Tribune India: Hissar: Monday, 30 October 2023.
The recent incident of sexual harassment of girls by the principal of a government school in Jind district has exposed the lack of a mechanism in schools to deal with such complaints.
An RTI application has revealed that the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had received 535 complaints from Haryana between 2020 and July 2023. Of these, 45 were received this year (till July).
20,407 plaints pending
The NGO wrote to the Rohtak Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police on October 19, 2022, regarding the matter. It also reported about the case to the NCPCR via an email.
Rohtak school incident
“Such incidents need to be investigated and followed up by experts as the families and victims find it extremely difficult to handle social pressure and a social stigma is attached to the victim,” he said.
When social activist Subhash followed up the matter with the NCPCR by filing an RTI application, the commission replied that it could not track any such complaint. Rather, the commission asked him to provide a copy of the complaint for further action.
Subhash said the issue of sexual abuse and harassment of children was a sensitive and delicate matter. “Though the government had set up a mechanism by setting up drop boxes for complaints in schools. The NCPCR and SCPCR too need to be alert,” he said.
The recent incident of sexual harassment of girls by the principal of a government school in Jind district has exposed the lack of a mechanism in schools to deal with such complaints.
An RTI application has revealed that the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had received 535 complaints from Haryana between 2020 and July 2023. Of these, 45 were received this year (till July).
20,407 plaints pending
- The NCPCR received 17,842 complaints from 2020 to July 2023
- 20,407 complaints, including those filed prior to 2020, pending with the NCPCR
- Highest number of complaints received from Assam (1,771) followed by Madhya Pradesh (501) and UP (199) this year
The NGO wrote to the Rohtak Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police on October 19, 2022, regarding the matter. It also reported about the case to the NCPCR via an email.
Rohtak school incident
- During a visit to Rohtak school, an NGO found a complaint submitted by three girl students in the complaint box
- The NGO reported the matter to the Rohtak DC, the SP and the NCPCR
- An official of the NGO said the police investigated the matter, but nothing came out of it
“Such incidents need to be investigated and followed up by experts as the families and victims find it extremely difficult to handle social pressure and a social stigma is attached to the victim,” he said.
When social activist Subhash followed up the matter with the NCPCR by filing an RTI application, the commission replied that it could not track any such complaint. Rather, the commission asked him to provide a copy of the complaint for further action.
Subhash said the issue of sexual abuse and harassment of children was a sensitive and delicate matter. “Though the government had set up a mechanism by setting up drop boxes for complaints in schools. The NCPCR and SCPCR too need to be alert,” he said.
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