The safest place for any child is around their parents, where they feel protected. In any kind of situation, they just look for their parent's support, love, care and warmth. They blindly trust their parents. Their unconditional love for their parents is immense. But how can a parent be an abuser and sexually assault his own child? A parent betraying his own child’s trust and becoming a sexual exploiter is not just a crime. It is a severely punishable offence. Instead of being a ray of hope and trust, a father turned out to be an exploiter, leaving scars that may affect the child's entire life. The one who is supposed to teach his child about safety and protection is himself mistreating the boy, which is deeply disturbing. These kinds of incidents leave a question mark on the child's sense of safety, trust and relationships.
The incident occurred in Maharashtra, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, where a five-year-old boy was sexually assaulted and continuously abused by his 32-year-old father. According to the complaint, his father allegedly threatened and harassed him, warning that he would throw him off the roof if he revealed it to his mother or anybody in the family. On his birthday, the mother noticed the silence and terror in the child, and when the truth was finally disclosed, the horrible event came to light. Soon, the mother approached the police and filed a complaint against the father for mistreating her five-year-old son. The police caught the accused and arrested him under the POCSO Act.
A five-year-old doesn’t have any idea about safe and unsafe touch. He doesn’t even understand what is happening to him. Being assaulted and threatened by his own father is even worse for him, as he has been constantly scared of being thrown off the roof. How can he reveal the dark side of his father, who has been torturing him physically, mentally and emotionally? In most child abuse cases, the same pattern can be noticed. The child may be vulnerable and helpless, unable to express what is happening to them. In some cases, the silence can even lead to the deaths of innocent children or lifelong trauma, where they are constantly haunted by the horrific incidents that happened to them.
Reportedly, in most child abuse cases, children are harmed by the trusted individuals such as a family member, relative, family friend or neighbour. According to child protection studies, 90% of child abuse cases are committed by individuals known to the child. Parents always keep an eye on strangers to protect their child from any kind of mishap, but to their surprise, their loved ones are turning out to be offenders. Blind trust in family and friends causes people to overlook warning signs, and blame often shifts onto strangers while the real culprits remain hidden. When a kid is not safe in his own house, with his own parents, then how can we expect a safe and secure environment in the outside world, which is filled with such cruel people?
Whenever there is a case of physical exploitation, we frequently hear that the victim is a female. We often forget the fact that a victim can be of any gender. The sufferer can be either a girl or a boy. In India, a landmark study by the Ministry of Women and Child Development found that of the children who faced sexual abuse, 52.94% were boys. Society often discusses girls’ safety. They are often taught about safe and unsafe touch. Trying to be a shield, parents often become strict and impose restrictions on them. The same scenario does not always apply to boys. However, boys also need safety education, awareness and protection. Such crimes can happen to anybody, irrespective of gender and age. As responsible citizens, it is our duty to make sure that both girls and boys receive the same level of protection, knowledge and guidance so that they can identify what’s going wrong with them and address it without hesitation or fear.
A five-year-old boy was terrified by the horrific incident allegedly committed by his own father. He was suppressing his emotions out of fear while enduring the abuse. On his birthday, the child revealed the truth to his mother, and she acted wisely by choosing to take legal action against the father, overcoming the fear of stigma, social judgment, or family breakdown. At five years of age, children usually do not understand criminal behaviour. It is very important to listen to your children, observe their behaviour, and try to understand what they are going through. Trust them. Instead of ignoring or burying the crime, taking action immediately against the accused person, no matter who the person is can save a child from prolonged physical and emotional suffering.
Sexual abuse can happen to children. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), there were over 64,469 reported cases of child sexual abuse and 38,444 child rape cases in India in a single year. The victim can be either a girl or a boy, and the offender may be a family member, friend or neighbour. For children, it is often very difficult to speak about such experiences. The greatest threat to a child is not always a stranger; sometimes it comes from within the walls of the home. Many child abuse cases remain buried due to fear of social stigma and societal norms. Child safety is not only about protecting children from strangers but also about creating environments where they can speak without fear.
REFERENCES:
- Centres for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov
- National Institutes of Health (.gov) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- India Child Protection https://www.childprotection.org.in