Raising awareness through films

With the increasing incidents of sexual violence and child abuse, many organisations are finding platforms to raise voice against the growing sexual abuse. After the recent release of public announcements through short clips focusing on 'Stop Demand-End Sex Trafficking', the Film Club and Programme for Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence (PPPSV) have also joined the bandwagon to curb sexual violence against women and child abuse.

The Film Club, Hyderabad, screened two films, ‘Kaasav’ and ‘Sparsh’, under the supervision of filmmaker, actor Dr Mohan Agashe, member of the advisory board of PPPSV.

The film ‘Kaasav’, directed by film maker duo Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukthankar and produced by Dr. Agashe, focuses on depression and suicide and ‘Sparsh’, highlighted the stark social reality of child sexual abuse and brought to fore the importance of preventing it by taking right measures.

The National Film Award winning film ‘Kaasav’ not only features the need of consulting a professional psychologist but also about the care every individual should provide to the people suffering from depression, and improve their mental fitness to save their lives. The other film, ‘Sparsh’, deals with the issue of child sexual abuse and brought to fore the importance of preventing it by taking the right measures.

The key objective of PPPSV is to introduce innovative strategies of primary prevention, to stop the act from actually occurring, thus safeguarding women and children from sexual violence and its after-effects. A number of film connoisseurs, writers, members of civil society and the government institutions attended the event.