Child Sexual Abuse

Child Sexual Abuse

by Deleted user -
Number of replies: 4

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE:

Child sexual abuse is a global crisis that affects all the nations equally.  However, this burning issue is always neglected due to the social stigma of disclosure especially in the developing countries like Bangladesh.

Now what is child sexual abuse???Child sexual abuse is defined as the form of child abuse in which an adult person manipulates forces or uses a child for sexual stimulation. It also includes enticing a child to take part in sexual activities (child pornography), involving child in looking at watching sexual activities, exposing the private parts and touching them.

Previously, it was thought that girls are usually the prime victims of child sexual abuse but evidences has shown that boys are equally affected (specially gay population who prey on male children) and in most of the cases abusers were the family members. This invites the question – is home the safest place for the children? The answer is still controversial. However, Where ever the place is and or whoever the person is, the long term psychological impact on a child who suffered sexual molestation either by a relative or a random person is huge. Some of these victims become the worst criminals and/or become less productive in life.

                                                                     Dr. Esha Farooqe,

                                                            Applicant ID-120729333

In reply to Deleted user

Re: Child Sexual Abuse

by Patricia Greenhalgh -

Esha

The example of child sexual abuse (CSA) is a good one, and you could take this one further by asking about the social / sociological / cultural aspects of the problem. To what extent is CSA a given 'fact' and to what extent is it 'socially constructed'?  

 

Of course, penetrative sex with a pre-pubescent child is something we'd all consider 'abuse'. But what about the practice that is very common in Pakistan of young women being married at 14 or 15 years old (and even younger) to a family friend or relative who is perhaps twice their age? Leaving aside the issue of gender and power (that’s a different lecture/seminar!), are we saying that if the husband and the ‘consenting’ wife have sex, that is child sexual abuse? In the UK it would count as ‘statutory rape’ because the young woman was below the legal age of consent. But if it’s culturally sanctioned, is it really CHILD ABUSE and should it be viewed with the same abhorrence as the rape of an infant?

 

The other aspect of child abuse you might think about ‘sociologically’ is the implications of monitoring and surveillance of adults in order to protect children from CSA. Are we in the UK comfortable about living in a society in which parents now have to be vetted by police in order to watch their children at school sports day?  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/9576935/School-bans-parents-watching-sports-day-without-criminal-record-check.html

 

If not, why not? 

In reply to Patricia Greenhalgh

Re: Child Sexual Abuse

by Deleted user -

Thank you Trish for helping me.

Well generally CSA is associated with bad behaviour. But when we try to mark the boundaries of this type of issues, it’s unsure where should we draw the line. While it is unwholesome for some culture, it is almost normal in some others. For example- A Vietnamese father was charged for CSA for playful touch of his sons genitalia. However, the case was eventually dismissed because inVietnamsuch behaviour is regarded as symbol of fondness, not crime!!!

Recently a popular TV program inIndiashowed that, CSA is one of the alarming problems with no prevention. They have suggested a protection training session for every child, where some of the body parts a showed as the danger areas of the body where nobody can touch not even father!! And if anybody touches those parts children should react immediately without any fare. This training session will be conducted in every school. Now this was a very interesting idea but how many people is going to watch and implement the idea? Culture is a very sensitive issue and people rarely try to change it.

Well Trish I don’t know that, I am following the right tract or not.

                                                                           Esha Farooqe

In reply to Deleted user

Re: Child Sexual Abuse

by Patricia Greenhalgh -

You are in the right territory certainly!  Have you done the background reading yet, and does anything in the background reading help you get a more 'sociological' ather than 'biomedical' view of CSA?

In reply to Deleted user

Re: Child Sexual Abuse

by Deleted user -

That was a really interesting post, Esha, and such an important topic. It is something that unfortunately affects children all around the world, and more definitely needs to be done to help children speak out about their problems, to people who will not judge them, and who will help them to safety, whilst preventing the abusers from doing the same to other later. It must be very difficult in countries where these kinds of organisations are not in place, and where children can often face more problems by speaking out, without anyone to look after them. This article in the Independent explores the UN statistics on child abuse worldwide.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/un-report-uncovers-global-child-abuse-419700.html