Child Abuse; A Grave Issue

Child sexual abuse and exploitation is an adverse, disturbing and prevalent issue that is present in our society. It is a very taboo issue in our society upon which speaking is also frowned upon. Its effective range can include children of all ages and gender and is not specified to one general background. According to a analysis report attributed to World Health Organisation, it is estimated that one in six boys and one in four girls have experienced some form of sexual abuse in one form or another before the age of 18. The consequence of these traumatic experiences can be far reaching as it can literally leech out the living essence of a child and this trauma can haunt them for the rest of their lives. This can devastate their mental and physical health which can result in relationship problems and low self esteem. So it is important for us as a society to do each and everything for the prevention of this sick and vile act. Prevention of Child sexual abuse can be a multilayer approach that involves the participation and protection reminiscing from parents, educators, caregivers and society members. Some simple and effective strategies are listed below to help stop child sexual abuse;

1. Teach children about Good and Bad Touch:
First and foremost knowledge about their bodies will help them identify in anyone is being inappropriate with them. Children should be educated so that they can keep their boundaries and empower them to stop anyone encroaching on their boundaries. Children should be taught to say “No” to unwanted touches and should be taught body part names which are off limits for everyone. They should be encouraged by their parents to speak out if anyone makes them feel unsafe and uncomfortable.

2. Open Communication Environments:
It is a very important aspect of child sexual exploitation prevention policy that they should be allowed and encouraged to speak their minds about any concerns or issues they may have. Encouraging children to tell you everything and for you to listen carefully, is important for the trust building relationship between parents and children. They should not be abused or blamed for what they have experienced as part of the abuse. Keep their trust sacred and ensure them of their safety and your trust.

3. Vigilance regarding the children:
To safeguard them from any danger they must be supervised by an responsible adult. Awareness must be there for all parents for with whom their children are spending their time with. They should not be left alone with any one that is somewhat stranger especially if they are family relatives or friends. Use parental controls to restrict access to any inappropriate or unwarranted contents and also monitor their online social presence so that you may know with whom they are in contact with.

4.Recognition of signs of child sexual abuse:
It is very important for a parent to know the signs of sexual abuse so that they may take action. Signs of sexual abuse maybe physical injuries, nightmares, difficulty sleeping, mood swings ,change in behaviour and increase in knowledge about sexual behaviour that is inappropriate for the age of child.

5.Reporting suspected cases:
In Pakistani society it is a taboo issue so any cases of sexual assault is almost always tried swept under the rug. Due to communal backlash the cases are less likely to be reported.The cases should be reported to the law enforcement authorities so that the perpetrators can be brought to justice and they cannot abuse more children sexually.

The child abuse cases are a very sensitive topic in Pakistan but is one of the major issues facing our children so it requires the collective participation of all the society to safeguard them against any potential abusers. Following the above mentioned approach to this dilemma we can easily safeguard our children from this vile and inhumane behaviour and protect our generations from further traumas.
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