CSR: Arpan launches India’s First Ever Large-Scale Public Awareness Campaign #ProtectedByPOCSO Targeting Child Sexual Offenders

Arpan, India’s leading NGO dedicated to preventing Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) and helping children heal, in creative collaboration with Schbang, has launched #ProtectedByPOCSO, a large-scale public awareness campaign aimed directly at child sexual offenders. With 50% of children in India experiencing sexual abuse (MWCD 2007) and 182 cases reported daily (NCRB 2022), CSA remains a critical issue. Timed with Child Safety Week (November 14th–21st), this groundbreaking public awareness campaign delivers a powerful and urgent message to the offenders: Child Sexual Abuse is a punishable offence—“Stop it now, or get caught.”

Through collaborations with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), and Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), the campaign’s messages are prominently displayed across Mumbai and Thane’s public transport systems. Child safety messages are showcased on billboards, Mumbai Metro trains (Lines 2A and 7), TMC and BEST buses, and installations outside schools. The campaign also extends to PVR theatres in multiple Mumbai locations and OTT platforms, reaching a wide audience.

Arpan’s goal for the campaign #ProtectedByPOCSO is to increase public awareness and drive social conversations around CSA prevention. The POCSO Act serves as a central pillar of this campaign, underscoring that India’s children are safeguarded under this act. Arpan urges every citizen to take a stand in protecting children by speaking out against CSA and sending out a stern message to the offenders that the entire community is watching them, and if they don’t stop abusing children, they will be caught and jailed.

 

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“It’s time we address the root of the problem and deter Child Sexual Offenders from sexually abusing children,” said Pooja Taparia, Founder and CEO of Arpan. “We want every offender to know that they won’t get away. They are being watched and once their family, friends and colleagues find out they will also isolate them. Our children are also protected by the POCSO Act, and offenders need to stop right now or they will be caught and jailed and face severe consequences.”

Joining the campaign, Bollywood actress Vidya Balan shared, “As Arpan’s Goodwill Ambassador, I am proud to support its mission and the #ProtectedByPOCSO campaign because the time is now to speak up for child safety. Children deserve to grow up in a world free from the fear of sexual abuse. Too often, offenders take advantage of children’s innocence, manipulating and harming them under the guise of trust. This campaign is here to ensure that these heinous actions will not go unnoticed or unpunished. All children in India are protected under POCSO, and through this campaign, we are making it known that anyone who harms a child will face severe legal and social consequences. Let’s make this message loud and clear!”

Speaking on the campaign, Varsha Rohani, Associate Vice President – Brand Solutions, Schbang expressed, “Historically, Child Sexual Abuse campaigns have addressed bystanders, urging them to take action. However, with this campaign, we wanted to go a step further and directly confront the problem—by looking abusers in the eye and making them understand the consequences of their actions. The brainstorming sessions for this campaign were overwhelming, and constantly challenged us to learn and unlearn our conditioning and biases. The film, along with the many touchpoints for dissemination, cuts across different audience segments. It appeals to everyone because an abuser doesn’t have a single archetype—they are everywhere and can harm any child. From metros to BEST buses, outside over 100 schools, on billboards, OTT platforms, and through in-theatre releases, we’ve strategically positioned the campaign to reach as many people as possible.”

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