Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse - PCSA

How to get in school

Previously DISA worked alone and now all activities are being done by together including Teachers, Parents, students & Trainees of Teachers Training College-TTC.Bangladesh is a country where the society very conservative. Sexual abuse is a term which is not discus in the society.  Though there is sexual violence against children but usually go unreported, nevertheless report prepared by different NGOs, Govt based on sample survey, working experiences, court cases and media reporting reveal a very alarming situation of Child Sexual Abuse- CSA. Both Boys & Girls are vulnerable to sexually abused. In 2002, Bangladesh made a National Plan of Action-NPA on Child Sexual

Abuse, Exploitation & Trafficking In Bangladesh, there are very few organizations at national level have attention to work particularly against CSA but many organizations are working on Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking issues. Due to religious barer with social norms and values, CSA is not the issue for widely discussion with the community people especially with the children. Also fear of social stigma, nobody wants to reveal CSA incidents at the community and even victims of CSA don’t raise voice as the abusers mostly who are trusted and respected and who have easy excise to the children and their family. Still there is nothing in the National curriculum of

Textbook- NCTB of Bangladesh for teaching on Sex education in primary, secondary level and no way to learn properly from the family on sexuality issues or sexual development. So that children even can’t recognize, they are being abused sexually by others. So considering those contexts, it is very challenging and hard to talk about CSA issue at the community. For which it is essential to find an appropriate approach to talk about CSA at the community. So that based on some findings and recommendations of Teachers, Children, Parents, Community people,

NGO- GO activists, DISA has started a project “Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse in High Schools” for prevention and protection of CSA in 2005 with the assistance from Save the Children Sweden Denmark. DISA has decided organizationally to work against CSA through “School Based Approach”.

With partnership assistance from Save the Children Sweden Denmark-SCSD, Development Initiative for Social Advancement (DISA) has started a three years project “Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse in High Schools” from 2005 to 2007. Based on the smooth and result oriented working relation and the working strategy of SCSD, DISA has been considered to submit Project Document for the nest phase from 2008- 2010 on the same issue of CSA. In making our new phase project document- PD, we had number of meeting between SCSD & DISA including CSAET thematic meeting, workshop also we worked together with children, parents, and teachers with other community peoples through sharing meeting, FGD, interview etc. We also assessed our previous working experiences, reviewed the last years annual reports, half yearly reports, Base line report 2006 by SCSD, CSAET thematic meeting reports, other activities reports, and major findings like lessons learnt, achievements, and challenges. We considered resources & advantages of the project & organization as well as suggestions with ideas & information from Save the Children Sweden Denmark -SCSD time to time from previous years.
In the next phase Project Document, DISA has also realized and given emphasize to SCSD program strategic areas such as Capacity Building, Direct Service, Awareness & Advocacy and Sustainability for more effective and wide interventions against Child Sexual Abuse Exploitation & Trafficking- CSAET. Some new areas like Community focused, Child to Child Approach and Advocacy at national level have been given more attention for interventions in the next phase.
DISA is sincerely interested in starting the revised project in the next phase in the changed title of the project “Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse in Schools & Community” for the period from January 2008 - December 2010 with a development of objective.

Development Objectives/  Project Goal:

Child Sexual Abuse has been reduced.

Project objectives:
1. Children are increasingly able to protect them & taking action against CSA by the year 2010.
2. Children’s Vulnerability to sexual Abuse has been reduced by the year 2010.
3. Increased accessibility to quality psychosocial support for abused children (who have been sexually abused) & their families by the year 2010.  
4. Caregivers, Duty bearer, Support groups and community have become more responsive against CSA by the year 2010.
 
Major strategic working areas:

• Awareness & Advocacy
• Capacity Building & Knowledge development
• Service Delivery to the Abused children and their families.
• Research/ study on CSA including developing IEC/BCC materials.    

Some of Findings on Child Sexual Abuse- CSA from different sources:
A report (Child Abuse within the Global Context- Development within Bangladesh <IndiaNGOs.com Collected February 18, 2002) from the internet on child abuse within the global context mentioned under Bangladesh part that a study found, the children who grew up in the city slums/ streets, in almost 100% of the cases, admitted of being sexually abused to the worst degree on a non-commercial basis.
Different findings estimated that as many as 1 of 3 children have been sexually abused in Bangladesh i.e. nearly 20 millions Children. (A good practices & priorities report on Sexual Abuse & exploitation, Govt. & UNECEP Bangladesh- 2001).
A Daily (The Daily Ittefaq) National Newspaper published (September 2002) that 95% of all sex workers have been sexually abused before the age of 10 in Bangladesh.
It is seen from the paper clipping report 2001 of DISA that out of 72 incidents, 66 abusers known and 6 unknowns. All abused children are girls and raped. Out of 100 cases, 40 children’s age below 8 years, 25 ages between 9 – 12 years and 33 age between 13-14 years. In respect of supports for the abused children, 21 admitted hospital, 13 dead 9 no any supports and 57 not mentioned in the newspaper. In respect of abusers, case filed and arrested 27, case filed only against 23, no action against 20, sentenced 4 and not mentioned about anything against 26 in the newspapers.  
It is seen from the paper clipping report January to June  -2004 of DISA that out of 369 incident 295 abusers are known and 74 unknown. Out of 369 cases 291 rape, 34 non-touch and 44 abused by touch. The age of abuse children is 23 below 6, 118 between 6-13 years, and 228 between 14-18 years. In respect of abuser consequence 68 are arrested, 175 cases, 39 got punishment, 10 absconding. Condition of abused children is 65 dead, 97 get treatment in hospital.  In respect of age of abuser it is seen from the report that 23 abuser in less than 18 years, 97 abuser are between 19-35 years rest are above 35 years. The abusers occurred these thing 229 incidents as a single and 132 incidents in a group.  Among 369 abused children 367 are girls and 2 are boys.
So that DISA developed a strategy to work against Child Sexual Abuse -CSA from a rights perspective and to address it holistically with the assistance of Save the Children Sweden Denmark-SCSD.
 
Some of Lessons learnt from the previous phase:

• In communities or schools ‘Introducing Safety Education’ is very effective in making children aware about child sexual abuse.
• Attractive and child friendly IEC materials, like posters, booklets, guideline for giving lessons in the classes, Flash Cards, book, etc are essential to attract both the literate and non literate people. Issue related and booklets are very effective for conducting sessions with children
• Case sharing is a very effective method for orientation sessions. Such method helps others to feel comfortable to share their own experiences. We noticed that even though participants may, at first, feel hesitant to discuss their own abuse related stories they are not shy at all when describing the incidences of ‘others’. In this context it was also discovered that children are quite open with their peer groups, therefore peer educator program is very essential.
• In our ‘patriarchal’ society it is important to include men in prevention program of CSA.
• During child right sessions where there are discussions on the issue of child development and growth, and problems that children face in different ages, it is important to use methods that engage the attention of mothers.  
• In many cases the community believes that marriage between the victim and the perpetrator is the solution of the problem, this practice should be changed.

• Trained caregivers provide better supports to the children.

• Law enforcing agencies and other duty bearers need to be more aware on CSA and CR perspective
• Multi channel advocacy is more effective.

• Networking helps in sustaining the CSA Program.

• Even after the end of formal program cycle the program or CSA information disseminate sustain in the community through personal contacts.

Achievements in the previous phase 2005 - 07: 
#   Parents group have started to talk about CSA and other issues at the community level by sharing their own knowledge and experiences.
#   Children and their parents are reporting that conflicts between husbands and wives are reduced at the family. 
#   Good relationships have developed between teachers & students
#   Teachers started giving lesson on CSA’ to all the boys and girls in their classes. They have also started referring children and guardians to DISA’s Psychosocial Service Centers.
#   Teachers have also started giving similar lessons to the students of high schools in the project areas.
#   The administrative authority of one Government run Teachers Training College-TTC is also now working on CSA.
#   Some IEC/ BCC materials have been exist at the project. 
#   Training Module of CSA draft and implemented
#   Graduate students doing research on CSA and seeking out information.
#   They started helping the community people.
#   Some more parents are interested in joining the parents group and the existing group will decide to increase the members.   
#   A structure for psychosocial support has been made at the office. Children and adults have started coming to us for counseling support. Also our children and parents group members are taking others who are in need of getting counseling support.
#   Children attendance at various CRC centers and psychosocial service centers of DISA has increased.
#   Children are taking their friends to DISA’s CRC centers and even taking other children for psychosocial support.
#   Children have a happy environment at DISA office to learn many things that are necessary for their development.

Some of Challenges:
CSA is over burdened by other issues.
CSA is less important in government and institution policy.
Lack of appropriate materials, research on CSA.
No formal network on CSA.
Lack of awareness and sensitization among the community people on CSA and CR.
Very few organization are interested to work on CSA.
Difficult to retains survivors for needed session.
Community people are less capable to provide support on CSA (protection, prevention and participation)

Some of DISA’s major areas below in addressing Child Sexual Abuse- CSA, which can be considered as rationale/ Capacity of DISA in this respect.

• DISA’s achievements of working on CSA mentioned in the justification part.
• DISA has a skilled team and expertise on working against CSA.
• Children group, Parents group and teachers group is part of staff capacity to work at the community on CSA with staff of the project.
• Familiarity of DISA in the project area is a strong support to work against CSA at the community.  
• DISA started working on CSA since 2000 as a partner of Breaking the Silence.
• It’s experienced especially working with educational institutions, Working Children.
• DISA developed a strategy against CSA from a rights perspective and to address it holistically with the technical assistance of Save the Children Sweden Denmark-SCSD in 2003.
• DISA organized Divisional level Training on CSA for the NGOs in Chilttagong Division in 2002
• DISA organized South Asian Regional Workshop on CSA in 2002 with the help of the World Bank.
• Done Children consultation in 2002
• DISA published a Book “Silent Problem & Safety Education” with specific focus to prevent CSA.
• National level experience sharing meeting in 2004 with the help of Teachers Training College.
• DISA worked in TTC & PTI on CSA with the help of the World Bank in 2004.
• Some skill persons exist in the project to work with children and adult as well as for the Abused children and their families. 
• It’s one of the potential organizations in Bangladesh for working against Child Sexual Abuse-CSA.
• It’s experienced especially working with educational institutions, Working Children.
• Some other skill & non-skill persons (TTC students group, Child Volunteers, Others project staff etc.) exist to work with us in the project implementation.

Those are some of the aspects of justification of DISA is equipped to address the particular issue / Problem of Child Sexual Abuse of children in Bangladesh.