In the heart of India’s bustling cities and quiet rural landscapes, an unspoken crisis continues to unfold. Child sexual abuse (CSA) remains a harsh reality, hidden behind closed doors and shrouded in silence. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India saw an 8.7 percent rise in child abuse cases in 2022, with incidents surging to 162,000. Yet, behind every statistic is a child whose life has been altered, whose innocence has been stolen, and whose trauma often remains unnoticed.
For Anupriya Das Singh, Senior Manager at Arpan NGO, the numbers are more than just data—they represent lives that demand protection, voices that deserve to be heard. “Every child deserves a safe environment to grow up in. We work tirelessly to make that a reality by educating, empowering, and healing the lives of children affected by sexual abuse,” she says.
A Wake-Up Call That Sparked a Movement
The roots of Arpan, one of India’s leading organizations working to address CSA, trace back to 2003, when its founder, Pooja Taparia, had a life-altering experience. A play titled “30 Days in September”—a poignant story about the long-lasting trauma of child sexual abuse survivors—left her shaken. “It was a wake-up call,” she recalls. “I understood the deep scars CSA leaves on survivors, and I felt the urge to do something about it.”
Four years later, in 2007, Arpan was born, driven by a singular mission: to prevent child sexual abuse through awareness, education, and intervention.
Breaking the Silence Through Education
Arpan’s approach goes beyond crisis intervention—it focuses on preventing CSA before it happens. At the heart of its efforts is the Personal Safety Education (PSE) programme, a school-based initiative designed to educate children, parents, and teachers on how to recognize, prevent, and report abuse.
“We don’t just teach children how to protect themselves; we ensure their entire support system—parents, teachers, caregivers—are part of the conversation,” explains Anupriya.
Through PSE, children from Classes 1 to 12 learn essential life skills, including how to:
- Recognize unsafe situations
- Say “NO” to inappropriate touch
- Report abuse without fear or shame
- Seek mental health support when needed
The impact has been profound. Over 150,000 children and 115,000 adults have been trained under this programme, making it one of the largest CSA prevention initiatives in India.
Extending the Fight Beyond Schools
Understanding that abuse is not limited to a specific demographic, Arpan collaborates with government initiatives like the School Health and Wellness Programme (SHWP) under Ayushman Bharat, ensuring its impact extends to both urban and rural India.
Through partnerships with schools, community groups, and policymakers, the NGO is actively reshaping the way society addresses CSA—not as a hushed topic, but as an urgent public health and safety issue.
Overcoming the Barriers of Stigma and Silence
Despite Arpan’s success, the battle against CSA is far from easy. The stigma surrounding child sexual abuse remains a formidable challenge. In many families and communities, the topic is considered too sensitive to discuss, leaving children vulnerable and perpetrators unchecked.
“The biggest hurdle is the culture of silence,” says Anupriya. “Many parents and educators avoid these conversations, thinking it won’t happen to their child. But statistics prove otherwise—CSA can happen anywhere, to any child, regardless of background.”
To counteract this, Arpan actively engages in awareness campaigns, educational resources, and open dialogues that challenge societal taboos and empower children and families to speak up.
Healing the Wounds of the Past
For those who have already endured abuse, Arpan provides a holistic healing approach that extends beyond psychological recovery.
“Healing is not just about counseling—it’s about restoring dignity, rebuilding trust, and offering survivors a future where they are not defined by their trauma,” explains Mansi Ashok Naik, a counselor at Arpan.
Arpan’s team of over 150 trained professionals, including psychologists, social workers, and legal experts, ensures survivors receive:
- Trauma-informed therapy to process and heal
- Family and community support to prevent re-traumatization
- Legal assistance for justice and protection
The Path Forward: A Call to Action
Child sexual abuse is not just an individual tragedy—it is a societal crisis that demands collective action.
For Arpan, the fight continues. With each workshop conducted, each child empowered, and each survivor supported, they move closer to a future where no child suffers in silence.
“The more we talk about it, the more we break the chains of stigma,” says Pooja Taparia. “Every child we protect today is a life saved, a future reclaimed.”
India has taken steps forward, but the journey is far from over. It is a fight that requires parents, teachers, policymakers, and citizens to come together and say: No more silence. No more abuse. Every child deserves to be safe.
If you wish to support Arpan NGO in their mission, visit www.arpan.org.in to learn how you can contribute, volunteer, or spread awareness.