To ensure that child abuse does not go unreported, the ministry of Women and Child development(WCD) is working on an online dropbox facility, which will enable children to complain about abuse orĀ harassment in everyday situations, all while staying anonymous.
āThis is another step in our fight against abuse and an attempt to increase the Laxman Rekha around children,ā WCD minister Maneka Gandhi toldĀ The Times Of India.
The dropbox will also use an easy-to-understand combination of language, icons and pictures to ensure that even young children areĀ able to file complaints easily.
Picture for representation only: Source:Ā Flickr
The project drew inspiration from āOperation Nirbheekā started by Delhi Police, which enabledĀ school girls to complain againstĀ abuse without revealingĀ their identity. The operation was a success and many of the filed complaints were later converted into FIRs. WCD hopes to shed light on cases of child harassmentĀ in the same way.
According to a 2007 government study, around 69% of surveyed children reported that they had suffered from some form of physical abuse. The study, carried out across 13 states, also showed that one in two Ā children had been subjected to sexual abuse. But around 70% of these cases go unreported because children are afraid of the backlash they may face after complaining.
The e-dropbox will be available on the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) website.