Tulir - Centre for the Prevention and Healing of Child Sexual Abuse (CPHCSA) is an NGO working on

child sexual abuse Child sexual abuse (CSA), also called child molestation, is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in sexual activities with a child (whet ...

awareness and rehabilitation, based in

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of ...

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

. In

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia ** Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nati ...

, the word ''Tulir'' means the first tender leaves of a plant symbolising children and "the belief in the resilience and resurgence of the human spirit." The NGO is run by Vidya Reddy.

Background

According to a 2007 study conducted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, one out of every two children (53.22%) is sexually abused, however, in a conservative society where sex itself is a taboo, sexual abuse of children goes unnoticed and underreported. Tulir along with

Save The Children The Save the Children Fund, commonly known as Save the Children, is an international non-governmental organization established in the United Kingdom in 1919 to improve the lives of children through better education, health care, and economic ...

conducted a study in 2005 which surveyed 2211 school children in Chennai from across backgrounds. The study found out that 48 percent of boys and 39 percent of girls they interviewed had been sexually abused and the accused were known to them.

Activities

Tulir raises awareness on

in India, provides direct intervention services in the areas of prevention and healing, undertakes research, documentation and dissemination of information on child sexual abuse and works towards improving policy and advancing practice to prevent and address cases of child sexual abuse with a special focus on psychosocial well being of the children. It also participated in local, national and international efforts to promote and protect the rights of children. Tulir holds workshops for schools to address child sexual abuse holistically. One such workshop was held from November 28–30, 2016 called "Safe Schools: Supporting schools address child sexual abuse, holistically" and covered topics such as prevention of child sexual abuse; evolving a child protection policy; an introduction to personal safety education—concepts and practice; addressing sexual misbehaviors in children and youth and POCSO, educators and schools. They also offer trainings and consultancy services to teachers, social workers, doctors, parents, lawyers and police personnel.

Awards and honours

In 2006, Tulir was honored with an international award by the Women's World Summit Foundation on the occasion of the World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse (19 November) in Geneva.

References

External links

{{Non-governmental organizations in India Child-related organisations in India Child sexual abuse in India Year of establishment missing