When children disclose abuse, families in rural Andhra Pradesh, India, often respond with silence

There are widespread confusion about disclosure pathways and available support mechanisms

Originally published on Global Voices

India has enacted strong child protection laws over the past decade, including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, which criminalises sexual abuse of children and mandates child-friendly reporting and judicial procedures.

Yet across many parts of the country, particularly in rural and semi-rural areas, families continue to struggle with how to respond when children disclose abuse. Legal provisions exist, but the moment of disclosure often unfolds inside households shaped by social hierarchy, economic dependence, and community scrutiny.

This article draws on community-level reporting conducted between July 2023 and November 2024 in Andhra Pradesh, a state in southeastern India, across multiple mandals — local administrative units comparable to counties — including Prathipadu, Yeleswaram, Gandepalli, Kirlampudi, Sankhavaram, and Jaggampeta, primarily in and around Kakinada district, a coastal administrative district in the southeastern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

The reporting was carried out during child protection awareness sessions facilitated by SafeTalks, a community-based child protection initiative, along with follow-up conversations with children, adolescents, teachers, mothers, caregivers, and adult survivors. These were informal interactions rather than structured interviews, shaped by local language, cultural norms, and the sensitivity around the topic.

Awareness reaches children, but adults remain unprepared

In recent years, awareness about child sexual abuse has expanded in schools and community programs across India. Children are increasingly taught about “good touch” and “bad touch,” personal boundaries, and the importance of speaking up.

However, the reporting found that adult caregivers are rarely included in equal depth. While children may learn how to recognize abuse, families often receive little guidance on how to respond if a disclosure occurs.

Research reflects this gap. A 2024 study conducted in urban slums of Kakinada district found that although some adolescents could identify abusive acts, none of the participants were aware of the POCSO Act, and most did not know where or how to seek help after abuse.

The study also highlighted widespread confusion about disclosure pathways and available support mechanisms, a pattern echoed repeatedly during the field reporting.

When disclosure becomes a family survival decision

In many of the communities observed, families are organized around caste and kinship networks. The Caste system refers to long-standing social groupings in India that influence social authority, marriage practices, and everyday interactions. Within these systems, families often depend on elders, extended relatives, and community leaders for social legitimacy and economic stability.

In such settings, disclosure of abuse was rarely treated as a private interaction between a child and a trusted adult. Instead, it frequently became a family crisis, requiring decisions that weighed social standing, financial dependence, marriage prospects, and community reputation.

Caregivers described how abuse — particularly when the alleged perpetrator was a known individual — triggered fear of social exposure. In communities where families are closely interconnected, even seeking advice could risk becoming public knowledge.

In the study, several caregivers reported not knowing where to report, who to approach, or what consequences would follow if formal systems were engaged. This uncertainty often resulted in delayed responses, internal handling of disclosures, or silence.

The long shadow of adult silence

India has established multiple child protection reporting avenues, including CHILDLINE 1098, a 24-hour toll-free emergency helpline, and the e-Box, an online reporting platform managed by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

Yet awareness of these mechanisms was inconsistent among caregivers interviewed during this reporting process. Some had heard of helplines but were unsure whether they were confidential, whether reporting would involve police action, or whether their child would be exposed to stigma or retaliation.

The reporting also included conversations with adult survivors who reflected on how family responses shaped their long-term well-being.

One woman in her mid-twenties, who asked to remain anonymous, shared that she disclosed abuse during childhood but felt her family struggled to respond protectively. While she is now financially independent and engaged in therapy, she described how unresolved silence continued to affect her sense of safety and relationships.

“I wish my mother had responded differently and trusted me fully when I spoke,” she said.

Her account echoed a broader pattern: families did not necessarily dismiss disclosures out of indifference, but often lacked the tools, confidence, or social permission to respond in ways that centered the child.

Beyond awareness: addressing the adult context of protection

The experiences documented across these mandals suggest that child protection cannot rely solely on educating children. Disclosure occurs within families, and families operate within social systems that shape what responses feel possible.
Without accessible guidance for caregivers — on how to respond, where to seek confidential support, and how to prioritise a child’s safety without triggering social harm — awareness risks stopping at recognition rather than leading to protection.

The study from Andhra Pradesh highlights a critical but often overlooked reality: what happens after a child speaks is determined not only by law but also by the social worlds that families must navigate once silence is broken.