CHENNAI: ‘1098’ child helpline has provided over 25,739 interventions in 2018-19, a release from Community Health Education Society (CHES), which is a collaborator with Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, said. Of these calls, 12,116 interventions were provided against various kinds of abuse, the release said.
This means that on average, at least 70 children needed intervention each day and almost half of them needed protection from abuse. In Chennai alone, 1,068 interventions against abuse were provided.
Speaking to Express, P Manorama, founder-director of CHES, said various stakeholders including teachers, parents, relatives and acquaintances call the helpline when a child is in distress. “The reasons could include children feeling unsafe at home or school, missing children, love affairs, child tantrums, abuse of children or trauma of any kind,” she said.
The helpline works 24 hours and on all days of the year. Currently there are 980 childline units and 790 partners across the country.