Child abuse can be defined as physical, emotional or pyschological ill treatment or neglect of child. It is a social evil which is upsurging day by day. Since parents are the primary care givers of child so they perform a pivotal role in the development process of a child. It is clear that the behaviour inherited by child solely depends upon his upbringing. If parents lag in any aspect of child development therefore children might fall prey to such evils. Despite modernization child abuse can be witnessed in modern day family most often. One form of abuse results when parents wholly neglect their child. It is obvious that in order to gain the trust of child he must be given love, care, affection, sympathy etc. In nuclear family parents hardly have time for their children. They find spending time with their wards a futile activity as they get no physical benefit from it. Parents of modern day are completely absorbed in grabbing worldly possessions and rarely get time spending with their loved ones. Such negligence of parents to their children makes them callous and acquires paranoid behaviour. Psychological abuse of a child is usual now a days. Children are usually cursed and tortured by their parents for fetching low grades. Parents think that their children are only worthy if they are good in study. Since God has created every living creature with a special aptitude for any particular field. Rather abusing their children parents should identify the talent of their child and make continuous efforts to make them more efficient. More over children are sending away from their homes for study. This separation becomes unbearable and hard to absorb as they find no one near who could provide emotional support to them. In addition to psychological abuse physical abuse is also on surge. It refers to physically beating, kicking or biting the children for any purpose. Culture of family provides a great role in this. It is more often seen in joint families where members are supposed to live according to the values and rules framed by the elder members. If any of the members makes any kind of mistake he is being beaten physically and tortured. Children are most vulnerable group which is affected. Apart from this children of backward and poor community are being trafficked and abused by the persons for their personal benefit. Sexual abuse is most common among children as they are having less power and courage and hence are being exploited by the persons for their individual benefits. Sexual abuse refers to participation of child in a sexual act aimed toward the physical gratification or the financial profit of the person committing the act.
Causes of child abuse: There are plenty of causes which force a child to fall in such an avaricious activity which are as under:-
1.Economic inequality:-This refers to presence of inadequate money in order to make livelihood. This happens with economically backward families. Therefore children at mere age are being laboured.
2. Unwanted pregnancies: Children who are born without the will of their parents are then abused and ill treated by their parents.
3. Sex: Male child is usually preferred over female child because he is thought to make livelihood and continue the generation while as female is considered to be a burden upon family so more chances of her to be abused
4. Culture: Some culture norms encourage harsh physical punishment of children etc
5. Parental violence: Persons who often show physical violence to their spouses in presence of their children are more likely to degrade the mental balance of their children.
6. Prevention: In order to prevent this social evil we need to organise awareness programs in schools, community etc. People must be given education about child abuse and its detrimental effects. They must be taught about the rights of children and their importance. Parents should spend more time with their children. They must express love and show more concern towards them. Children must be given much freedom and space in order to advance and flourish. More over government should frame orders against those persons which exploit or force a child to engage in this evil.
Below is my poem entitled as “Child’s Crave” which depicts the strength of a child, his crave and what he wants? and what we are supposed to be?
Child’s Crave
espy them as green floret
adore them, exalt them yet not let them to defoliate
for epitome of love they reflect
and they too crave for deference and respect
care they seek and lair they fear
so wake up now and emotions you share
dare they admit for turn they need
sublime they prove just witness their deed
for bend them rather mend them your own way
raw they are so don’t let them astray
purge of all lapses and sins
innocence and acidulous nature, a point of their wins!
(The author is a member of JKIFTS. Views are his own) [email protected]
