Out of the broom closet

MUSHAHID M KHAN | Issue Dated: May 27, 2012, New Delhi
Tags : Amir's show Satyamev Jayate | paedophilia |

Aamir Khan's programme on paedophilia has brought out a closely held secret in the open, writes Mushahid M Khan

Paedophilia, the psychiatric disorder characterised by sexual interest in prepubescent children, has haunted minors for ages. Until recently it was supposed to be a malaise that affected western countries. No longer. Despite weak denials and weaker cover ups, revelations in the last couple of years prove that paedophilia is part and parcel of Indian society.

A recent television episode of Satyamev Jayate anchored by movie star Aamir Khan has been helpful in initiating a discussion on the subject, but the question, as ever is, will it go beyond discussions?

While it is too early to predict the trajectory that this issue may take, exactly a year ago in May, 2010, TSI reporter Abhishek Kumar had conducted a sting operation exposing a huge nexus of middlemen who supplied minors for such sexual appetites. The TSI operation was conducted in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) and Mumbai.

Another TSI reporter posed as an Australian NRI to get to the bottom of the story. The expose found that paedophilia was rampant in these cities.

In Noida, middlemen introduced the TSI under cover reporters to several such children. Most of them, astoundingly, told the reporters that they were going to study or to dance classes! Another shocker: some of them came from rich families. One of them who claimed to be 14 years old but looked younger, told us that his father was a senior officer in the Indian Railways. His apparent reason for getting involved in the practice was an over powering desire to buy a motorbike.

In Mumbai, the TSI team met a pimp who introduced them to boys and girls who were as young as eight years. A woman told the reporters that she could easily arrange for minor girls and would also try for boys.

The next day, she turned up with two boys. One of them even offered to 'arrange' for minor boys. The same evening, he came back with some children, including one who was not even eight years old. The middlemen told the team not to take the under age children to hotels or guest houses and instead advised that they be taken to a friend's place. He even offered to be present during the sexual act. The TSI team were told that the children were “first-timers” -which is why they cost more.

The magazine's investigation showed that paedophile clients existed in Singapore, Pakistan, Dubai, Australia and Canada. In the next meeting with the middleman, there were two children who told TSI that the pimp had trained them.

The magazine's investigators got in touch with more than ten such pimps, all ofwhom agreed to meet their demands.

Just how deep this malaise went could be gauged from the fact that in Faridabad and Mumbai, the team was offered girls as young as 15 years. The middlemen frankly admitted that foreigners booked these children even before arriving in India, the money changing hands electronically.

Immediately after the sting operation, the CBI took up the case. The investigation was handed over to the Mumbai branch without much follow up.

The issue again made headlines when Aamir Khan discussed it quite candidly in the course of his television show, which is beginning to catch popular imagination. Viewers were transfixed by two victims narrating their horrifying tales. The show not just earned great TRP, but also some relevant feedback from parents.

Some celebrities shared their fears via the social media. Said British actress Sofia Hayat, "Watching Aamir Khan..I am going to cry so much..I was sexually abused by my uncle when I was 10, so I know it all." Tweeted actress and TV host Mandira Bedi: "Another brave and necessary subject: child sexual abuse. As a new parent myself, horrified and aghast to learn these ugly truths.”

According to actor Ashwin Mushran, "Its good that sexual abuse concerning boys is also being addressed on Satyamev Jayate. Possibly ignored too much."

A statement issued by Aamir Khan said he had received a lot of offers for reality and game shows. "But I was not interested. I have always believed that TV is a very powerful medium and should be used effectively. I wanted to do something that would excite me. We have been researching these subjects for the last two years," he said. And it would have to be said not a day too soon.

'No concerted effort to track paedophilia'

Excerpts from an interview with Bhuwan Ribhu, national secretary, Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA)

What is the realistic picture of paedophiles in India?

Hardly anything is known on paedophilia in India, the cases being far and few in between. The cases of Warner Wulf Ingo, convicted in 2007 and Duncan Grant and Allan Walters (also referred to in Satyamev Jayate) are some of the prominent ones. These cases came into light because of their Western and philanthropic connections. There are hardly any cases involving Indians who sexually abuse boys, that ever come out in the open. In cases of sexual abuse of girls, it is often treated as isolated cases of rape. Data from the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) suggests, India has a huge "missing children" problem. Moreover, there is hardly any concerted effort at the national level to understand the nature and gravity of the problem. In countries like the US, whenever a child disappears, the first concern is protection and recovery and investigations always have an angle of sexual assault/ abuse in them. Agencies like the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children and special departments within the FBI are highly skilled, trained and specialised to investigate such cases. However, no such agency or effort exists in India. Also, the lack of a victim-friendly environment and social taboos are all issues that take the focus away from lack of concrete data.

Is the government taking effective steps to put an end to this practice?

The government seems to be making sincere efforts since the last year or so. The newly proposed Sexual Offences Against Children Bill is very comprehensive and if passed as law will protect children from all kinds of sexual abuse. However, more effort is required in first getting the law enacted and then enforced. Some of the other things required are time bound trials of offenders, protection of witnesses/ victims, and comprehensive statutory mechanisms to socially and psychologically rehabilitate the victims.

What do you think needs to be done?

More education to children at an early age on 'improper advances', 'good touch and bad touch', encouraging them to come forward at the school and family level and protecting them as victims and strong legal action against offenders
are required.

Can comebacks work in Bollywood?

Horses for courses

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