Tech Desk: Mumbai’s Missing Link Trust (MLT) has launched ‘Khuli Baat’, an innovative AI WhatsApp chatbot designed to significantly enhance child safety awareness across the city. This groundbreaking tool aims to empower parents, teachers, and caregivers with crucial information and support regarding child sexual abuse prevention, online risks, and the vital concept of consent. It represents a proactive and accessible step in safeguarding children by making essential resources readily available on a familiar platform.

Developed in collaboration with Capgemini India, ‘Khuli Baat’ is poised to integrate seamlessly with MLT’s prevention programs across 100 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) schools, directly impacting the safety education of approximately 10,000 adolescents. The chatbot, accessible by simply messaging “Hi” to 6003060040, provides confidential guidance on sensitive topics like boundaries, healthy relationships, online exploitation, and abuse, while also directing users to relevant support services and reporting mechanisms. This ensures a comprehensive approach to child protection.

The initiative arrives at a critical juncture, underscored by alarming statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau’s Crime in India 2024 report. The report documented 69,191 cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, with a distressing revelation that over 96% of these cases involved individuals known to the child. ‘Khuli Baat’ directly confronts this challenge by fostering open conversations and equipping adults with the knowledge and resources necessary to protect the vulnerable, solidifying its role as a crucial resource in the ongoing fight against child abuse in India.