Campaign tours Dubai malls to confront child abuse apathy

A Dubai-based organisation has taken to the malls, seeking to raise awareness about child abuse and how to protect from it.

Alia Belgaizi, left, a volunteer with the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, talks to Priya Srinivas, with her daughter Stuthi, as part of the abuse awareness campaign at the Dubai Mall on WedneShow more

DUBAI // Priya Srinivas doesn't just talk to her young daughters about paedophiles and sex offenders, she has enrolled them in martial arts classes so they can protect themselves if the need arises.

An Indian who has lived in Dubai for the past 15 years, she said the emirate has changed beyond recognition with the influx of people and new neighbourhoods prompting her to ensure that her daughters, five and eight years old, have training in self-defence.

Mrs Srinivas had stopped yesterday at a stall set up in Dubai Mall by the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, which was conducting a public-education campaign to coincide with the international Child Abuse Awareness Month.

The Dubai-based organisation is urging parents to seek information on preventing abuse against children. Its annual campaign, Protect Childhood, raises awareness by reaching out to families through educational stalls in four shopping malls in the emirates.

"We want people to come to us or call us to know more about child protection," said Fatma Hassan Essa, the media and communication awareness manager at the foundation.

"We are here to tell people how to protect children. People are still shy to talk about the subject. These kind of awareness activities are not common in our community."

Ms Essa said the Emirati community, especially young mothers, had enthusiastically sought information earlier this month on the topic at the Arabian Centre and Mirdif City Centre - the two shopping malls where the campaign began.

"But," she said, "we want to see more people approach us."

The campaign is being rolled out with the help of volunteers and staff, who distribute information handouts and comic books at their stalls.

The "Protect Childhood" campaign began on April 1 at the Arabian Centre, then moved to Mirdif City Centre. It is currently at Dubai Mall, and is scheduled to end at Deira City Centre on April 30.

Ms Essa said it was important for parents to teach their children how to take care of themselves.

"We have to tell them it's their body and teach them how to respond if a stranger or someone touches them improperly," she said.

Tim Craven, a British tourist, said at the organisation's booth in the mall yesterday that he spoke to his children about child abuse.

"I am well-informed about the dangers and can talk to them on this," he said. "Through education at home, we can safeguard them from abuse on the internet, too. It is very important to raise awareness on the subject among the community."

The foundation's officials said a number of parents and teachers had picked up their child-friendly booklets from their stalls to distribute among friends and in schools.

However, Emirati volunteers manning the foundation's stall at the Dubai Mall said they were disappointed that not many UAE nationals seemed interested in learning more about child abuse.

"Most people who have come up and spoken to us are western nationals," said Alia Belgaizi, a second-year student at Zayed University's college of education. "They [nationals] don't seem very keen on it. I would really like to talk to them and raise awareness on this."

The foundation said it is expecting both nationals and expatriates to participate in its painting workshop at the Dubai Mall this weekend.

Volunteers have also been answering questions on child abuse. Issues that require counselling or more attention are directed to the centre's toll-free helpline, 800 111.