Kerala Women’s Commission Chairperson P. Satheedevi has said that lack of sufficient communication seemed to be affecting family relationships, especially between parents and children.

Parents are not able to understand issues faced by children and vice versa, she told the media after an adalat organised by the Commission here on Wednesday.

The increase in mobile phone use by parents and children is one of the key reasons for poor communication within families. Family members should work hard to build up a healthy atmosphere at home. Such shortcomings were seen in incidents involving children reported in Walayar and Pathanamthitta, she said.

Ms. Satheedevi stressed the need to impart sex education to children to help them gain a better understanding of biological changes. Teachers have a vital role to play in it, she said.

She took exception to comments by women against a woman actor who filed a complaint against a person for making sexual remarks against her. The actor took a bold position as she even commented that her name must be divulged, despite rules that prevent disclosure of the identity of survivors, she said.

Ms. Satheedevi said there was an increase in complaints lodged before the Commission by women in Ernakulam. There was also a spike in mental and physical harassment of women at workplaces, she added.