Guarding disabled children against sexual harassment

A group of Saudi women have launched an exhibition to enlighten society on the plight of disabled children with an emphasis on the sexual harassment of children. The exhibition carrying the theme "My Place Is With You" was launched at an amusement village in Riyadh on Wednesday. A leading section in the exhibition, "My body is my own," instructs children on the best ways to counter sexual abuse including informing relatives and contacting the related authorities or help centers,” said Basmah Helmi, one of the organizers of the event and an expert in child psychology. “The section on harassment aims to convey the message to disabled children that there are some parts in their bodies which they should not allow others to play with,” Basmah said. She said the organizers of the exhibition wanted to put an end to the growing phenomenon of harassing children particularly the disabled. “We want to convince children’s relatives that the abuse of a child’s body is a crime. The perverted practice should not be tolerated because it leads to psychological disorders and behavioral aberrations in a victim,” she said. Arab news