A new study published in The Lancet (May 2025) reveals that nearly one in three Indian women and more than one in seven Indian men have experienced ‘child sexual abuse’ (CSA). India, alongside countries such as Costa Rica, Chile and the Solomon Islands, records some of the highest prevalence rates among women, reinforcing that the issue transcends geography, culture and economic status. The study acknowledges that the findings probably underestimate the true pervasiveness of CSA.
These figures echo findings from the ministry for women & child development’s 2007 study, which reported that over 53 per cent of Indian children had faced sexual abuse – with over 97 per cent of the offenders known to the victim. However, CSA is not confined to borders – it is a global epidemic. The statistics are not only alarming; they point to a systemic crisis that requires coordinated, long-term interventions across sectors.
Mumbai-based Arpan, one of India’s leading NGOs working to address CSA, has been at the forefront of this critical issue for nearly two decades. Founded in 2007 by Pooja Taparia, Arpan is a globally recognised, award-winning non-profit dedicated to eliminating CSA in the country. With a team of over 150 dedicated professionals, it is India’s largest non-profit organisation, providing CSA prevention and intervention services for both children and adults. As a thought leader in CSA prevention and intervention, the NGO drives policy and systemic change at the local, state and national levels, through advocacy and research.
“Arpan’s comprehensive approach to preventing and addressing CSA is rooted in a multi-pronged strategy that involves children, parents, educators and the wider community,” says Taparia, founder & chief executive, Arpan. “We at Arpan work systematically to create an ecosystem of awareness, prevention and response, focussing on both immediate and long-term solutions. At the heart of this approach is our ‘personal safety education’ (PSE) programme, which is delivered through existing school networks, to ensure structured, age-appropriate learning for children. In fact, the PSE programme is central to Arpan’s mission, equipping children and adolescents with the knowledge and skills to recognise and respond to unsafe situations. The programme focusses on empowering children by building essential life skills and fostering their confidence to safeguard themselves”.
Tailored for children aged 4-18, the programme uses engaging, age-specific content to convey complex safety concepts in an accessible way. For younger children, the lessons are simplified, while older adolescents are introduced to more detailed discussions on relationships and personal safety. PSE fosters a sense of self-assurance, enabling children to assert their boundaries and report any incidents of abuse confidently and without fear or shame. Delivered through schools, communities and institutions, the PSE programme also works with educators, parents and support staff, fostering a holistic ecosystem that prioritises child safety. Since 2007, Arpan has impacted over 18.8 million children and adults and has received eight national and two international awards for its exemplary work.
Awareness campaigns
Additionally, Arpan leverages public awareness campaigns to destigmatise discussions around CSA and encourage collective action. Campaigns like #ProtectedByPOCSO, as a part of Child Safety Week, engage communities through storytelling, social media, and events that bring attention to CSA and its prevention. Advocacy efforts extend to influencing systemic changes in policies and education systems to institutionalise child protection practices. By combining direct education with capacity-building and public awareness, Arpan ensures a holistic approach to combating CSA, fostering a culture where every child feels protected and supported.
“To drive home the message that CSA is off-limits for children, inside and outside schools, we garnered the support of over 160 schools in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Goa and Andhra Pradesh. These schools display school uniforms at their gates with the caption ‘All children in India are #ProtectedByPOCSO’ and an accompanying poster sending out a bold message to offenders, ‘Stop Right Now or Get Caught,” informs Taparia, who has grown Arpan from a three-person start-up into a global thought-leader in the CSA space, with innovative impact models that work with a range of stakeholders.
Arpan’s collaborations with government bodies, NGOs, school chains and other organisations play a crucial role in expanding the reach and sustainability of its initiatives to prevent CSA and support survivors. These partnerships ensure the integration of programmes into systemic frameworks and foster long-term impact.