Let us stand up against child abuse
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Yearning for protection and love. File photo
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Just how big is the issue of child abuse in Sri Lanka? Obviously, a
topic like this will always be in the shadows and one may have even look
at the definition of ‘child abuse’ before giving an answer. But the
figures are startling. According to the Head of the National Child
Protection Authority (NCPA), reports of child abuse and infringements of
child rights in Sri Lanka have tremendously increased in the past few
years. Another recent report said that over 4000 cases are currently
pending in courts for child abuse.
What does this mean? Does it mean that our moral structure is
breaking down?
Let us face the reality. Authorities believe that child abuse may
actually be more prevalent in Sri Lanka than in USA. There are valid
reasons for this assumption. In Sri Lanka the child abuse is carefully
hidden from outsiders by both abusers and victims. The victims are
afraid to speak about their abuse because of the shame it will bring to
them and their families, and therefore the abusers continue to get away
scot-free.
At least in the Western world, victimized children today are more and
more encouraged to speak out, and society is more apt to take their
accusations at face value rather than automatically condemn such
victims. This action is opposed to the situation in our country where
family tradition is more prominent, and the words of children more often
ignored.
For instance, I know of one Sri Lankan woman born over forty years
ago into a very highly-respected family. In our discussions about child
abuse, she told me that she had been a victim of abuse; she had been
sexually molested as a child by a close relation of the family.
This was not something that she casually revealed to me; it was a
terrible secret between her and her abusers which gave her great pain
and torment, even 30 years after the event had ended. She knew she
wouldn’t be believed by her parents or elders if she revealed what
happened. And this woman was not born into a poor family; no, her family
members were university-educated high-society people who became quite
prominent and influential.
When we talk about child abuse, generally we mean physical and sexual
abuse. We forget about emotional abuse, which is the cruelest and most
destructive of all types of abuse. It means, ridiculing and verbally
abusing a child, ignoring a child’s emotional needs or isolating a child
from the family.
Government Action
These abuses generally do not end up at courts but the child grows up
with an inferior complex or destructive tendencies or with mental
disorder. Recent research has found that more children suffer from
emotional abuse than from physical and sexual abuse combined.
What have successive Governments done about the child abuse? Two
decades ago, we ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child and
its optional protocols. 36 percent of Sri Lanka’s population is children
under 18 years of age. 20 percent of the population is of school going
age.
Thanks to the free education policies from the primary to university
levels, we have a literacy rate of 93 percent comparable with developed
countries.
Today, we are already on par with the MDG’s for primary education,
school gender parity and reproductive health services. Yes, we can be
happy of our progress.
The Government has implemented many programs to combat abuse of
children. For example, the Children and Young Persons Ordinance create
offenses and imposes heavy penalties for exploitation of children for
pornography, sexual exploitation, begging and trafficking. The Penal
Code has been amended to provide for enhanced punishments in respect of
offences involving sexual exploitation of children. A strict legal
procedure exists to protect children’s rights upon adoption.
Sri Lanka as a State party to the Hague Convention on Inter-Country
Adoptions has put in place the necessary substantive and procedural
safeguards to prevent any abuse of the process.
Our criminal justice system is geared towards the rehabilitation of
child offenders. The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) was
established a decade ago to serve as the apex body that focus attention
and provide institutional leadership to the efforts on preventing child
abuse, prosecuting offenders, fostering national awareness of children’s
rights and providing advice to the government and in assisting victims
of abuse.
We have also strengthened our laws in child trafficking by electronic
media, in accordance of the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish
Trafficking in Persons.
Mistakes
So, what went wrong? Why is child abuse increasing?
Although, there are lawyers and child rights activists who are ready
to spell, explain, and act against child abuse, they are still not a
critical mass and their views are not strong enough to be able to impact
consciousness of the policymakers, police, lawyers, judges, teachers,
schools, mental, physical and sexual health professionals, and all those
who could take up the issue.
Although the issues of shame, family honour and plain depravity mean
that not enough statistics are available, it also means that every
statistic available speaks not just for itself but for a lot many others
in the shadows. Eventually the children who are invisible will, because
of the abuse and betrayal they have faced, retreat further into the
darkness and possibly out of reach of help.
Apart from the legal dimension, child abuse also has pronouncedly
psychological and emotional elements. Worldwide surveys point out that
such abuse negatively impacts a child’s physical, emotional and mental
well-being, leading to severe behavioral and psychiatric disorders.
Suicidal tendencies and drug abuse are common long-term effects.
Solution
A World Health Organization survey also points out that there is an
unambiguous behavioral and emotional pattern in the abused. Usually the
child hardly talks about the incident. And, even if he or she does, no
one takes it seriously. That in turn triggers feelings of self doubt and
guilt, worsening the child’s feeling that it is his or her fault. As the
child matures, compulsive behavior reinforces this guilt.
So, where does the solution lie? If we first talk about the physical
child abuse, most sociology experts advocate of a total ban on physical
punishment against all forms of punishing children. In fact, the use of
any kind of force against children as a disciplinary measure is illegal
in 24 countries around the world.
Until such time the Government makes a decision, I believe that, NCPA
with the cooperation of law enforcement and other government agencies
should implement firm protocols that commit those agencies to activate
four important functions.
First, to conduct prompt and thorough investigations of child
physical abuse, endangerment and neglect cases, secondly, to reduce
trauma to victimized, thirdly, to cooperate effectively to prosecute and
prevent physical abuse and neglect to the children and finally, to train
the staff on scientific investigation of child physical abuse. These
actions will definitely help.
On the subject of sexual abuse, educating and enlightening children
about such issues, helping them distinguish between “good” and “bad”
touch is a partial answer. Children also ought to be made aware of
impulsive decisions they may make under pressure from peers, bullies and
abusers. Sex education in schools is also productive.
The Netherlands, a country where teenage pregnancy rates plummeted
from 60 per cent to about 25 per cent through aggressive sex information
campaigns in schools, is an example. In our country, I remember how a
nationwide furor resulted after somebody’s suggestion to introduce sex
education in schools.
The subject has divided opinion between camps who felt such a step
would lead to unnecessary experimentation by curious teenagers and
others who believed it would help whittle down cases of sexual abuse by
creating widespread awareness.
We also have to talk about emotional abuse of children. At some time,
most parents or teachers, find themselves feeling frustrated and angry
with children. This is normal. Occasionally they say things they regret
- to the children.
This, too, is normal. But if they find that they are routinely having
angry outbursts or that whenever they are frustrated they lash out at
those around them in abusive ways - then they need professional help.
There is nothing to be ashamed of.
The family Doctor, psychotherapist, or mental health professional
will suggest some ways to begin helping calm down.
Child abuse is attracting so much scrutiny and public debate today.
It is time the government begin to adopt strong and unequivocal measures
to contain these heinous crimes. For a country with over a third of its
populace consisting of children, such measures are long overdue. |