Some of the people who have read my second book titled “Father Figure – my mission to prevent child sexual abuse” have commented to me that they could not believe how much patience and perseverance I had demonstrated in pursuing a positive outcome in this true account story. In response to that I often jokingly say that I have OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and therefore It’s not difficult for me to demonstrate obsessiveness to achieve a certain goal. However, the fact is that I firmly believe that we must do everything we possibly can to protect our children from any kind of abuse whatsoever. And if preventing something demands obsessive efforts, then that’s what we need to put in.
We have learnt how to protect our children from physical illnesses – there are many inoculations and vaccinations that are routinely administered to keep the children safe from severe physical illnesses. However, we, as a society, have not yet figured out how to protect our children from long lasting emotional impacts caused by incidents such as bullying and child sexual abuse. Families and communities (including schools, caregivers, service providers, and our systems) must demonstrate obsessiveness in preventing our children from any kind of abuse. That is the only way we can be certain that a child will grow up with a strong emotional health.