Open Communication : Let it start at home and with kids

Sounds like a project management funda. Huh?? May be some other time.

Watched the second episode of SatyamevaJayathe. The show was discussing about child sexual abuse. I am not trying to rate the show or Amir Khan as an anchor. I don't wish to comment on the genuinity of the testimonials either. As most of us know, there is big surrealism attached to TV shows, irrespective of reality or non-reality shows. So I give them the discount of marketing attempts to keep the shows running.

As a common Indian man, the show made me think about the some real issues and the purposeful ignorance of our society. We normally shy away and are not comfortable discussing certain topics in public. But the fact is that many people take it as an advantage and they are big invisible threats to our society. Crimes gets acceptance while talking about it is treated as vulgar. We are comfortable closing our eyes and say that it is dark. But preserve your mental numbness, when you open your eyes to find something so bad and so close.

I appreciate Amir for the selection of topics (so far) and the brave attempt to discuss it openly and in a raw format. We have come across some Child sexual cases in the past through the media. But would have dismissed it as one off-incident of a psychopath, even while sympathizing with the victim. This show was a realization that it can very well happen within the shades of our own comfort zone. The culprit can be one of our own trusted ones. This is happening across all sections of the society irrespective of cast, creed or social status.

The testimonials shown in the show may not be convincing for many of us. One of my friends termed it as "croc tears shed by paid actors". I would still say that is ok. Forget the tears, forget Amir Khan, and forget SatyamevaJayathe as a show. But don’t shy away from discussing these type of social nuisance in the very "raw format" as it happens to anybody. Let us learn to accept that it can happen to anybody. Be Alert. Make sure that it does not happen under your roof, if not in the society.

For those who don't trust in the testimonials, let me quote one of my friends.

"We need to keep talking about this to let everybody know that these are not strange things happening in moon or stars but on this very beautiful earth and next door or sometimes even at your house without your knowledge. I was a victim and I was not able to even tell it to my parents. Jai ho to our hypocratic ***** society. My parents did not give me the comfort zone of talking to them freely on this topic"

It is his words that triggered my blog. Read the above statement once again.  It is unfortunate and cruel. As parents, brothers, sisters, friends even as enemies, you should not let this happen to a kid, unless you are one among them. The best way is to develop an environment for Open and Honest communication. Please don't shy away. Awareness is the best way to prevent this. Trust your kids, empower them to raise voice against exploitations and injustice.  Let your behavior assure them that their voice will be heard.

Let me close with another important point mentioned in the show. Teach your kids to respect behavior not age.