SEXUAL ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION OF BOYS IN SOUTH ASIA A ...

tourism operators, including airline companies, to promote the code. In 2006, awareness
sessions on the code and on sexual exploitation in tourism were provided in Goa for major
Indian travel and tourism operators.
5.4.7 Responses to sexual abuse and exploitation
5.4.7.1 Children’s reporting of abuse
In the last several years, 24-hour helplines for children in distress have been established in
more than 80 cities and towns across India. The Childline system, supported by Childline
India Foundation and Child Helpline International, is intended to be part of the government’s
Integrated Child Protection Scheme. Local organizations across the country collaborate with
Childline, housing the telephone response counsellors in their offices and shelters. Children
report injuries, health problems, legal concerns and physical, psychological and sexual abuse.
Similarly, families who have lost children can seek help in 40 cities across the country
through a missing child website (www.missingchildsearch.net). Reports of missing children
are monitored by child welfare organizations throughout India. The website was launched by
the Don Bosco National Forum for Youth at Risk, in association with UNICEF. The Forum
extends services to hundreds of children who are victims of war, conflict, natural calamities,
sexual exploitation, trafficking and HIV/AIDS. It also provides outreach services, drop-in
centres and safe night shelter for children living on the street. Don Bosco is also a partner in
Childline India Foundation.
5.4.7.2 Safe shelter and crisis response
India has a multitude of shelters for children operated both by NGOs and by government
agencies. The great majority of shelters are for women and girls. The Juvenile Justice Act
provides for the establishment of children’s homes and drop-in centres in every state, to be
operated by state government in collaboration with designated NGOs. However, the majority
of such homes are for girls, and boys are usually placed in government remand institutions.
Few drop-in centres have been established under the Act.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has established a number of schemes to
prevent sexual exploitation and provide rehabilitation services for women and girls removed
from prostitution. These include Swadhar Homes and Short Stay Homes (Character
Improvement Homes); Kishori Shakti Yojana (Adolescent Girls Empowerment Scheme) and
Balika Smiriddhi Yojana (Girls Child Welfare Scheme). They are intended to change family
and community attitudes about girls and promote income-generation. All of these schemes
exclude boys. Ujjawala, a comprehensive scheme for prevention, rescue, rehabilitation and
reintegration of trafficking victims, does not explicitly exclude boys, but is directed primarily
at girls.
State-operated shelters and ‘vocational training centres’ for boys are found in all major cities,
but the quality and scope of care are limited. However, most boys who are vulnerable to
sexual abuse and exploitation, such as children living or working on the street, are reluctant to
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