Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – Around 6.6 percent boys and 15.3 percent girls of the country experience different forms of sexual harassment by their friends, relatives, teachers, and familiar persons, a study said.

Although the incidents of harassment including rape and different penetrative and non-penetrative acts seldom come to light, the academic progresses of the abused children are badly harmed as the acts impact the victim’s psychology, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology Department of Dhaka University Farah Deeba said.

Presenting the keynote paper at a discussion, Deeba also said the frequency of occurrence of such acts is higher in rural areas than that in urban areas. She suggested ensuring safe and sound environment for the children in their schools and houses.

The discussion titled “Sexual abuse in school children’s life” was jointly organised by the Department of Clinical Psychology and National Trauma Counseling Centre at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban of the university on Tuesday.

Deeba prepared the keynote with the findings of a research conducted on 581 children aged 9-17 in Dhaka, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Chittagong, and Sitakunda.

The guardians are not conscious enough to ensure safety of their male children from sexual harassment though they are much more careful about the female ones, The Daily Star, a local newspaper, reported quoting the speakers.

They also said the male children often fall victim to sexual harassment, as their guardians do not take it seriously to protect them against such harassment.

The speakers stressed the need for raising social awareness to stop sexual harassment and ensure safety of both male and female children.

BBN/SSR/AD-17Aug11-12:36 am (BST)