In a shocking case, a 28-year-old tuition teacher and her male friend were arrested by the police in Chennai for allegedly forcing two teenage students to pose in compromising positions for explicit videos. Police suspect the duo could have abused many more children. The issue came to light after a 14-year-old girl filed a complaint with the police.
It says the teacher, S Sanjana, and her friend S Balaji (38) forced the girl to pose with a boy attending tuition classes for explicit videos. The incident happened at Sanjana's house. Balaji, who recorded the video, threatened the students that he would upload it online if they reported the matter.
Though only one girl has come forward with a written complaint, police suspect many others were also abused. Sanjana was taking tuition classes for students of classes 10 and 12. Balaji was her neighbour. He visited Sanjana's house often. "This is an unusual case as the accused have forced children to be intimate with each other," said an officer. "Only detailed investigation will bring out further details."
"This incident is a pointer to how technology is changing the nature of sexual crimes," says Vidya Reddy of Tulir. "Instead of panicking and getting worried about safety of children going for tuition, parents must look at preemptive aspects and enable children with the ability to understand how people can exploit them. It's important to create trust in children, so that they can speak out safely about the abuse."
"Schools should start appointing counsellors, and teachers and parents must be able to observe behavioural changes in children to avoid such incidents from happening," says policy researcher Vanessa Peter.
"Sexual violence can not only involve two people but it could also a group of people coercing and cajoling and deceiving people to do such things for their gratification. We first need to ask whether we provide a non judgmental congenial space for children to be able to talk about anything without being blamed or shamed. This should be the first step we should be working towards," Vidya Reddy said.
Vanessa Peter, policy researcher, Information and Resource Centre for the Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC) says there is a need for protection policies in education institutions and setting up of empowered and independent mechanism to review and monitor child protection processes in educational institutions and other organisations and area where children gather. Also schools, should start appointing counsellors and teachers and parents should be trained to observe behavioural changes in children.
It is quite disturbing that this does not end here. A Panchayat Union Primary School headmaster and a teacher have been booked for showing obscene videos to school students at Athipadi village near Thandrampet in Tiruvannmalai district of Vellore on Wedenesday. The incident came to light after the students reported it to their parents.
