Call 1098 and save a child. The Childline helpline launched in 1996 in Mumbai, the first toll-free tele-helpline for children in distress, has served more than 21 million children across nation.
Childline activities are gaining momentum in Kerala as well.
While child rights activists observe Interna-tional Child Helpline Day on May 17, most activists and volunteers are happy that the interventions resulted in the exposure of many hidden cases, and helped save countless children from distressful situations including sexual abuse, beggary, child labour, and lack of shelter and medical assistance.
Childline state-level coordinator Manoj Joseph told DC that, unlike in the past, parents and children are aware of the help at hand.
“The recent spurt in sexual abuse cases and effective intervention of Childline volunteers made the toll-free number popular even in rural schools.
During the last one year, up to the end of March, Kerala zone received as many as 11,779 calls,” he said. In Kozhikode, 131 cases of sexual abuse were reported this year as per Childline.
In November alone, the Childline unit in Malappuram handled 59 cases of sexual abuse. In both districts, majority of the victims were boys, said Muhammed Salli and Subeesh Theyyambady, district coordinators.
Of the over-1,000 children rescued and shifted to the various stay homes across the state, around 300 children are victims of sexual abuse, according to Childline date.
Of the 1307 child abuse cases reported to the Childline centres up to March 2012, about 700 deal with sexual abuse.
During the period, 770 children were provided with shelter. Sponsorships were given to 454 students for studies and treatment, while emotional support and guidance were given to 8,365 children.
The organisation also attended to 168 cases of missing children; extended medical support to 249 and restored as many as 245 children to their families.