Child Sexual Abuse in Madurai, India: A Literary Review and Empirical Study

This article attempts to explore the cultural and patriarchal relevance of child sexual abuse in a conservative town in India, with a special interest in understanding the current problems experienced by teenage girls in India. A questionnaire was distributed to 100 respondents who belonged to Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Thiruparangundram, Madurai. The questionnaire was developed with special reference to the female protagonist, Lily in Jaishree Misra's Secrets and Lies. The resulting article also includes an e-interview with Jaishree Misra. The researchers hypothesize that change can be envisioned when the social conscience is awakened to cruel events that happen in the Indian population. Change regarding social events must go even further to allow children to blossom and experience the joys of childhood.