VIOLENCE against children including sexual abuse across the country is on the rise while the Police Chief and Home Minister marked the present law and order situation better than anytime. Quoting Child Rights Organisation Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum, several national dailies on Friday reported that 727 children were sexually abused in 2015 which is 224.55 percent higher than that of 2014 and at least 95 children were killed and 138 minor girls raped from January to April this year, meaning an unsafe and horrible state for children. Criminologists blamed the culture of impunity and lengthy process of trial for the rise of the violation against children while sociologists blemished lax of moral teachings, cultural aggression, objectionable presentation of children in media amalgamate the cause of changing the social perception to children.
Based on reports published in 10 national newspapers, the Child Advocacy Forum revealed that in 2015 rape of children increased by 161.81 percent compared to 2014, as 521 were raped in 2015 and 199 in 2014, although the real situation is more alarming as many of the incidents remained unreported. Gang rape of children has increased by 350 percent and killing after rape by 42 percent in 2015 compared to the year before. According to the report, 4,124 children became victims of oppression and different types of violence including killing, unnatural death and abduction in 2015. It also said that 2,913 children died unnatural death, 292 were killed and 228 committed suicide in 2015. It said that 30 children were killed after rape, 40 were killed after abduction, 25 were killed in political violence and 40 children killed by parents.
Kidnapping, human trafficking, sexual harassment and other violence against children have also increased due to the government’s inadequate action to ensure children’s protection. The horrible scenario of crimes against children has denoted that the Bangladesh society has become crueller than any other times. Televising execution of death and the romantic presentation of death trial violating the norms of journalism in one hand have contributed the society to become tolerant to cruelty while glamour’s presentation of children in soap operas and newspapers, and wider access to pornography through mobile internet have all contributing in changing the social views to the angel-like children.
In our observation, upgrading law and order and speedy trial with exemplary punishment could not only successfully eradicate crimes against children. Moral teaching, strengthening family and social values and socio-cultural integration can successfully fight against the oppressors. In this context, the government must take the prime responsibility for degradation of social values while social, religious, cultural and educational organizations must become vocal to make it a national campaign against child abuse. The growing threats must be eliminated before it hits every house.
