Actor Ayushmann Khurrana is furious reading about the recent horrific gangrapes and killings at Hathras and Balrampur.
"Shocked, shattered and devastated. After Hathras, another gangrape and murder at Balrampur! It's barbaric, inhuman and calls for the most severe punishment to the guilty. When will this stop? We are failing every single day to protect the women of our country. We have to do more than just protecting women. We have to raise better sons!" he said.
The actor, who has been roped in by UNICEF India as a celebrity advocate who will work at ending violence against children, has also trained focus on atrocities against children. He says brutality against minors is unacceptable but preventable.
"As a UNICEF celebrity advocate, my role is to further children's rights, to support UNICEF in advocating for these rights using my voice and my influence. One of the major issues I am supporting is ending violence against children, to advocate that violence against children is unacceptable, and it is preventable," Ayushmann said.
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The actor says he will spotlight on how to put an end to the societal menace.
"Violence against children is pervasive, but how often do we hear about it being reported or discussed? I will be drawing attention to this issue, making violence against children visible. We need more and more people acknowledging that violence happens, taking steps to end violence as well as to report it," he said.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (2018), every hour 5 cases of child sexual abuse are reported in India. The National Family Health Survey - 4 reveals that 1 in 5 adolescent girls experience physical violence since age 15; that 99% of school children are subject to physical and mental abuse by teachers (according to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights 2012).