Sketch Nepal
Parents want to be convinced that their kids are safe and they are capable enough to protect them from any heinous situation. But it’s almost impossible for them to keep an eye on their children all the time. Safety of a child is not just an individual concern. The responsibility of protecting children from maltreatment should be shared by each and every unit of the community when the children are away from their parents or safe environment. Well coordinated preventive intervention is necessary which not only include parents but also teachers and other responsible components of the community to keep children safe from sexual abuse. Everyone has to unite to fight against the ruinous reality of child sexual abuse.
Teachers are committed professionals whose duty is not only limited to educating kids but they are also responsible for ensuring and providing them safe and healthy environment.
Undoubtedly, parents have major influence on the safety of their children. But the role of teachers towards ensuring children safety is equally important. Children spend most of their time close to the teachers. Teachers are committed professionals whose duty is not only limited to educating kids but they are also responsible for ensuring and providing safe and healthy environment. Teachers have a moral and ethical obligation to help abused children by identifying problem, responding appropriately and reporting concerns.
What Teachers Can Do to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse
Children, most of the time, fall victim of sexual abuse at home or non-school environment. It has been recorded that 95% of child sexual abuse victims are abused by someone who they know and trust. Child sexual abuse offender may be one among family members, relatives or acquaintances. School can be one of the safe place. And teachers do have lots of potential and can play a key role in protecting kids from falling victim of child sexual abuse.
EDUCATE YOURSELF
Kids spent most of their productive time at school where they are involved in diverse mental and physical activities under the close guidance and watch of the teachers. Teachers are pretty much aware about the regular behavior and pattern of the kids. The children who are being abused may display some major behavioral changes at school. Consequences can clearly be noticed in their behavior and performance. If teachers are equipped with the proper information and knowledge about different aspects of child sexual abuse, they can easily identify and take appropriate and effective initiation to save the children from the hazardous situation of child sexual abuse.
WIN THEIR TRUST
Kids who are being abused by their relatives or someone they know and trust may feel unsafe at home. Teachers should create the environment where kids can feel safe and cared. Teachers have to win the trust of kids so that they can comfortably talk about anything that is ruining them from inside.
EDUCATE CHILDREN
The foremost thing that the teachers can do is to equip their children with the knowledge and skills to deal with the situation in the absence of caretaker. Teachers should teach their children about about touches. (Good touch and bad touch is commonly used concept to teach children what type of touch is okay and what type of touch is not okay in order to protect them from falling victim of child sexual abuse.)
RESPOND AND REPORT
Teachers have to be adequately prepared about the links, concerned legal department and procedure required to respond and report to any form of suspected abuse. They should respond to the emergency, report to the authorities and contact parents or carers promptly as per the need of the situation. They also have to keep the clear and comprehensive note of the situation or incident.
Protecting children and promoting good mental health amongst children is one of the most important role of the teachers. Not only teachers, we all have to stand together against any kind of child abuse- physical, psychological or sexual. Children are vulnerable in all sorts of ways simply because they are children. All adults who work closely by the children have responsibility to protect them from any kind of maltreatment.
SKETCH NEPAL 