Puducherry: As many as 35 children faced sexual harassment in Puducherry in the past 18 months, Child Rights officials said here on Monday.While talking to media persons, Child Rights and Protection Board chairperson Devipriya and Managing Director of Pondicherry Multi Purpose Social Service Society (PMSSS) Joseph Armaiselvam said that the PMSSS is running a child line scheme to protect the children and its toll free number 1098 received 2852 calls from March 2017 to September 2018.
Of this, 35 calls were of sexual harassment which was handled and FIR filed. As many as 8 child marriages were prevented and 107 children rescued from atrocities against them, they added.
The child line created awareness to 13110 school children and public last year about child rights and protection. Food,Dress,Shelter and Education are the basic rights of children and the child line is striving to ensure these, they said adding that child shelters here were examined and reports sent to the National Child Rights protection Board.(UNI)