Tamil Nadu   

`Visually-impaired women vulnerable to sexual exploitation'

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, APRIL 11. A one-day workshop for visually-impaired college students on sexuality, sexually-transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS was organised at the Teachers' Training College here. The workshop was organised by the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society (TANSACS) and Nethrajothi, a non-governmental organisation working on AIDS prevention among the visually-impaired.

``The blind are cut off from visual media and therefore lack access to a large part of HIV/AIDS awareness material,'' said C. Ramachandran, secretary, Nethrajothi.

Visually-impaired individuals tend to have late marriages. Some stay away from home and live in hostels where they have to take care of themselves. Visually-impaired women were particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation. It was, therefore, important that they be educated about the body and how to relate to members of the opposite sex, he said. ``We are trying to promote sexual responsibility,'' said Mr. Ramachandran.

``Most people feel shy about asking for condoms over the counter or going to a doctor with their sexual problems. The blind are even more shy,'' he said. ``And recognising sexual diseases becomes a problem when the symptoms are purely visual.''

The curriculum for the workshop was based on a detailed compilation titled `Vazhkai Kalvi' brought out by the TANSACS in association with the National AIDS Control Organisation, the UNICEF and the UNESCO.

For the workshop, the organisers compressed the 18-hour curriculum to four hours; covering physiological and psychological changes at adolescence, HIV/AIDS, and social issues related to sexually-transmitted diseases.

K. Palanichamy, Deputy Director, TANSACS, inaugurated the workshop and distributed Braille handbooks on the topic.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

• `My vote is for BJP front'
• Unplanned development ails DMK bastion
• Entry of my son at appropriate time: Ramadoss
• Take lecturer back without apology letter, tribunal tells Govt.
• Postponement of medical entrance exam causes chaos at centres
• `BJP did not cooperate on Women's Bill'
• Jayalalithaa must apologise, says Karunanidhi
• `PMK will meet the challenge politically'
• `Sonia should have asked Krishna to release water'
• Vasanthakumar to contest as Independent
• Rival Congress factions clash in Tirunelveli
• Organise programmes to attract youth, sabhas told
• AIADMK to support Roja
• Decision will not affect DPA fortunes: DMK
• Adityan to contest from Tirunelveli
• `Visually-impaired women vulnerable to sexual exploitation'
• `Engineering education needs quality assessment system'
• Briefly

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu