Child Sexual Abuse

Sexual Abuse – Some Thoughts

Last month Don Bosco-Childline came across a number of cases related to child sexual abuse. Children were abused either by close relatives or by neighbors. Child sexual abuse or child molestation is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. The global prevalence of child sexual abuse has been estimated at 19.7% for females and 7.9% for males, according to a study published in Clinical Psychology Review.

Child sexual abuse laws in India have been enacted as part of the nation's child protection policies. The Parliament of India passed the 'Protection of Children against Sexual Offences act, 2012' in order to control child sexual abuse on November 14, 2012. The rules formulated by the government in accordance with the law have also been notified. Though India has enacted laws to prevent child sexual abuse, reported cases are going up. Why do people sexually use or abuse children? We cannot have a simple answer to this question. We can make some thoughtful reflections on this sensitive issue. Sexual abusers broadly can be classified under the following categories.

·        Children or teenagers who are sexually curious or experimenting

·        Who has an ongoing sex drive directed towards children

·        Who has an anti-social personality disorder

·        Who is addicted to alcohol and other substances

·        Who has medical or mental problem

Why the increasing abuse of innocent children?

Some reasons from our experience of dealing with many such cases:

Ø Easy availability of sexually explicit materials from young age and exposure to the same

Ø Movies which have sexual overtones and watching the same from young age without proper guidance of adults

Ø Children like physical closeness  and often this arouses adult sexual feelings

Ø Alcoholism and substance abuse

Ø Lack of systems to identify and provide early interventions to children who have disorders and they grow into persons with perversions.

Ø Step parents who often do not are unable to see the child as own children.

Ø Lack of private space in poor homes.

Ø Influence of other cultures which causes degradation of traditional values and inability of older generation to catch up.

It is important to concentrate on the present generation of children and provide them wholesome education with all round formation and make urgent changes in the educational system for the same and adopt new laws provide controlled and age appropriate access to information. This will result in a healthier future generation.