The Unending Violence

A call came from medical college hospital, Trivandrum to our child helpline number (1098) saying that a boy Vinu (given name) was admitted and was suffering serious burns and they suspected the same as a case of deliberate punishment to the child. Our Team rushed to the spot and found that both the hands and the chest of the child were seriously burnt. We spoke to his mother. She fearfully revealed that one of their relatives, Mr. Titus had burnt the child after pouring kerosene on him.  It was because he was accused of stealing a purse from neighbor’s house. Vinu refused that he had taken the purse though there were instances of previous stealing by the child. But Mr. Titus came to the boy’s house and threatened him many times. One day, he came and tied both hands of Vinu with a cloth, poured Kerosene and set fire. The child presently has stumps as hand and has severe burns on his chest and throat and requires many operations and long treatments to live even a semi-normal life.

The incident had taken place three months before and they had not reported the same because Titus had threatened them not to reveal it to anyone saying that if they did so he would repeat the same to other children too. So they kept it as secret. Initial treatment was done saying that Vinu was injured from a lamp. With our intervention Vinu has received help from the Social Justice Department for treatment. We initiatiated criminal proceedings against the culprit and he has been apprehended. Though the child’s spirit is indomitable, he may never be able to lead a normal life.

Stealing is a common problem among children. There are a number of different reasons a child steals and a number of different ways to handle the problem. Young children do not steal. Children below the age of four or five do not have a concept of ownership. They do not understand that it is wrong to take things that belong to others. By the time a child enters elementary school, he should know that stealing is wrong.  Often children at this age take things because they lack self-control. A preteen or teen may steal for the thrill of it or because that is what friends are doing. He may be trying to gain a feeling of control over his life or to fill an emotional void. Whatever the reason a child is stealing, the parents need to approach the problem with wisdom. It is important to observe the child’s behavior and correct them early so that the child can grow knowing the value of truthfulness.

It is often difficult to correct the behavior once the child is already into it and has become a habit. It is important to monitor who children makes friends with and timely intervention to direct them to good friends is necessary. So we can say that it is often irresponsible parenting that result in children stealing.

Corrective measures need to be child friendly and in keeping with the gravity of the offence. Often emotion takes over and the child has to bear the brunt of the anger of the guardian all through life. It is impossible to comprehend the amount of suffering a child has to undergo at the hands of cruel and insensitive guardians. Here again the cruelty of a person has crippled the future of a child.  

Kid in Kennel

Kid in Kennel Row – The Impact

On 29^th September, 2014, a call came to our helpline number and the informer passed a message that a six year old boy was locked up in kennel in a private English medium school at Kudappanakunnu.  The informer said that the headmistress of Jawahar English Medium School had punished a UKG student by putting him inside the Kennel for hours because he had spoken to the student sitting near to him. Having visited the school and spoken to the students and the family of the child, we found that it was a fact – though unbelievable!  Though the school was closed down after enquiry by the DPI and the district administration; due to political gimmicks, it has been opened later on. The issue was widely publicized and debated upon by the media. Having spoken to some children, some past pupils and parents we found that there have been a past history violent behavior from the teachers of the school towards the students. Statements of the same were submitted by us to the District Police Chief and the Child Rights Commission.

Whatever be the conclusions and findings made by the enquiry agencies, our involvement in this case has had lasting impacts:

1.     The Government authorities have opened their eyes to the fact that there are over 1000 schools across the state having insufficient facilities and with no proper Government recognition.  Steps have been taken to streamline such schools and standardize them.

2.     The vast coverage about the issue in the media highlighted CHILDLINE and there has been great increase in the awareness about child rights and the existence of CHILDLINE for the help of children in distress. Increased number of issues being reported to CHILDLINE vouches for this.

3.     There is increased acceptance of CHILDLINE services and the public believe in our ability to sort out child rights issues and create a child friendly society.

Child and Law

Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) pronounces that a child should grow up under parent’s custody with his own indigenous cultural background as far as possible. If the parents are incapable of protecting their children then the child can be given in foster care, a system in which a minor has been placed into a state-certified caregiver referred to as a "foster parent"; or give it for adoption where a person can take a child into one’s family through legal means and raise as one’s own child. There are also systems to sustain the child in the family by providing additional support like sponsorship and scholarship. The spirit guiding all the laws for children is such that institutionalization is the last resort for a child. A child in a child care institution can never get the individual care given by a parent to a child.

We have faced issues where institutionalization becomes the first resort. Sometimes separating parents from their children is of utmost importance. Prominent among them are cases of child sexual abuse, children of mentally ill parents and cases of physical abuse and neglect. In such cases immediate intervention and institutionalization becomes a necessity as temporary foster care is almost impossible in Kerala due disinterested parents. The fact remains that there are umpteen number of families looking for adoption and ‘permanent’ foster care.

Last week we got a call to our helpline number 1098 and the informer said that a lady and a girl were begging in the city. Our staff rushed to the spot and found a girl with a mentally ill lady begging in the street. Since she was very violent in nature our staff found it difficult to bring them to CHILDLINE office. We brought them in with the help of police. After enquiry we realised that the child was a boy and being with the mother would indeed make the child also mentally ill gradually. Having networked with different departments and the judicial Magistrate we have admitted the mother to a hospital for treatment and the child has been in some way rescued from its mother!

In every such case then priority should be given to the protection of the child rather than keeping the aesthetics of law. The convention intends a child's protection and when the scenario is dangerous for the child and its sustainable development, suitable interventions are needed.  

Child with Mother

Child after Rescue