Keeping Children Safe: Child Sexual Abuse Epidemic in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has celebrated another children’s day amidst of celebrations, national functions and more and more promises of making a world a better place for children. It is the same country which experienced a tragic rape and murder of a girl-child and a murder and a decapitation of a small boy. Although there were many incidents of child-murders those two incidents have questioned the consciousness of the Sri Lankan psyche towards children. In a country where religion is quintessential entity and the bond between children and parents are very strong, it is important to dig in to the recent wave of violence towards children.

How it happens?

Indeed, the child-friendliness of our society is questionable. Although raping and murdering children was a rarity, child sexual abuse is a common occurrence. Sometimes the offender is a close personal relative or even the child’s own father of sibling. It is not uncommon to hear stories of even male children getting abused by their fathers and older sisters! Children are always subjected towards domestic violence physically, emotionally and economically.

What are the consequences?

Physical and psychological trauma of such harassment shall remain with the child for the rest of his/her life seriously incapacitating their development and their ability to trust others and forming healthy relationships. Even a minor incident of groping can cause a personality disorder later in the child’s life. There is a serious tendency for the victims of abuse to become abusers themselves creating a vicious circle in violence as well.

Are we giving enough care for the children?

The main reason for child abuse is neglecting children. This can happen due to various reasons. First is economic. In most of the rural areas, mother of a family may go abroad for a foreign employment in the Middle-East leaving the children in the care of the husband or the grand-parents. In most of the cases, the husband may form an extra-marital relationship with another woman. The lack of supervision makes the children an easy prey for sex-offenders.

Young-adults also become victims of sexual abuse. With improper guidance and protection from the adults, these hormone-driven youngsters may form unhealthy relationships hindering their education and future. Not only economically deprived rural children are falling in as victims of the latter phenomenon but also children from middle-class urban families.

What are the solutions?

Vigilance, Protection and Guidance are the three key parts in the solution but you should be seriously concerned with your ability to nurture and care for the children economically and socially before deciding to bring one to this world at the first place. Most of the rural families do not have adequate economical means to support large families today. This was not true in several decades back although the economic and health conditions were far worse, but a rural-agrarian family could maintain five or six children. It is impossible now even to maintain a one-child-family with the rising inflation and skyrocketing commodity prices and ever widening amenities in life so it is important to have at least a stable income and securities for the future to plan having kids. This might prevent the mother from going abroad for economic means.

If you have decided to have children, then it is quintessential to keep an eye on children always specially on very small children. The two child-murders happened recently could have been avoided if the parents were vigilant on the whereabouts of their children and at least make the home secure during all time.

Educating children from an early age is essential. Children should be taught neither to trust anybody nor to accept anything given by others.  In the incident of decapitating a male-child, the killer persuaded the child and lured him to an abandoned house on the promise of showing some toys only to slice him into pieces.  Schools have lot to do in educating children property concerning their age category. Parents should guide their children and teach them the responsibility to keep them safe from possible sexual offenders. It is surprising to see children as old as 15-16 years become victims of sexual abuse and become pregnant without the proper sexual education.

There is a heated debate on bringing up the capital punishment in Sri Lanka again. As a matter of fact, the capital punishment is already here. It is the President who refuses to sign the papers to make someone go to gallows. I do not believe that there will be a reduction of violent crimes and specially rapes if capital punishment in reintroduced unless it was carried out live in public television! Capital punishment is not given for rapists at the first place so the legislations need a change as well.

Prevention is always better than cure. It is truer than ever when it comes to sexual abuse because the repercussions are irreparable. It should be made clear that there is no silver bullet for battling child sexual abuse. The civil society, media, law enforcement agencies, parents and schools have to be the vanguard in the battle. Then only we can make a better future for our children.