Earlier on Wednesday, the Rajya Sabha passed the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso act) Bill, 2019 and while speaking during a discussion on the same bill, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien shared that he was sexually abused as a teenager. Yes, during that time, he urged people to talk about such experiences and other members, besides Union Minister Smriti Irani, praised his courage to share the same.
All of you, 58-year-old Derek O'Brien supported the proposed amendments to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO Amendment) Bill to include the death penalty for sexual assault on children, he said in the Rajya Sabha. "It's very clear where the harassment starts from home," he added, adding that "people need to talk about it and start talking about it in public life in particular." The more people in public life speak about abuse, the easier it will be for children to speak out," he said.
Speaking further, he said, "Sir, this is what I want to say with great pride and sorrow, I want to share - my family knows and I think India needs to know - I was sexually assaulted at the age of 13. After practicing tennis, I went on a bus full of crowded short pants and T-shirts in Kolkata, where I was sexually assaulted. A man ejaculated on this boy's shorts. I didn't speak about it. After years of silence, he told his parents about it. We need to use this platform to reach people. The more we talk about it, the more children will be saved," he said.
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