Abstract
Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is a violation perpetuated in secrecy and shrouded in silence. In India, a 2007 report revealed that over half the children reported having faced sexual abuse, the abusers were known to the child and the cases were mostly unreported. This prevalence is accentuated by patriarchal norms that persist in India wherein upholding familial honour trumps providing support to a CSA victim. For those who seek support, institutional care namely non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and public hospitals often become the first point of contact for most victims and their families. Therefore the qualitative study located in Mumbai, India was motivated from the perspective of understanding the role of institutional support with regards to prevention and intervention in CSA. Findings highlight that most NGOs adopt a holistic strategic plan while dealing with CSA cases in terms of case-management and prevention efforts, whereas public hospitals mostly focus on the medico-legal elements of the case for evidentiary purposes. Early and timely intervention is critical for arresting future CSA symptoms from arising. Study findings have implications for more strategic reform and collaborative engagement across various institutions of care and support for CSA whilst breaking the silence on CSA in India.
Highlights
Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is a violation perpetuated in secrecy and shrouded in silence
In order to capture the variation in CSA service provision this section will provide a comparative analysis of how non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and public hospitals seek to assist CSA victims and raise awareness on CSA
Several NGOs who engage in direct practice work with children felt the pressing need to integrate CSA as a part of their organizational mission
Summary
Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is a violation perpetuated in secrecy and shrouded in silence. In India, a 2007 report revealed that over half the children reported having faced sexual abuse, the abusers were known to the child and the cases were mostly unreported This prevalence is accentuated by patriarchal norms that persist in India wherein upholding familial honour trumps providing support to a CSA victim. The Anchorage shelter case was a landmark judgement that was passed by the Supreme Court of India in 2011 that lead to the conviction of two British paedophiles for sexually abusing children under their care. As per the Juvenile Justice Act registered NGOs can conduct a social investigation on behalf of the victim of CSA and can provide them shelter and support (Juvenile Justice Act, 2015)
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