Arpan Leads Child Safety Awareness with #ProtectedByPOCSO at 20th Edition of Tata Mumbai Marathon

Industry Watch | January 30, 2025 | News

Tata Mumbai Marathon 2025 Arpan ProtectedByPOCSO

Tata Mumbai Marathon 2025 marked its 20th year as the city’s marquee sporting and charity event. Arpan, India’s largest NGO addressing Child Sexual Abuse (CSA), chose this special occasion to continue to amplify the message of child safety through its bold #ProtectedByPOCSO campaign.

The campaign, launched during Child Safety Week (14th-20th November 2024), carried a powerful and direct message to offenders: “Child Sexual Abuse is a punishable offense. All children in India are #ProtectedByPOCSO. Stop Right Now or Get Caught.” At TMM, Arpan spread this message further by participating in the vibrant Dream Run and an impactful stage presentation.

During the Dream Run, Arpan’s participants carried banners and shouted slogans like “Bacho ki suraksha hum sabki zimmedari” and “All children in India are #ProtectedByPOCSO”, energizing the crowd with their calls for collective responsibility toward child safety. On stage, team members, dressed as a lawyer and a policeman, educated attendees on the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses, 2012) and the gravity of CSA as a crime. Runners pledged their support for the cause by signing boards and exchanging high-fives with Arpan’s team, creating an atmosphere of solidarity and commitment.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Arpan (@arpan_csa)

At Arpan, preventing Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) and healing those affected by it are at the core of its work. A 2007 study by the Ministry of Women and Child Development cites around 50% of children in India experience some form of sexual abuse, and NCRB data from 2022 shows 187 cases are reported daily, with offenders being known to the child in 97% of cases. Despite these alarming facts, societal silence persists due to lack of awareness, cultural norms emphasising obedience, and denial that abuse could occur within family and / or familiar circles.

Arpan’s annual Child Safety Week campaign focusses on creating awareness about Child Sexual Abuse and cultural change. Earlier campaigns focused primarily on children themselves and parents, teachers and other adult stakeholders. However, with 42% of crimes against children being sexual offenses (NCRB 2022), we recognised the need for a mass media campaign directly targeting offenders. This led to the conceptualisation of the #ProtectedByPOCSO campaign, India’s first large scale campaign by a non-profit to address offenders directly.

Aiming to deter offenders by emphasizing the severe legal and social consequences of CSA under the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses, 2012), the campaign leveraged a diverse range of collaborations for maximum reach. Messages were prominently displayed across Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) metro trains, Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) buses, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses, and billboards in Vile Parle and Bandra. The campaign also reached the Western Line’s local trains and auto-rickshaws across Mumbai. These collaborations enabled us to create awareness in public spaces, with specific focus on public transport. The campaign also leveraged prominent celebrities and influencers, such as Vidya Balan, Kalki Koechlin, Tisca Chopra, Shweta Kawaatra, Manav Gohil, and others. Vidya Balan, Arpan’s Goodwill Ambassador, kicked off the campaign in November, reinforcing the importance of child safety. Vidya’s role as a long-standing advocate for Arpan added credibility and gravitas to the campaign’s message. Additionally, Kalki Koechlin, a CSA survivor herself, lent her voice to the cause, bringing authenticity and strength to the initiative.

TMM 2025 provided an excellent platform to continue Arpan’s year-long #ProtectedByPOCSO campaign.  At TMM, numerous advocates, judges, and police officers, apart from other citizens of society including children and adults, pledged their support, underscoring the collective commitment to combatting CSA.

As Pooja Taparia, Founder and CEO of Arpan, said, “Our goal is to deter offenders and educate the public about the protections afforded under the POCSO Act. This campaign reflects our commitment to creating a society that values and ensures child safety at every level.”

For more information on the campaign and details about the POCSO Act, visit www.arpan.org.in or follow #ProtectedByPOCSO on social media. Together, let’s create a safer environment for India’s children.

The campaign carried a powerful and direct message to offenders: “Child Sexual Abuse is a punishable offense. All children in India are #ProtectedByPOCSO. Stop Right Now or Get Caught.”

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