The Catalog Year-End Digest: Philosophy & Safety
Season’s Greetings
2015 has not been a kind year for children. Almost everyday we were faced with instances of violence and abuse in which the youngest and most vulnerable were directly and indirectly in the line of fire. Shootouts in schools. Sexual Abuse in places of education & worship, in homes & neighborhoods. A hardening of public opinion against juvenile offenders. The escalating threats facing the young in online spaces. The list is long and sad.
If 2014 was declared as ‘devastating’ for children by the UN, 2015 seems to have little claim to have arrested the slide, let alone improve upon it.
However when it is all dark and foggy out there, someone inevitably strikes a match. And others follow suit or gather around.
Across the country, in every state, people have systematically articulated their protest against child abuse and violence in their own voices. They have been breaking the silence.
There is now no one ‘type’ of person who speaks on child rights and child safety. They can be a parent. They can be a politician. They can be anyone and everyone. It could be an NGO or a private company who pledges to safeguard children and their rights. It may be youth who identifies themselves as an adult survivor or just one who could not be silent anymore.
The conversation on child protection has left its civil society chambers and is breaching the prime time on the mainstream. Acts of abuse and violence are being met with acts of resistance and persistence.
There is now a new determination and some kind of hope. And it does sound like a the stirrings of a movement. We hope that in 2016, it will come together and grow into one.
We Wish You a Happy New Year!
Its been a exceptionally busy year end at Aarambh and we apologize for the interruption in bringing out The Catalog. One of our new year resolutions is to make it a timely and weekly affair.
So in the tradition of Holiday Specials everywhere we have compiled our biggest ever edition. It should serve some choice reading material that should last you over the Festive Weekend into the new year. And possibly more.
#Quote of the Week:
“The baby echoes your love back to you. Tickle the baby and the baby will laugh and then you will laugh and then the baby will laugh some more and then you will laugh some more and so on in an unending Möbius strip of laughter. The baby is a prism of joyous light. We are the rainbow. The baby has given birth to us. Trust, believe, and know these truths to be self evident, baby. You, baby! You are the baby and the baby is now. Now is yes. The truth, affirmative.”
– Kool A.D., our favorite indie rapper from the turn of the last decade just turned father. And his resulting exultations are as mad and strange and beautiful as his rhymes. Click here to read the whole piece.
#News
Minor in the Nirbhaya/Jyoti Singh Delhi Rape Case opts to Stay with NGO as Term Ends
Amidst all the outrage, the release of the juvenile in the 2012 Delhi Rape case has given us an interesting and indepth look at the working of the JJ Systems. There have been a few interesting reads about how the accussed child was a victim himself, how public emotions shoudn’t sway the system against juveniles, and this one about the possibility of the court seeking proof of reformation following Delhi Woman’s Commission petition. (However it was not not to be)
UN Accused of ‘Gross Institutional Failure’ over alleged Sexual Abuse by Soldiers
“When peacekeepers exploit the vulnerability of the people they have been sent to protect, it is a fundamental betrayal of trust.”
A new independent study finds that the UN’s failure to respond and investigate allegations of child sexual abuse against French peacekeeping forces posted in the Central African Republic allowed the assaults to continue. The first report of misconduct was made in 2014. But the matter came to fore only after a UN aid worker leaked an internal document. The study exonerates the courageous whistle-blower Anders Kompass who put his life and career in jeopardy in bringing the issue to light.
“Death threats, uproars, venom spitting, verbal diarrhoea, curses… let all these continue, I am not even a bit scared. I have truth and Allah on my side.”
Journalist V.P. Rajeena wrote a facebook post on incidents of child sexual abuse in the madrasa she attended as a child. Her post went viral and as is the nature of the internet, she was insufferably trolled. And facebook, as usual, missed the context and failed to help. It suspended her account. The above article by J. Devaki reflects on the misogyny that runs through Kerala society that attempts to silent and discredit assertive feminine voices like Rajeena’s.
Forming the National Coalition to Fight Child Abuse
Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrashekhar,whose petition we had featured here before, submitted nearly 2 lakh signed petitions which asked the government to prioritize child protection in hard copy to Union Minister of Women & Child Development, Menaka Gandhi. They are also facilitating the coming together of interested organizations and individuals in evolving a cohesive plan of action for the Government to implement. If you are interested in participating or knowing more about the coalition, you can contact Mr. Chandrashekhar at rc @ rajeev.in.
This Unquiet Land: Barkha Dutt on her Experience With Sexual Abuse & Violence
“Much later in life, I would discover that I was not alone; almost every young woman I knew had experienced something essentially similar-not just out on the streets, but within the so-called safe zone.”
Television legend Barkha Dutt broke her silence on her experiences with sexual abuse and violence in her new book. It is a powerful piece that switches between personal, public and political. She eschews taking the route towards inspiration and catharsis and instead determinedly focuses on the urgency of the issue.
Google Loopholes Through Its Promise of Securing The Privacy of Children
“In the end, Google is an advertising company. They sell ads, they track information on folks.”
Google finds a loophole in its own privacy policies and begins to use it collect and build profiles of minors. It took a concerned father to let the rest of the world know that this is how it was going down.
The Youtube Child Abuse Videos Controversy
YouTube (also a google subsidiary) has taken down a series of videos containing children using swear words and objectionable content (like “Adolf Hitler did nothing wrong”, “Feminism is Cancer” and “I get more a** than a toilet seat”) after Tejaswini Naik, a Mumbai resident, created a Change.org petition to have them removed. But as the article rightly points out Youtube’s actions are a response to bad PR rather than concern for children. In the meantime, we are getting reports that Ms. Naik is being trolled on the internet.
Refugee Women and Children at High Risk of Sexual Violence
More than 644,000 refugees have arrived in Europe in 2015. Over 34% of them are women and children. The confusion and conflict in the camps and the transit involved leaves them vulnerable to sexual abuse. Worried by some testimonies that they have received, the UNHRC has asked nations to be vigilant and take immediate steps to ensure their protection.
Madras High Court Takes One Step Towards Child Friendliness
The court had ordered that “a screen or such other arrangements may be made where the victim or witnesses do not see the body or the face of the accused.” Right intentions that need to be implemented right away.
Indian Govenment to Criminalize Marital Rape
The Government has made clear its intention to draft a ‘comprehensive law’ that will criminalize marital rape. About time.
#MustRead
Juvenile Crimes Rise 47% But Adult Law May Not Help
“While reading the figures on rape, it must also be borne in mind that the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 raised the age of consent from 16 years to 18 years. This has meant all forms of consensual sexual activity among adolescents are also an offence.”
Data speaks! A look at the ground realities that went into the rise of juvenile offences in this years National Crime Records Bureau data. And how the proposed amendment to try juveniles as adults can end up grievously curtailing the rights and dignities of the most vulnerable children in the country.
Talking Gender and Sexuality As a Feminist Mother
“A large dose of humor and a lack of concern for your reputation.” A feminist mother discusses her adventures in talking gender and sexuality with her child.
Best Practices for Tech Companies to Prevent Online Abuse and Exploitation of Children
Everything about going online is privatized – from your internet service provider to the online platforms you interact with. Also, younger demographics are some of the biggest users of these services. In such a world, private players are responsible for protection and safety of children in online spaces. The simple best practices as detailed in Thorn’s new document can help companies institute formal policies that can go a long way in not just safeguarding the children who use their service but also the companies’ own reputation and commitment towards clients.
This safety guide is coming from a website whose authors have been witch-hunted by some of the most insidious trolls the internet has seen. It is one of the most comprehensive documents of it kind. It has the kind of insights and observations straight that can be born only at ground zero. This is highly recommended.
Working With Pedophiles To prevent Child Sexual Abuse
“Although the terms “paedophile” and “child sex offender” are often used interchangeably, the two are distinct.”
A reflective methodical article about paedophilia. It chronicles ongoing efforts from across the world where experts are working with paedophiles to prevent child sexual abuse.
Working With Specially Abled Children To Prevent Sexual Abuse
“While there are no studies done to assess such abuse among kids with disabilities, the prevalence is higher than in ‘normal’ kids for sure. These kids may not be able to understand, communicate or resist what is happening to them in most cases.”
A brief read on an aspect of sexual abuse that needs to be spoken about more.
How Climate Change Puts Children at Risk
“What is the new climate change agreement for, if not people’s rights?”
The Paris Summit marks a new beginning for climate change. But policies and road maps that address climate change have failed to factor in the child rights framework. UNICEF UK advocates for a child rights component to the climate change debate.
Unfollow: How Twitter Reformed the Hater
One of the best and rightfully acclaimed article we read this year. Gripping, insightful and perfectly captures the atmosphere of the ‘now’.
#New @ Aarambh
Travelling sex offenders are resorting to orphanage tourism to get easy access to children. Children’s Homes and Child Protection Systems in India need to keep their eyes open and policies straight, say Prof. (Dr.) Pravin and Priti Patkar.
Study on the Effects of New Information Technologies on the Abuse and Exploitation of Children
This UNODC study covers covers the main forms of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) facilitated child abuse and exploitation. It offers concrete definitions of terms, covers a wide spectrum of offenses and looks at prevention from points of view of multiple stakeholders involved. A definitive document and a must read.
India’s Daughter: Why We Shouldn’t Be Silent
From our vaults. It has been a while since we published this. As the conversation continues to unspool, a look back at the road that brought us here.
#ComingSoon
This years Oscars and other movie awards looks like they may turn the ‘spotlight’ on the issue of institutional child sexual abuse. The film tells the true story that chronicles a group of intrepid journalists investigating a series of child abuse cases committed by priests and covered up by the church in the city of Boston, USA. It’s received unanimous acclaim. India release dates are currently unavailable. We can only hope that it passes the censors intact.
#Social
Yik Yak: Is it the Internet or Is it Just Us?
Yik Yak is an app that allows you to communicate anonymously with anyone within a 10 mile radius. In college campuses across the US, it is being used by students belonging to majority groups to spew hateful outrage and bully minority students. This Reply All podcast takes you to a college campus and tells the story of how one of these incidents played out. And then it asks the big question: Is it the internet or is it just us? It is a beautiful episode of a great show.
Columnist and documentary filmmaker Paromita Vohra launched an Indian/Hinglish sex positive website with the explicit aim of ‘giving sex a good name.’ Eye candy, irreverent and perfectly informative, the article titled Five Books About The Kuch Kuch Hota Hai Stuff is a good place to start as any.
#Fun
A lot of big movies in the theatres now. This 5 minute wonder of whimsy and imagination narrated through the eyes and dreams of a child will leave them all behind.
