The trauma of child abuse can rip young people's lives apart and leave them permanently scarred.
We are often too embarrassed to talk to them about sex. Fortunately, there are experts who can come to schools to teach young children how to combat this menace. Some of Hong Kong's leading television idols are helping to get the message across.
The End Child Sexual Abuse Foundation (ECSAF) is using a cargo container as a mobile classroom to promote the issue. More than 70 primary schools have joined the queue, with the project scheduled to run until March.
The mobile classroom can hold up to 40 Primary Two students. Children are entertained by specially designed puppets, to raise their awareness of sexual abuse. They can also meet their television idols. Four honorary ambassadors - Alex Fong Lik-sun, Gigi Leung Wing-kei, Rain Lee Choi-wan and Victor Chen Sze-hon - have been invited to teach children how to say 'no' to abusers.
To create a relaxed learner-friendly environment, most of the activities are interactive. Story-telling, cartoons, singing and even dancing are used to ensure an enjoyable lesson. A simple theme song by Leung, and a trendy para para dance by Lee, are taught to show children how to cover sensitive body parts and resist potential abusers.
'I hope the mobile classroom can make it to all local primary schools within two years,' says ECSAF chairperson Siao fong-fong, who believes the courage to speak out is the key to a successful campaign against child abuse.
