Child abuse became a mainstream issue in Pakistan after the Zainab case surfaced in Kasur a few years earlier. Later, we saw the media taking up several other cases. Often, we define child abuse as extreme corporal punishment of children, sexual activity of teenagers of both sexes and other wrong treatments of children. According to the United Nations Convention on the Right of the Child (UNCRC), an act that includes physical violence, sexual and emotional violence is termed child abuse. Sometimes, the abuse is so severe that it leads to lasting injuries; even death. The victims are degraded and devalued. It takes time, efforts and even treatment for them to live normal lives and accomplish their goals in life.
While child abuse happens everywhere in the world, it is often more common in developing countries due to a lack of awareness and education, poverty as well as poor implementation of laws. Today, measures to reduce and end child abuse are on the agenda worldwide. Yet, there is a long way to go since, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than one billion children, under the age of 17, are victims of different kinds of child abuse.
As mentioned, child abuse includes all aspects of violence against children and teenagers committed by parents, peers, school teachers and staff in other institutions, who treat students, and even employers if children work or help-out in workplaces and neighbourhoods. As we have seen in Pakistan, there are many cases reported in schools and seminaries. Better surveillance systems are required. It must be made safe to report abuse cases to the police and authorities.
We are living in a society where our children are not safe in their schools, colleges, and even madrassas
The mentioned Kasur scandal was said to have included pornography and paedophilia. Such abuse would put lasting scars on the children affected.
The Zainab Ansari case in January 2018 was particularly serious. It was documented that she had been abducted and raped. The criminal was given a death sentence, which was a clear message to possible future offenders of how such crimes were regarded by the state. However, other cases had occurred later, including in Mardan in KPK, where a kidnapping, rape and murder of a young happened. That lead to massive protests against child abuse and sexual abuse. Now, people have shifted attention to the new government, hoping it will review legislation and make other improvements to law and culture.
However, in June 2019, the Farishta case happened in Islamabad. The girl went missing and later, her father found her dead body in the jungle. Yet, no FIR has been filed against any suspects.
The current government should take actions regarding the reported cases and take measures to measures to improve the situation of children and youth so that child abuse and the very serious case will not happen in future. The situation is alarming and needs urgent action
To improve the situation, a bill has recently been pass by the parliament and is to be discussed in the senate. The bill is known as the “Zainab alert bill.”
According to a report by an NGO named Sahil, more than 1300 children were sexually abused in Pakistan in the first six months of last year. There were 1304 cases of sexual violence and abuse against children reported across the country from January to June in 2019; 729 young girls and 575 young boys. According to the report, 652 cases happened in Punjab, 458 in Sindh, 32 in Baluchistan, 51 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 90 in Islamabad and 18 in Azad Kashmir. Many children were sexually abused in seminaries.
These reports show that we are living in a society where our children are not safe in their schools, colleges, and even madrassas. Abusers are moving freely in our society and we are doing too little to stop the sad situation. It is high time that we all take a united stand against child abuse. Its time for us as a nation to not only speak but take action. A simple measure that we can all be involved in, especially parents, educators, social workers and the police, is to teach the children and youth to report suspicious matters. Through that, matters can be corrected before they become serious cases. We should admit that often adults suspect that abuse takes place, but it is easier not to do anything than to take action. The children and youth should be encouraged to report issues and situations they find uncomfortable. They must also be taught how to protect themselves when things happen. Furthermore, those who sound the alarm must not be victimised, they must be listened to and protected.
The writer is a freelancer