A short film by a CMS partner is opening people’s eyes to the problem of child sexual abuse in India. Entitled Ashu: Break the Silence, it tells the story of a boy who is victimised by a relative.
According to a recent report, which carried out a survey amongst schoolchildren across India, out of 2,211 respondents, 42 per cent said they’d faced at least one incident of sexual abuse, yet the subject matter is relatively taboo in India. The abuse of boys in particular is something that is not talked about.
Since its premiere on 30 July, Ashu has been making people confront the issue, with media coverage in both The Indian Express and The Asian Age.Ashu is produced by Inter-Mission Cares and Rehabilitation Society (IMCARES), an Indian mission and a CMS regional partner.
Suman and Reena are two CMS co-mission partners working with IMCARES. Suman helps raise HIV/AIDS awareness and Reena works in day care centres for vulnerable children.Both are also involved in ministry to girls involved with the commercial sex trade in Mumbai’s red light district. India has been identified as a key hub for sex trafficking.
