Child Abuse
What Constitutes Abuse?As per the definition given by World Health Organization (W.H.O.), “child abuse” includes all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power. Child abuse is categorized under four main forms – physical, sexual, emotional and neglect and is a global phenomenon. Child Protection is a term that describes policies, standards, systems, programmes, guidelines and procedures that seek to protect children from harm which can be physical, emotional, psychological, or sexual or any form of neglect. Harm can be caused by primary or secondary caretakers, aid workers and others who come into contact with children in their line of work.
Child abuse is one of the most heinous and inhuman crimes against humanity. It means to maltreat a child physically or emotionally. Thus, any commission or omission of an act by a parent which leads to a harm or possibility of harm to the child can be categorized as child abuse. Not only the parents but also those who happen to be in the next circle of a child can be a cause of this ill treatment. Ironically, a majority of child abuse cases occur in the home, school or the neighborhood next door. Child abuse can be differentiated into four major categories, namely, physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and sexual abuse. Child abuse traumatizes a child in various ways. From not providing required environment for a healthy growth, inflicting physical torture, mental trauma to sexually maltreating a child in any possible way, child abuse has many dirty unveiled facets. It may also include not providing required food, shelter, clothing, education and an environment that is necessary for an overall development of a child’s personality.
Physical
abuse, as quoted earlier, has a wide range. Choking, burning, hitting
and striking all comprise physical abuse. Further, any kind of sexual
association in any form between a child and an adult again results into
sexual abuse. Emotionally depraving a child, hurting his self esteem or
inflicting any other kind of mental trauma is a physiological abuse
against the child.
If
the parents or parent of a child is given to the habit of drug
addiction then again child abuse can be directly attributed to the
habit. Since, in such a condition the parent fails to understand the
seriousness in bringing up a child and might also not follow the law of
the land. Cultural norms, though, are a bit difficult to explain, yet,
form a major cause of child abuse. Many follow the tradition that they
have grown up seeing and if they were subjected to child abuse as a
child then the possibility is high for them to repeat the same without
any guilt.
The
unitary or joint family system that prevails in India hides underneath
itself a very hideous facet of sexual abuses specially, against the
girls. Unfortunately, reports reveal that as many as three fourth of
Indian women from middle class and upper middle class are subjected to
sexual abuse and a shocking majority out of them is that of a girl
child.
The
offense of child abuse is highly grave in nature and leaves the child
in a state of mental turmoil and physical torture. The parliament of
India has been long awaited to make the law against child abuse even
stricter, since the present law and order has many loopholes and thus
the criminal gets discharged at a minimal punishment.
Child Maltreatment Continues Despite All Efforts
Child abuse is more than broken
bones and bruises. While physical abuse might be the most apparent sign,
emotional abuse or child neglect leave deeper and lasting scars on a child’s
mind.
Despite several policy initiatives for child
protection, there appears to be no decline in child maltreatment. The
prevalence of maltreatment-related injuries and violent deaths remained stable
in most of these countries after the mid-nineties.
Child Pornography
Laws in India
Child pornography is publishing and transmitting obscene material of
children in electronic form. In recent years child pornography has increased
due to the easy access of the internet, & easily available videos on the
internet. Child pornography is the most heinous crime which occurs and has led
to various other crimes such as sex tourism, sexual abuse of the child
etc.
Child pornography is a crime in India. Information Technology Act, 2000
& Indian Penal Code, 1860 provides protection from child pornography. Child
is the person who is below the age of 18 years. According to the new (amended) Information
Technology Bill Section 67 has been amended ------- that the not only creating
& transmitting obscene material in electronic form but also to browse such
sites is an offence.
INDIAN LAW REGULATING CHILD PORN:
In our opinion to control child pornography in India we should completely ban
porn sites. This stringent action can solve the problem to a larger extent.
This would give us time to think and plan some new ways to eradicate child
pornography from India.
Spare the rod, save the child
IT'S is usually believed that
teachers cannot be killer. It’s a fact long we haven’t questioned yet. They are
expected to be the architect of students’ fortune. Yet, it’s arguable that
there is an overall increase in the frequency of cases teachers turning
aggressive against own students.
There is a necessity to overhaul
India's system of education, esp. the primary and middle schools to this
terrorisation of school students. The government must ensure that teachers
should appoint according to basic criteria and they should be given a proper
skills and training before they assume their responsibility. Each school should
be filled with sufficient number of teachers both male and female as per the
requirement of the school and they should be sent for regular and ongoing
training. The school should have a student counsellor and it’s a must that
schools should be provided with basic facilities. It’s disgusting that some of
our primary schools are worst than the cowshed. Unless and until these basic
requirements are met, students will remain victimized.
Every Child Is Special - stop child abuse
There are few things in life which are meant to be in a certain way,
doesn't matter how hard you try to change them you just can't. Yes it's true we
always have a choice in all situations. And the best we choose makes our
life worth living. However there are few things that never change. When we are
in the deepest of shit all we try to do is we try to evade from it, without
giving a thought to the consequences that may follow. Happiness is a thing that
we have to look after. We have to make it happen. When we are born we are
unaware of the complications that we will face later on in life. And when it
starts falling upon us we either become strong or we lose the grip.
Every child in this world is a gift, but hardly are they given the respect that they deserve. Child abuse is a very serious issue going around the world at present time. And the worst part is most of the cases are not reported. Running away is not the only choice we are left with when disasters happen in our life. I can’t deny the fact that most of the child abusers are the part of family or the person who is close to that child, on whom we can trust. How anyone can be so brutal? Abusing a child, what worse could anyone think of?
According to UNICEF, violence against children can be "physical and mental abuse and injury, neglect or negligent treatment, exploitation and sexual abuse. Violence may take place in homes, schools, orphanages, residential care facilities, on the streets, in the workplace, in prisons and in places of detention." Such violence can affect the normal development of a child impairing their mental, physical and social being. In extreme cases abuse of a child can result in death.
Every child in this world is a gift, but hardly are they given the respect that they deserve. Child abuse is a very serious issue going around the world at present time. And the worst part is most of the cases are not reported. Running away is not the only choice we are left with when disasters happen in our life. I can’t deny the fact that most of the child abusers are the part of family or the person who is close to that child, on whom we can trust. How anyone can be so brutal? Abusing a child, what worse could anyone think of?
According to UNICEF, violence against children can be "physical and mental abuse and injury, neglect or negligent treatment, exploitation and sexual abuse. Violence may take place in homes, schools, orphanages, residential care facilities, on the streets, in the workplace, in prisons and in places of detention." Such violence can affect the normal development of a child impairing their mental, physical and social being. In extreme cases abuse of a child can result in death.
Anything bad goes in the country
all we do is sit and blame the government for it. We don’t try to do anything
against it. It’s we, who are the creator of all such issues. Instead of blaming
the government for each and everything if we look inside ourselves then we may
come to know how corrupted are we people. Government is a system of which we
are the major part. Every people can contribute to make our country free from
all such issues only if we try to correct ourselves.
And I feel ashamed when I reveal
this report which says that in a
government commissioned survey it has been found that more than 53% of children
in India are subjected to sexual abuse, but most don't report the assaults to
anyone. The survey covered different forms of child abuse — “physical,
sexual and emotional” — as well as female child neglect, found that two out
of every three children have been physically abused. The survey was carried out
across 13 states over the country and with a sample size of 12,447, revealed
that 53.22% of children reported having faced one or more forms of sexual
abuse, with Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and Delhi reporting the highest
percentage of such incidents. In 50% of child abuse cases, the abusers were
known to the child or were in a position of trust and responsibility and most
children did not report the matter to anyone. Of all the children physically
abused in families, in 88.6% of the cases, it was the parents who were the
perpetrators. More than 50% had been sexually abused in ways that ranged from
severe — “such as rape or fondling” — to milder forms of molestation
that included forcible kissing. The study examined two forms of
emotional abuse: humiliation and comparison. Half the children reported facing
emotional abuse with 83% of that abuse begin conducted by parents. Girl child
neglect was assessed girls comparing themselves to their brothers on factors
like attention, food, recreation time, household work, taking care of siblings,
etc. 70.57% of girls reported having been neglected by family members. 48.4% of
girls wished they were boys. 27.33% of girls reported getting less food then
their brothers.
Wake up from the deepest of your slumbers. Think before
you act. Your every act may affect several other lives. Every child is special;
make them feel how special they are. A little amount of care, a little amount
of love may change several lives.
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