Checking Child Abuse
Joint Efforts Necessary

By Dr Niranjan Prasad Upadhyay

CHILD abuse is a term that generally refers to mistreatment of a child by a parent or an adult. However there is no standard definition of child abuse. A narrow definition is limited to life-threatening physical violence, including severe beatings, burns and strangulation. A broader definition includes any treatment other than the most favourable care, and includes neglect, sexual or emotional abuse and exploitation. No one knows how many instances of child abuse occur every year because many cases are never reported. Many social scientists once believed that people with severe emotional problem only would abuse children. However, studies indicate that most individuals who abuse children do not suffer from traditional psychiatric illness. Another common view is that abused children grow up to be abusive adults, a development referred to as the cycle of abuse. But research has shown that abused children do not necessarily become abusers as adults.

Generally, abuse represents in diversified forms that is physical, sexual, neglect, emotional and parental. Inappropriate punishment, verbal abuse, and making scapegoat are also forms of emotional or psychological child abuse. Some authorities consider parental actions abusive if they have negative future consequences, e.g., exposure of a child to violence or harmful substances, extending in some views to the passive inhalation of cigarette smoke.

Nepalese psychiatrists, Mahendra K. Nepal and Praksh M. Shrestha have conducted a study on child abuse. They have collected the data from various campuses in Kathmandu. Their research findings led to various conclusions related to child abuse. In Nepal, child victims of sexual abuses are both male and female. Child sexual abuse is prevalent among all the ethnic groups. Most child sexual abuses occur between the age of 11 and 15 years. The perpetrators are especially family members, relatives, neighbours and teachers. Though clinical experience indicates that physical and sexual abuse is common in Nepal, people do not take sexual abuse as a topic for discussion in public. It is suggested to victims, or they are even threatened, to keep their mouths shut.

Child sexual abuse is a serious problem. It is prevalent all over the world and reports of incidents of violence against children are frequently published in the print media. Sexual abuse of children is commonly associated with severe emotional problems. Today, many experts believe child abuse is widespread because society regards physical punishment by parents as a reasonable way of changing children’s behaviour. Thus, adults who hurt children sometimes only intend to correct them and do not realise how easily children can be harmed. Another cause of child abuse is stress. Parents, who are unemployed, very isolated or under great stress for certain reasons are more likely to abuse their children than parents who do not have such problems. Researchers have shown that children who are difficult to care for, such as premature infants and handicapped children, create more stress for parents.

Child Network News, Kathmandu has highlighted that violence against the girl includes physical, psychological and sexual abuse, commercial sexual exploitation in pornography and prostitution. Child sexual abuse is any use of children for the sexual gratification of adults. Various researchers have shown that between 36 per cent to 65 per cent of sexual assault victims are aged 15 or less. It may occur in any part of society but is discovered more commonly in poor families. The commercial exploitation of children occurs in different forms. Many factors forces the children into exploitative and abusive situation. Well-documented cases show that families are often deceived by the promise of job opportunities for the children. Sometimes, girls are sent away from home to work and become subject to physical and sexual abuse. Street children may be at particular risk with no means of economic, or social support; they may be forced to rely on prostitution for survival. Recently, medical expert, Dr. Harihar Wasti has stated that in case sexual abuse, medical workers should keep a detailed records pertaining to a full paediatric history with particular emphasis on genitourinary or bowel symptoms and details of previous abuse or sexual offences within the family or household.

In 1998, RAHI an Indian NGO carried out research among English speaking middle and upper class women living in metropolitan cities of India. The findings highlight that 76 per cent of the women are sexually abused in their childhood. The study is based on screening of 1000 college women, housewives and employed women out of which 600 responded. It is found that 71 per cent of the abusers are family members or the relatives or some known acquaintances. The study also determines that majority of the victims have faced multiple abusers.

Childhood influences and experiences shape human life. The love, care, protection and support received in childhood, play a vital role in the growth and personality. However, some unfortunate children have to go through certain misery that would seriously hamper their development. The tender soul gets deeply wounded due to such miseries resulting in serious damage of the personality. In fact, disclosing abuse can have serious negative consequences including the breakup of the family –and, there is significant pressure to recant. The reaction of the person to whom the disclosure is made has consistently been shown to have an impact on the psychological sequellae of childhood sexual abuse.

American psychologist, Elizabeth B. Hurlock has remarked that when parents are unhappy in their parental roles or when a frictional relationship exists between them, some babies become the targets of anger and resentment. The babies are either neglected or abused. An occasional but very serious family-relationship hazard during early childhood is child abuse. This may take forms varying from mild abuse in the form of slaps to serious abuse as to lead to permanent disability or death of the child. Psychologically, if the care of young children is turned over to older siblings, especially when mothers work outside home, older brothers more often abuse their younger siblings than do older sisters. Child abuse is also not uncommon when the care of young children is turned over to pay caretakers, especially male caretakers. This is more likely to occur when the caretakers are high school students than adults.

The problem of sexual abuse has received much attention in newspapers and on television. Children are warned not to let people, even family members, touch them in ways that make them feel uncomfortable. Children also are instructed to tell truisted adult if they are sexually abused. Psychologically, media can play a positive role to educate the people about child abuse.

Finally, in controlling child abuse the joint efforts of different stakeholders like clinical psychologists, sociologists, psychiatrists, journalists, medical experts, legal experts and government and non-government organisations are needed. Also the researchers have stressed that basic health education should be included in the school curricula and awareness programmes be carried for parents to create awareness about the issue of child abuse.

Other Story

• Man And Environment