Doctors to counsel parents on child sexual abuse

The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) has started a new initiative to strike a chord with its patients. It has decided to have a campaign every month where they get an opportunity to interact with patients and create awareness on a chosen topic.

To begin with, MARD has started the 'Good touch and Bad touch' campaign for the month of December, where they will be counselling parents whose children are in age the bracket of 3-10. These doctors will also counsel the children on what is good touch and bad touch.

"Considering the fact that the doctor-patient relationships are not great today, at MARD, we have been doing many campaigns over the past few months. Continuing further with the same theme, we have started a "WE CARE" campaign for the next 4 months. Every month, we will take a certain topic which is very relevant to all of us but somehow there seems to be no awareness about it," said Dr Sagar Mundada, MARD president.

He added that since child sexual abuse is a burning issue, they decided to take it as the first campaign topic. "Awareness among children and parents on good touch and bad touch is must in today's time as most of the studies show that more than 85% of the time the accused is known to the child. Child sexual abuse has long-term consequences on the child. It can be disastrous and can even make the child a sexual predator in adulthood," said Dr Mundada.

Describing on how the children will be counselled, Dr Mundada added that posters have been prepared that will help us convey the awareness. "For example, if they have come across bad touch, they should run away, yell, tell parents, grandparents, teacher or a trusted person about their bad experience etc.," explained Dr Mundada.

Appreciating MARD's effort in selecting 'good touch and bad touch' as their campaign topic, psychiatrists said sexual assault on a juvenile is generally not reported because of social stigma attached to it and the child can develop psychological problems and remain depressed when they grow into adults.

"Children should know what they need to do when someone touches them inappropriately. Parents also need to have a frank chat with their children on this topic and also believe in their children and take them seriously," said Dr Fabian Almeida, child psychiatrist.

Tips to parents
Never allow a girl child to sit on anybody lap (even uncles)
Never undress and dress a child in front of an adult after s/he is over 2 years of age
Never ever force a child to go out with an adult with whom s/he is not comfortable with
If your child complains of anything, never ever take it lightly
Activating parental controls on the cable network
Teach 3-year-old children that s/he must wash their private parts and not let any body else touch them there

Tips for kids
Good touch
Parents' hug and kisses
Grandparents' love
Friendly brief kiss on forehead by family members
Pat on the back by teacher saying "good job"
Touch that does not make child nervous..uncomfortable

Bad touch
Kissing on mouth
Touching buttocks
Touch which adult tells to keep secret
Any touch which makes child nervous, hurt, uncomfortable, disgusted
Touching areas covered by swim suits