VASCO: Stressing on the need to focus on child safety in Mormugao, municipal council Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes on Tuesday claimed that girls are more vulnerable to trafficking in Mormugao taluka.
The chief officer made the remark while addressing a one-day awareness meeting on child sexual abuse organised by ARZ (Anyay Rahit Zindagi) Foundation in collaboration with Mormugao Municipal Council at Janata Vachnalaya Hall in Vasco.
The programme was conducted in two batches consisting of the staff, councillors and the workers of Mormugao Municipality.
The awareness programme was conducted to provide knowledge and skills to the municipal staff as they have a regular interface with public and some of the staff such as garbage collectors, garden staff, tax collectors etc regularly visit different locations in Mormugao municipality which is unsafe for children.
The participants were explained what is child sexual abuse and the laws related to combating the same; the method adopted by an abuser to abuse a child; impact of sexual abuse on the victim. The Chief Officer distributed certificates to the participants at the end of the programme.
“Let us work together for safety of children in Vasco. The municipality has taken initiative under Swatch Bharat Abiyan which also means cleaning in all aspects. Mormugao is one of the major destinations where people from all walks of life are visiting and hence it is more vulnerable for girl trafficking. There are lots of areas which require attention and intervention of the government and ARZ can be roped in,” Fernandes said.
“A child can be abused by his own family member which goes unreported. Even school teachers can be involved to report such cases. Failure of reporting child abuse cases gives courage to the abuser,” he said.
On the occasion the members of ARZ informed that their survey in slum areas of Mormugao revealed that many children living there feel unsafe at certain areas in their neighbourhood. They therefore stressed on the need to make such unsafe places safe for children.
