‘Need to control child abuse’

Activists stress creation of awareness, highlight social responsibility towards children

With rising incidents of child abuse being reported across the country recently, activists highlighted on Saturday the need to curb the phenomenon.

At the second Stop Child Abuse conference, organised by Catwalk Cares in collaboration with Search for Justice Pakistan, social activist Shaniera Akram pointed out that though child abuse and rape occurred across the world, society had a responsibility to provide safety to children.

“Raising awareness among children in this regard is as important as educating them,” she said, calling for penalising offenders through effective legislation.

Journalist George Fulton, meanwhile, said that parents played an important role in controlling child abuse, stating that they must keep an eye on those around their children and how these people are interacting with them.

Human Development Foundation Head Rana Asif stressed the need to implement international child protection laws as well as to establish special courts and redress complications in the legal procedures for such cases.

“Unfortunately, the rate of reporting child abuse cases is extremely low even as these cases continue to rise,” explained Atif Khan from social welfare organisation Sahil, adding that teachers, shopkeepers, police officials, domestic staff, relatives and even fathers could be involved in such acts.

Actress and Special Olympics Pakistan ambassador Sarwat Gilani concurred, elaborating that even reputable individuals could be responsible for child abuse. She also pointed to the need to pay special attention to differently-abled children in this regard.

Lack of attention and negligence becomes an important factor in child abuse, said the panelists, stating that inculcating confidence in them was necessary to allow them to speak up about abuse without fear or shame. They called for the state and civil society to work together and organise awareness campaigns with the help of educational institutions.

They also spoke about the need for counselling for abuse victims and their families, adding that while it was often teenagers between the ages of 14 and 17 that fell prey to abuse, cases of infants being abused have been reported too.

According to them, child abuse, which includes sexual assault, physical violence and educational negligence among other forms, can cause loneliness, fear, negativity, aggression, and physical or mental illnesses in victims.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2020.