The brutal abduction, rape and torture of a five-year-old girl in New Delhi, has once again put the spotlight on rampant child abuse and abysmal enforcement of child protection laws in India. In New Delhi alone, 14 children go missing everyday, and nationwide, a majority of India”s 440 million children are subjected to some form of sexual abuse. Families of victims and experts said failings in the police and health services means most kidnappers and abusers often escape punishment. Azhar, the father of a missing girl, resides in a slum area of North Delhi. He says his family is still recovering from the shock of the loss of their 11-year-old daughter five years ago, when she went missing after visiting the local public wash area. “My family is shattered. She was our only daughter. We loved her a lot. She used to study and used to help her mother with the household work. This has affected us deeply,” claims Azhar. With no significant leads, the police are now exerting pressure on Azhar to let them close the case. In a neighbouring district, the sister of an abducted and abused child, has accused the police of falsifying evidence after a police appointed doctor filed a report stating nothing had happened to the child during her abduction. The child had told her sister she had been raped and an independent doctor confirmed she had been drugged. “She was feeling unwell during the evening, so, we took her to the hospital, and the doctor said she was drugged,” said the child”s sister. The family believes three men from their locality were involved in the kidnapping and abuse. They said the police is not interested in helping them. Meanwhile, charity worker Sant Lal helps families of abducted children. He said in most cases there is a good chance of finding missing children and their abductors, but the police are too inactive to follow leads and build evidence. He added that the police lacks the sensitivity needed to communicate with children traumatised by abduction and abuse. Child abduction and abuse is particularly prevalent amongst migrant labourers who are residing in poor urbanized areas of India. Without facilities for childcare, many children in these areas are left alone for long periods of the day. Viji Arora, director of Children”s Rights and You, said: “They go missing on account of various reasons. They are probably potential victims of rape, abuse or they are being basically trafficked for labour purposes or for commercial sexual exploitation, or being put in something like begging or even organ trading.” In 2007, a damning report on the state of child protection issued in India prompted the government to take firm action. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights was set up to develop strict laws and policies on the issue. Experts say while the laws and policies are in place, there is a systemic failure to implement them. Save the Children India”s CEO, Thomas Chandy, said many children now see abuse as a part of their lives. “If they are approached or, if they are abused by a family member, and when they see that happening with the rest of their siblings or friends, they probably think that it is a given, you know, that it happens everywhere. So, what needs to be done is to introduce a lot of awareness building activities within such communities,” said Chandy. Child psychiatrists say the psychological impact of abuse can adversely affect the overall development of the child. In adulthood they may struggle to see a future for themselves — they may develop anger issues and find it difficult to maintain healthy relationships. Doctor Gupta from the Centre for Child and Adolescent Wellbeing in Delhi, said that with the right support, abused children can recover from these types of trauma. The challenge for India is that these atrocities of child abuse and abductions are shrouded in silence and secrecy. Many communities are afraid their children will become ostracized if they talk openly about sexual abuse. In 2011, the government began setting up specialised anti-human trafficking units in police stations throughout the country. There are now 225 units and another 110 due to be set up this year whose job is to collect intelligence, maintain a database of offenders, investigate reports of missing persons and partner with charities in raids to rescue victims. Experts said there is also a need for police and health workers to be trained in how to communicate with abused children and how to spot signs of abuse. (ANI)
