents of sexual assault at two private schools in the city, Noida police has started a campaign in schools and colleges to educate children about good and bad touch, and teachers about identifying cases and providing a safe environment for students to speak up.
An initiative of the women's safety wing of the police, the campaign under ‘Mission Shakti' aims to reach out to 1.5 lakh students across schools and colleges in the district. The drive, which began earlier this month, will run till December.
It comes after the two incidents of sexual assault sparked protests by hundreds of parents and led to sacking of headmistresses of the two private schools in the city.
On Sept 3, a six-year-old girl was allegedly molested by a labourer employed on the school's campus. According to the girl, the labourer took her from outside her classroom to a secluded area on the campus, which was not covered under CCTV surveillance.
At another frontline school in the city, a three-year-old student told her family she was sexually assaulted by a housekeeping staffer earlier this month. The school's principal, headmistress of junior wing, a teacher and security supervisor were subsequently fired by the management.
Police said on Friday that their campaign focused not just on children, but also teachers and school administrations. "Along with kids, it is equally important to educate their parents and teachers about good touch and bad touch, so that in case anything wrong happens, children can freely confide in them. Moreover, with the right knowledge, one can sense behavioral changes in children that may indicate difficulties," said Suniti, DCP (women's safety), Gautam Budh Nagar.
A teacher at a govt primary school in Sector 142, where the drive was held, said the programme involves basic knowledge on how to recognise good and bad touch, consent, sexual crimes and police helpline numbers.
"These lessons showed us how we can encourage students to speak up if needed and identify any incidents," another teacher of the school said.
A principal of a govt school in Noida's Sector 68 said teachers play a crucial role in identifying cases of assault or molestation.
"In one incident, a teacher of a Class 6 girl approached us and reported that the student was late in attending classes and her behavior had changed. She seemed afraid and hesitant all the time. It was later found that her father was sexually assaulting her. Such examples show how important it is to educate teachers and parents about the topic and how they should respond to it," the principal said.
Police said they have organised programmes at 200 schools and colleges, and reached out to 26,000 students till now. The campaign will conclude on Dec 30.