STOPPING VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN
Editorial . . . . .
Children who experience violence face dangers to their physical and emotional health as well as to their future possibilities. Millions of children in India continue to live with the painful reality of violence against children, which is persistent and pervasive. Approximately 64% of children worldwide who have witnessed serious violence live in South Asia. All children have the right to be safe from abuse, exploitation, and violence. Yet every day, millions of children worldwide, from all socioeconomic levels, as well as all ages, religions, and cultures, experience violence, exploitation, and abuse. Neglect is a form of violence that can also take the forms of physical, sexual, and emotional assault. Evidence suggests that people the child knows, such as parents, other family members, caretakers, teachers, employers, law enforcement officials, state and non-state actors, and other children, frequently engage in violence, exploitation, and abuse. According to the National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) most recent report, 53,874 or 36.05 percent of the 1,49,404 cases of crime against children that were reported in 2021 were under the purview of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act (POCSO). In 2020, there were 47,221 POCSO cases out of 1,28,531 cases of child abuse, and 47,335 out of 1,48,185 cases in 2019. (31.94 percent). Incidences per 1 lakh children have steadily increased, according to NCRB data on instances reported under POCSO: 12.1 in 2021 (53,276 females and 1,083 boys); 10.6 in both 2020 and 2019. According to the NCRB data, 140 minors were sexually assaulted and killed in 2021, along with 1,402 other people. There were 359 instances of youngsters being helped in their suicides. In UP, both rape and murder cases as well as child murders predominated. It is shocking to learn that Sikkim, with a rate of 72.4, has the highest rate of child abuse among the states, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 66.7. The other states having high rates of crimes against children in 2021 were Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Odisha, and Assam. The lowest rate of child abuse, 6.2, and the fewest instances, 51, were both recorded in Nagaland in 2021. Regardless of how alarming and worrying the most recent data may be, one must consider the population ratio. Sikkim, which has a population of just more than 6 lakh, cannot be compared to a state like Uttar Pradesh, which has 21 crore residents. It is essential that we examine specific examples in detail, not just an average. But we can’t deny that the state is seeing an increase in crimes against minors. Data on the number of children who experience violence may understate the severity of the issue because few instances of exploitation, abuse, and violence are recorded, investigated, and the offenders are often not held accountable. Governments, non-governmental organizations, policymakers, and especially groups that focus on children have a duty to safeguard children from such violence by implementing the proper mechanisms with the aid of government law enforcement agencies. Governments, communities, local authorities, and non-governmental groups, especially faith-based and community-based organizations, may undoubtedly contribute to guarantee that children grow up in a safe and protective environment.
Our Jammu and Kashmir UT administration has to start building additional child development centers that are properly furnished with child-friendly support systems. Agencies and local administration must act immediately to intervene in cases of suspected or discovered abuse or violence in an effort to provide restoration and healing in addition to providing the legal tools necessary to advocate and defend the child’s rights.
