Devastated adolescence : Child abuse cases rising unabated

Psychologists claim victimised children might exhibit signs of social isolation

LAHORE:

Most inquisitive, young minds learn a great deal about the surrounding world through safe and meaningful human interactions; however, for victims of child abuse are robbed of this opportunity and are instead subjected to social isolation.

Despite the government launching the Punjab Police - Women Safety App in 2021, as a means for imperilled women and children to report a threat to their safety, the number of cases of crimes instigated against minors across the provincial capital continue unabated.

According to police sources familiar with the pressing issue, a sharp increase has been noticed in the reported occurrences of child abuse during the preceding two years, with 1,960 cases of kidnappings, 404 cases of child murder, 55 cases of child pornography, and 41 cases of physical abuse registered in 2022 alone in Punjab.

However, the rise in cases is only part of the problem, as a taboo on discussing abuse and the lack of psychological help, means survivors often have to carry on with their lives in social isolation. Child psychologists like Dr Shahzad Tahir, agree that the dire mental health repercussions of child abuse, which are triggered soon after a physically harmful experience, can last for years without end.

“When a child experiences sexual abuse, they undergo severe trauma as their young minds are ill-equipped to comprehend such demeaning acts. In case immediate psychological counselling is not offered, the child’s fears might prevent them from fully integrating into society and returning back to their normal lives,” explained Dr Tahir.

The psychologist’s assessment was confirmed by a child victim, who whilst speaking to The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity, shared their agonising experience with social isolation after they were sexually abused at a local teaching centre by two fellow students for almost two years.

“Even though I have received ample counselling and comfort from my family members and other mentors in my support system, I still resent the social isolation that I had to endure for years after the traumatising event,” overwhelmingly shared the survivor.

Part of the reason why child abuse cases have seen an upsurge is the advent of social media and an open access to streaming services, which has exacerbated the degree of harm that children face as they are consistently exposed to the world of cyberbullying.

According to an IT expert Shahid Hussain, leaving an unsupervised child with an internet connected gadget, can easily allow cyberbullies and scammers to blackmail the innocent minor, coercing them into sharing sensitive media like revealing pictures. “It is crucial that parents and schools actively educate children about the negative consequences of social media and encourage its safe and responsible usage,” urged Hussain.

Speaking to The Express Tribune on the spiking rate of crimes against children, a source from the Punjab government shared the efforts being made by the concerned authorities to create awareness among school children and curb the crime rate. “We have issued specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all private and government schools across the province, which mandate strict supervision of students by a designated homeroom teacher and the deliverance of a 10-minute lecture on child safety during school assemblies,” he disclosed.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 3^rd, 2023.