VASCO: Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho on Thursday said that he would direct the State authorities to take the most stringent action, when it comes to cases of child abuse.
“Ultimately, a child is the future of society and the country, and we cannot allow child abuse of any sort, at any cost. We have seen the rise of cases of pedophilia in Goa and in India, in general, and we have to ensure the safety for our children in this changed world,” said Godinho, after flagging off a rally of students from various schools, organised by NGO El Shaddai at Vasco. “We have to educate children about the good and bad touch from a young age and prepare them to extricate themselves from dangerous situations,” he added. Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar demanded stricter laws to prevent child abuse incidents.
“Children need to be made aware of the dangers, and this education needs to start from home, continue in schools and through such programmes by NGOs working in the sector,” said Salkar. Santosh Kurian from El Shaddai said that the mission of the organisation was to give a good life to children, especially those from economically poor families. “We also work with orphans, slum dwellers and rag pickers, to keep them safe from predators,” he said.
