I.B Information Collection - Field Visits & Interviews

(i) Mrs. Manuni Upadhyay 11th March ’10

A social worker and head of K.H. Jani Charitable Trust, Ms. Manuni has mainly worked for AIDS awareness among street children.

Salient information :

Sexually active children on streets, their practices, HIV AIDS.

High incidence of pregnancy among girl children on streets.

High influx of trafficked children from Rajasthan.

(ii) SEWA Anganwadi – Baba Lavlavi Slum, Jamalpur 11th March ’10

This SEWA Anganwadi takes care of children up to 5 years of age. The slum population is entirely belonging to Muslim faith. I basically came here to simply observe young kids from urban poor background.

Salient information : About cases of CSA in the locality.

(iii) Ramapir No Tekro 12^th March ’10

As urban poor of Ahmedabad was my initial target audience, I visited this permanent settlement near Vadaj called Ramapir No Tekro. It was almost like a little village. narrow streets wound through rows of houses. This was basically an effort to relate to the target audience.

Observation : Children are largely self reliant and not much concern from parents as to where they wander or what they do.

A very profound effect of Bollywood on children. Girls as young 6-8 dress in garments, way too provocative.

Many young and old men hang around, jobless, throughout the day on the low street walls.

This was a bit shocking and amusing - a group of little boys aged between 10-11 playing cricket, actually eve-teased me and my friend (verbally).

(iv) Dr. Girish R. Shah Ramapir No Tekro, 12^th March 10

Dr. Girish Shah is an unacknowledged samaritan of the tekro, having dedicated the greater part of his career serving the underprivileged urban poor for their health needs.

Salient information :

Young girls between 15- 18 years of age going for abortion.

High incidence of sexual promiscuity within joint family.

Young girls consenting to sexual activity, owing to such exposure.

Boys susceptible to substance abuse from very young age of 10-12

(v) Padmaben Hedau (Anganwadis), Ms. Shikha (Insurance, SEWA Bank), SEWA, 13^th March '10

Observation: Padmaben was quite uncomfortable with my topic, willing to tell me anything apart from what I was trying to know. I did not even mention my topic to Shikhaben, only getting general information about urban poor - their income group and occupations.

Salient information:

In terms of profession, SEWA identifies sectors as Street Vendors (toys, jewellery, food items, etc.), Home based workers (Beedi rollers, Papad/achaar makers, Domestic workers), Service providers (Drivers/ Truck drivers, salesmen), Producers (Into production/manufacturing with own infrastrucure). These are only occupations identified under SEWA insurance. Apart from this there are several daily wage workers, labourers, ragpickers etc.

(vi) Mrs. Mayaben Tripathi, Childline Centre, Ahmedabad, Monday 15^th March 10

Mrs. Mayaben Tripathi has been a member of ASAG and is working with children for more than 25 years. She is a grassroots worker and a counselor with Childline Ahmedabad. I hoped her to at least acknowledge my topic, but I was again disappointed, as she brushed away those three words “Child” “Sexual” “Abuse”, flatly declaring that no calls related to this problem have been received. She was however also reluctant to share (at least to share with a stranger) accounts of her experiences related to this issue through her career.

I also happened to meet a runaway child Rohit, 11 years of age picked up from the railway station. Rohit stepped out of his home swearing never to come back, one evening, when his father beat him mercilessly and demanded him to leave the house - the reason - Rohit came home late in the evening from a game of cricket. Rohit's family lives in Nagpur and hasn't seen Rohit for the past one year. Rohit has been working in Indore in a hotel for the past 7 months. His money stolen, and some reason I did not get from him, he left Indore on a train and was found on the platform at Kalupur railway station Ahmedabad.

Observation :

Mayaben and her colleague tactfully handle Rohit, allowing him to settle in the place, a new version of his story every hour, they are just too seasoned. Expert Mayaben will now take the required steps to trace Rohit's family and contact with Childline centre from Rohit's hometown Nagpur. There parents would be 'counseled' to treat the child with care and sensitivity. Salute to Childline for their monumental efforts for these little children.

Mayaben is however also hardened by her experiences and tends to treat every child as a case applying her years of experience to receive truth from him/her. But there is little hope in her to 'reform' these children from street life to family life.

(vii) Ms. Vidya – Tulir CPHCSA, Chennai 16^th March 10

Tulir-CPHCSA (Centre for Prevention and Healing of Child Sexual Abuse), Chennai is a pioneering and proactive NGO, having a great body of work, research and resource development. Ms. Vidya, from Tulir, provided some pointers and tips, over a telephonic conversation most important of which was teaching children about 'touches'. Semantically, she said, always differentiate touches as "safe" and "unsafe" rather than "good" and ''bad". This approach focuses children on what they 'feel' emotionally, rather than leaving them to judge confusing moral standards of conduct. A truly innovative endeavour from Tulir is an audio-visual called "Tickles and Hugs" which through stories and rhymes educates children about protecting themselves from situations of abuse.

(viii) Dr. Sheetalkumar J. Shah , Ramapir No Tekro, 16^th March 10

Salient Information: High incidence of Gutkha and Smoking at age of 12-13 years

(ix) Dr. Maitreya Parikh, Psychiatrist, Child Adolescent Psychiatry, Wednesday 17^th March 10

Salient information: Emotional pattern of child following sexual abuse - short and long term effects

Scenario among urban child population in India

Difference in long term effects among male and female victims.

(x) Childrens observation home, Khanpur, Ahmedabad, Thursday 18^th March 10

Observations: A street child habituated to street life had been brought to the centre, his hometown however being Rajkot. The boy is calmly listening to the two volunteers arguing over whether he be transferred to Rajkot centre, or should his parents be called here. He has grown up in different child care centres in West Bengal and Delhi. He is non attached to family and home. The boy is an intent listener and keen observer. His body language is composed and confident. Though he doesn't say a word, one can make out he is sharply following the discussion.

Smt. Manishaben R. Patel, Chairman, Child Welfare Committee, Ahmedabad, Gujarat

I happened to be part of an adoption taking place at the same time

Salient information: Cases of incest from age as young as 5 years, come into open after girl matures and understands

Sexual abuse among employed children, Domestic workers - both girls and boys

Reporting mostly in lower income groups, though incidents in middle and high income groups are suppressed

Adoption process and follow-up

(x) Dr. Niyati Lakhani, Paediatric Surgeon, Ahmedabad, Thursday 18^th March 10

Salient Information:

Medical issues in case of rape of pre-pubertal child - Tear of anal wall - Treatment Colostomy - mark of this surgery on the abdomen can cause issues in marriage eligibility of a girl in later life.

Doctors perform their job in the hospital, but reports are modified for e.g. vaginal injury by fall on sharp object, as victim's testimony is either suppressed or it is too scared too speak.

Higher vulnerability of Mentally Retarded/ Developmentally Challenged children.

(xi) Dr. Amit Gupta, Paediatrician, Friday 19^th March '10

Insights: Media can play a strong role in deterrance of CSA

(xii) Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, Saturday 20^th March '10

Sister Mangalaben, Gynecology ward:

Several incidences of under-5 rape victims, 2-3 cases per month

Medical report is prepared for police indicating nature & degree of abuse.

Victims mostly children of labourers, slum dwelling families.

Existing social awareness posters at the hospital

(xiii) Shahibaug Police Station, Ahmedabad, 20^th March '10

Salient insight: "Main batata hoon, original balaatkar ka offense kaisa hota hai..."

- The P.I. of Shahibaug Police Station Mr. J.N. Panchal, seems to (or pretends to) imply that children of pre-pubertal age cannot be raped (talk of 'medical' 'reports'!).

Salient Information: High incidence of adolescent sexual experimentation, leading to Juveniles in Conflict with Crime (JCL).

No cases of male child rape reported.

Involvement of Medico Legal Issues, Medical Jurisprudence, FSR (Forensic Science Report)

Complete process to handle a Juvenile Sexual Crime case

(xiv) Arpan, Mumbai, 22^nd March 2010

(xv) Dr. Haneef Lakdawala, Sanchetana, 24^th March 10

(xvi) Dr. Malini Desai, Head of Gynecology, Civil Hospital Ahmedabad, 25^th March, 10

(xvii) Gender Resource Centre, Ahmedabad, 25^th March 10