Stop It!

Why can’t We Stop it?

Seven year old girl child Adithi was denied food and beaten to death by her father and step mother at Calicut.  The case was charge sheeted three days ago. Five Year old Shafeek from Kattappana, Kerala is at death bed due to continued torture by his father Shereef and step mother Aleesha for more than a year. At Palakkad, a 14 year old girl has been repeatedly abused by her step mother’s relative and her own father. The news of the same has been received today. Two days ago our CHILDLINE has intervened and rescued a nine year old child from Nedumangad who has been sexually abused by her step father. In Alakode (Kannur district), the case of a girl who had been sexually abused for the past six years by her parents and 5 others has come to light three days ago.  She was forced into prostitution for money. In Trivandrum a girl’s hand was fractured because of violence from father after drinking, yesterday.

As per statistics from the State Crime Bureau, this year till March there have been 159 incidents of rape against children, 10 cases of murder, 33 cases of kidnapping and abduction. Other cases against children are 270. Till March this year, about 480 cases of crime against children have been recorded in the State of Kerala.

WHY SO?  WHY THE MADNESS AGAINST INNOCENT CHILDREN?

This is the question asked by people everywhere. From our experience of dealing with cases of children, we have the following observations to make.

1.     Increasing number of family Breakups: Kerala is named the divorce capital of Asia with highest number of divorces. The ultimate sufferer of a divorce is always the child. The child has to bear up with the mental tensions created by the quarreling of parents, will have to adjust to step parents who will often show discrimination towards children not their own.

2.     Working Parents:  In vast number of families both parents are working to support the family and children often move from tuition – school – tuition routine without possibility for interaction with the parents. The parents think that providing provisions and satisfying the material needs of children are sufficient. There is ever increasing mental tension among children due to the fact that they are unable to feel the love and care of parents. Such children’s mental health suffer and they become future misfit parents of the society.

3.     Deteriorating Mental Health of the Society: Studying the cases of last four months intervened by CHILDLINE, we find that one of the biggest problems faced by children in families is due to deteriorating mental health of parents or siblings. In our State, there are very good hospitals and treatments for all physical illnesses but the all important mental health issues of people are often not treated and the repercussion of the same is much more long lasting and damaging than that of physical sicknesses. Only those with personality disorders and psychological illnesses can unleash such mindless violence towards innocent children.

4.     Uncontrolled onslaught of and access to media: There is a generation gap between parents and children especially in the case of usage of technological devices such as mobile, T.V and other media accessories (a digital divide). This leads to unwanted usage of the same without the knowledge of parents especially among the lower middle class and the poorer sections of society. There is bombardment of false information and sexually explicit content. Access to sexually explicit contents among children is much more than in the previous generation. From childhood onward children are exposed to violence and sex in movies, video games etc. Children become unable to distinguish between real world and the virtual world. When they grow up this turns into abnormalities. Previous generation’s abused kids are sure to turn into abusers in the present time. The present children need to be guided well to form sane future parents.

5.     Alcoholism and Drug Abuse: Kerala society consumes highest amount liquor every year. Drunkards and Drug addicts cannot behave normally. Domestic violence and victimization of children take place due to increased alcoholism prevalent in the present Kerala Society. Children of alcoholic parents follow the example and there are cases of use of alcohol even among upper primary school children.

6.     Laxity in implementation of Laws: India has laws to provide care and protection for children. Many of these laws are based on international standards and the latest law to stop sexual violence against children is also good. Our Problem is the proper implementation of the same, the lack of awareness of the laws among enforcement and implementing agencies and the fact that the systems provided in the laws have not been set up.  Because of this the accused often go unpunished and victim does not get immediate justice and justice delayed is justice denied.

How to overcome this malady? Await some practical suggestions in the next article!