Understanding Child Sexual Abuse and busting common myths about CSA
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REPORT ON Understanding Child Sexual Abuse and busting common myths about CSA
- AARUSHI JAIN
This is a report on the webinar-Understanding Child Sexual Abuse and busting common myths about CSA. It was held on 04th July, 2020, Saturday from 08:00p.m onwards. This webinar is organized by EMPOWER PEOPLE and Hridaya Ajgaonkar handled all the key speakers and interacted with them about the child sexual abuse.
The key speakers are as following -:
- ·
Aakanksha Kulkarni(Social Worker)
- · Ayushi Gandhi(Social Worker)
Child Abuse can be defined as harming (whether physically, emotionally, or sexually), ill-treatment, abuse, neglect or deprivation of any child. The Child rights domains are as following:-
- Survival rights
- Development rights
- Protection Rights
- Participation Rights
WHAT IS THE PREVALENCE?
• As many as 109 children were sexually abused every day in India in 2018, according to the data by the National Crime Record Bureau, which showed a 22 per cent jump in such cases from the previous year • According to the recently released NCRB data, 32,608 cases were reported in 2017 while 39,827 cases were reported in 2018 under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).
• Praja, an NGO recently released a paper on policing and law and order in Mumbai which states that most victims of rape cases registered in the previous financial year were minors, with over 90% of the offenders being known to them.
POCSO has strong provisions on paper But its implementation still desires a lot more to be done. Even after 8 years of its implementation it remains a relatively unknown Act. Which unfortunately means a lot of cases of CSA are not reported So my question is what can be done or is being done to.. first increase acceptance in society that child sexual abuse is an important problem we face and secondly since most perpetrators are family members how to increase confidence to report such cases.
WHAT DOES IT CONSTITUTE?
• Exhibitionism, or exposing oneself to a minor
• Fondling
• Intercourse
• Masturbation in the presence of a minor or forcing the minor to masturbate
• Obscene phone calls, text messages, or digital interaction
• Producing, owning, or sharing pornographic images or movies of children
• Sex of any kind with a minor, including vaginal oral, or anal
IMPACT OF CSA ON DEVELOPMENT
These causes have a major of issue and their will be even more too further:-
- Causes health and mental health concerns for the individual
- Detrimental to Overall development of an individual
- Impact on sexuality, sexual health interpersonal relationships etc.
- Risk of alcohol and substance abuse
- Co- morbidities with mental heath issues serious concern.
Through this we see the adverse side of these things. As it is bad for our society and we can not be even said developed if these problems are not taken care. Everyone should start taking actions seriously. In our society believes myths and keep same ideology for lifetime. But now it is the time to tell them what is right and what is wrong.
MYTHS
- CSA is not as common as people claim
- 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6-8 boys experience CSA in their life.
- Reporting of sexual abuse among male children is lower. Cultural stereotypes, the socially legal belief that males cannot biologically be raped/sexually abused and patriarchal values around masculinity act as major deterrents.
- Strangers sexually abuse children- As discussed before, almost 90% of the times, the perpetrator is known to the child and is someone they trust.
- Only gay men sexually abuse boys. This is not true. Anyone, irrespective of gender and sexual orientation can be an abuser.
- Male survivors of sexual abuse become gay
- There is no evidence that points to this conclusion Sexual orientation is not determined by sexual abuse history
Few highlights of WARNING SIGNS OF CSA
There are two types of sign-:
Behavioral signs:
• Changes in hygiene, such as refusing to bathe or bathing excessively
• Develops phobias
• Exhibits signs of depression or PTSD
• Expresses suicidal thoughts, especially in adolescents
Physical signs:
• Bleeding, bruises, or swelling in genital area
• Bloody, torn, or stained underclothes
• Frequent urinary or yeast infections
• Pain, itching, or burning in genital area
CULTURAL CONTEXT OF CSA
• Stigma
• Lack of healthy conversation about sex in households.
• Patriarchy and family honor.
• Factors that play a role in the case of children:
The child does not have any awareness about what happens to them
The abuse, is almost 90% of the time, committed by a person of authority and/or trust in the child's life.
So in the crux of this webinar we should understand these practices are totally wrong and now students need to know about sex education even. Child abuse is not correct for either girl or boy as it hazardous for our physical and mental health.
