Child Abuse

India is home to the biggest child population in the world. The country has approximate 440 million children, thus constituting more than 40% of the total population.

Child abuse is a basic violation of child rights. Child abuse is more than bruises and broken bones. While physical abuses are shocking due to the scars left behind, the emotional and sexual abuses also leave deep and lasting scars. Child sexual abuse is one of the most neglected social problems faced by our society. Child sexual abuse not only leaves a profound impact on the victimized child but also on society as a whole. All forms of child labour are the worst kind of child abuse negation of the basic child rights.

Child labour occurs in various forms such as exploitation, trafficking, sex discrimination, foeticide and infanticide, child labour, sexual offences, etc. In extreme cases a girl child is found raped, children are beaten up by their parents and at times teachers also. Child labour is a serious problem in our country. As per census 2011, the number of children working in the age group of 5-14 years is 43.53 lakh. At an age when the child should attend school, he or she is forced to work in factories, at the workplace and as domestic help in our own houses.

In addition, not only atrocities against children are in the rise, but they are also targeted in communal violence and insurgency as never before. They also suffer discrimination and denial in post-riot situations. The children of indigenous and tribal communities suffer neglect, discrimination and alienation and are affected by armed conflicts and other civil violence. They become orphans losing their parents or relatives in communal violence and insurgency.

Extreme cases of child abuse include: the case of Dhanajoy Chatterjee, a security guard who was executed by hanging for raping and murdering a 14-year-old Hetal Parekh on March 5, 1990, at her apartment residence in Bhawanipur, Kolkata. Aarushi murder mystery also involves the case of child abuse where a girl was killed for no fault of hers.

There are many legislative provisions to protect the rights of children in India, such as the constitution of India guarantees equality before the law to all citizens, and pledges special protection for children. In 1974, India adopted a national policy for children and declared it a supreme national asset. In 1992, India accepted the obligations of the United Nations Convention on the rights of the child. The National Commission for Protection of child rights has been set up as a statutory body under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act in 2005 to protect, promote and defend child rights in India. The 86th Constitutional Amendment made education a fundamental right for children in the age group of 6 to 14 years.

Also, there are various Acts like the Juvenile Justice Act, 1986, Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, etc. to protect the child’s rights in India. The Indian Constitution also deal with various provisions to combat abuse of children, such as traffic in human beings and forced labour, prohibition of employment of children in factories, etc. The Indian Penal Code, 1860 also provides provisions to deal with various types of sexual offences committed against women and children, such as kidnapping, abduction, rape, etc.

Though there are various legislative provisions to protect the rights of children from abuse, they are inadequate to protect them. Children have to be protected against child labour, trafficking, communal and political violence, armed conflicts, terrorist activities, and migrant situations, all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and corporal punishment. The country needs effective legislation to punish and deter all forms of child labour, child abuse and exploitation, and child trafficking as well as prenatal sex determination, foeticide and infanticide. NGO’s and government administrators should reach out to the neglected, deprived and abused children for their comprehensive needs that include education, health aspects, protection and rehabilitation.

To sum up, in India, the problems of socially marginalized and economically backward groups are immense, particularly amongst children in our slums, street and working children, children of construction workers etc. To protect the national asset of the future, the people should come out and work with government agencies and non-governmental agencies. Children should have access to contact services to help them in case of emergency or distress. The emergency toll-free phone service for children in distress (Child Help Line 1098) should be expanded and awareness generated about such helplines. The child protection services must reach the rural areas, where a large portion of the population resides. Orphanages and shelter homes are required to assist children without families. Adaption should give first priority to the best interests of the child concerned.