PANJIM: With at least five child sexual abuse cases reported at private coaching institutes this year, the Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (GSCPCR) has directed the State government to formulate a Child Protection Policy to ensure safety, security and healthy environment for all round development of the children.
In a letter to the Chief Secretary, Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Peter Borges has also directed to identify all the clubs and private coaching institutes offering any sports related training in the State and bring them under regulatory body at the earliest. An action taken report has to be submitted within four weeks.
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The directions come at the backdrop of an arrest of a self-defence trainer for sexually assaulting a 15-year old boy. More cases have also come to light involving the accused.
The Commission has observed that at least five cases of child sexual abuse have been reported in 2022 in private coaching institutes offering various sports related activities, none of which are registered under a regulatory body.
“Several of the said training institutes are found to be housed in private homes of the coaches and the reported abuse so far has occurred in the homes of the coaches. There are no set minimum standards with regard to the quality of training, qualification of the trainer, maintenance of records, as well as the fees charged by the said institutes,” the Commission said in its letter.
Under the new POCSO rules, any institution housing children or coming in regular contact with children, including schools, crèches, sports academies or any other facility for children must ensure a police verification and background check on periodic basis of every staff.
GSCPCR lamented over the “too little” attention given to the child safeguarding and protection in sports. “The most common reactions being that it does not happen, is someone else’s responsibility or is an isolated incident,” it said.
The Commission has recommended formulation of a child protection policy, with guidelines enlisting all aspects which might affect directly or indirectly regarding safety, security and healthy environment for all round development of children with prime focus on training in sports, ways to determine and check screening and selection procedures as coaches are the first line of defence in determining who is permitted to interact with children.
“Safeguarding children has both a preventive and reactive component; ensuring effective policies, practices and procedures are in place to limit harm occurring, as well as having measures in place to report, investigate and deal with suspicions and incidents,” it said.
