Among the various moral and social degrading incidents, the one that strikes our heart the most is child rape. The death of an innocent child due to rape before she becomes a mature woman through her physical and mental development is leading us to a stage of moral degradation. That is why the conscientious people of the country are being shocked today. According to social analysts, child rape is increasing due to various reasons including moral decay, lack of social values and absence of family discipline.
The news published in an English daily on January 9 this year says that the number of child rapes in our country in 2019 is double than that of the number in 2016. In 2019, we have received an average of about 3 cases of child rape every day. This year’s news analysis suggests that child rape is on the rise. Even in the month of mourning in August, it is easy to guess at the rate at which this heinous rape is increasing in the country from the scene of publishing the news of rape for 6 consecutive days in the media from 17 August to 22 August. Even more tragic is the fact that almost all of these reports are child or adolescent rape-centered.
That today’s child is the future woman and mother is not understood by those who do not have the slightest impression of humanity. Even if a raped child or woman survives, she has to bear it all her life, and sometimes on the way of her life she commits suicide. So there is a need for social unity to speak out against the rapists. Not only women’s organizations, but also men’s organizations need to work more on this issue, because, in fact, men are responsible for this incident.
Effective measures need to be taken to prevent rape or any kind of abuse on children and adolescents. In this case, the responsibility of the family, children, parents and elder siblings is the most.
Nowadays many parents give less time to their children as they are busy with jobs or other work. This is why children feel lonely and neglected and respond to calls from others and get involved in unexpected accidents. Therefore, parents need to stay in touch with their children with adequate time through regular caress and affection. Children should be prevented from watching excessive videos and films on mobile phones or television. Immoral pictures or videos should never be displayed in front of them. Family members should not leave a child alone with a caregiver. Relatives coming to visit homes should be kept under eyes since many of the children are raped by their relatives. The girls should not be allowed to go to school alone if it is a little away from home. In rural areas, many school going girls are raped on the way to school being kidnapped in a quiet place or in the bushes nearby. In villages girls and adolescents should not be allowed alone to pasture domestic animals in the meadows, and in the towns they are not safe in the public transports without guardians. School-going girls are able to express their independent opinions, and so the parents need to understand the appearance and expressions of their children and try to understand their emotional state or desires by giving them opportunity to speak.
Rapists often seek to cover up local incidents by suppressing evidence of rape when they are socially strong and influential. In this case, the victimized child and her family can take the help of human rights organizations which are working to establish children’s rights and relevant issues. Hospitals and clinics should prioritize the issue ensuring special care and treatment to the affected children.
Section 9 of the “Prevention of Violence against Women and Children Act- 2000” provides us with various types of punishment including maximum death penalty or life imprisonment. ‘The Women, Children, Elderly and Challenged People Service Desk’ launched for legal counseling ofthe victims in the police stations of the country is a commendable initiative. Through this, the victimized women and children can come to the police station without any hesitation and take the help of a female police officer. Besides, the activities of sexual harassment prevention committees in educational institutions need to be made more dynamic. Monthly and quarterly discussions or seminars on moral education may be organized in the institutions for the purpose of playing a responsible role to awaken humanity and conscience towards children and adolescents.
Initiatives should be taken to rehabilitate the mentally ill, addicted or intoxicated persons and bring them back to the right path. Our emotions should be regulated and guided by reasons.We all have to develop the mentality of thinking good and bad in others’ children, just as we always think of good and bad in ours.
(Mr. Sohel is Assistant Professor, Department of English, Ishakha International University. E-mail: [email protected])
