Help Smita Bharti Raise Funds to Prevent Sexual Violence across India

THE PROBLEM

We are trapped in a loop when we respond to accounts of Rapes and Sexual Violence. There is outrage, protests, polarizations, a surge of media frenzy, a call for reform and resignations, and honest, real, despair from individual citizens. And then? Nothing.

Over 1 billion children have experienced some kind of violence in the past year as per a report by WHO. An older study conducted by MoWCD, states that 1 in 2 children in India is sexually abused. The pandemic continues to see an unprecedented rise in cases of home-bound violence and an undeniable emergence of a Shadow Pandemic.

While we say "Stay Home & Stay Safe", we must recognise that home is not a safe space for many. #MakeHomeASafeSpace centres the uncomfortable truth that more than 90% of the abusers are from within families & trusted circles, and 50% of these cases go unreported due to the denial, shame & stigma that silences families. It, therefore, becomes critical that the solution begins from within the family unit.

THE SOLUTION

The Rakshin Project proposes to skill-build an army of Young Adults, a 'Rakshin' in each family, who is equipped with the skills to recognise, identify, address, de-escalate, report and resolve instances of gender-based violence and child sexual abuse within their own family and community. With access to 4 Million 18-22-year-olds in 40,000 colleges, Pan-India through the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India, this systemic intervention aims at dismantling the root causes of violence: patriarchal mindsets and systemic misogyny, through workshops and sustained skill-building aimed at creating a social tipping point in the country.

The Rakshin Project Includes 3 Pillars:

1. Activation Workshop: An awareness session on Rights & Responsibilities for Gender Equality. The Workshop covers 5 Critical Messages : Equality, Consent, The Law, Barriers & Creating Safe Spaces
2. Resolution Mechanisms: If any of the students have been subjected personally, they will be offered free-of-cost tools to resolve the deep-seated trauma through Creative Expressions, Therapy and Legal Counselling.
3. Fellowship Programme: A 5 Level, 18 Module & 12 Certificate Fellowship Programme will ensure Sustained Capacity Building for 2 Years. The Rakshin will be skill-built to become the message carrier and further educate their peers and community. This will also prepare the students for a work culture with a focus on Gender Equality, Diversity And Inclusion.

 THE IMPACT

1. A Generation of Equals empowered with Gender Equality Education & Rights-based Language
2. A Generation that is Mentally Healthy and Sexually Responsible.
3. A Secure Environment that Prevents Sexual Violence.
4. A Work Culture with a focus on Gender Equality, Diversity & Inclusion.