Author: Gobinda Kumar Das
Abstract: In India, this study looks at parents’ experiences with and involvement in gender and sexual assault prevention in a rural primary school context, where these crimes are still common. Within the framework of racialized disparities, socioeconomic exclusion, and gendered power hierarchies, the parents are black female carers who shoulder the weight of gendered impoverishment and are at the forefront of navigating their kids’ safety in school. Three focus groups with fifteen parents whose children were enrolled in the primary school were used for data collecting. The study examined the interdependence of all matter within the assemblage of gender and sexual violence using a new feminist materialist analysis. The results showed that there was a spectrum of violence, including sexual harassment, grooming, and sexualized touching, from hallways to classrooms. The stories shared by the participants made clear the difficulties they had navigating institutional responses. Parents confront deficit-based narratives and demand accountability from educational authorities in spite of these obstacles. The study draws attention to the necessity of fostering cooperative partnerships between parents and schools in order to advocate for gender transition, justice, and care by elevating the voices of black rural women.
Keywords: Gender education, Sex education, Quality education, Primary education.