UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF LEGAL STUDIES,

PANJAB UNIVERSITY.

TOPIC:- QUESTIONNAIRE BASED ANALYSIS ON CHILD

ABUSE IN INDIA
SUBJECT:- CRIMINOLOGY AND PENOLOGY
SUBMITTED TO- DR. SUGANDHA SUBMITTED BY-
SAHIL JINDAL ROLL NO. 77/13
& VEENA …ROLL NO 110/13
9TH SEMESTER
SECTION B
B.A. LL.B. (HONS.)
UILS
PANJAB UNIVERSITY
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT

WE HAVE WRITTEN THIS PROJECT TITLED “QUESTIONNAIRE BASED ANALYSIS

ON CHILD ABUSE IN INDIA”UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF “DR.SUGANDHA”
FACULTY OF UILS, PANJAB UNIVERSITY, CHANDIGARH.

THE VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS OF OUR SUPERVISOR NOT ONLY HELPED US

IMMENSELY IN MAKING THIS WORK, BUT ALSO IN DEVELOPING AN
ANALYTICAL APPROACH IN WORK.

WE FIND NO WORDS TO EXPRESS OUR SENSE OF GRATITUDE FOR DIRECTOR

OF OUR INSTITUTE FOR ENCOURAGEMENT AT EVERY STEP.

WE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO LIBRARIAN AND LIBRARY STAFF OF THE

INSTITUTE FOR THE SUPPORT AND COOPERATION EXTENDED BY THEM TIME
TO TIME.

-SAHIL JINDAL
-VEENA

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SR.NO CONTENTS PAGE NO.

1. INTRODUCTION 4
2. RESEARCH METHOLOGY 5
3. DEFINITIONS AND TYPES OF CHILD ABUSE 6-7
4. CAUSES 7
5. RECOGNIZING CHILD ABUSE 7-8
6. PROBLEMS - INDIA AND WORLDWIDE 8
7. RESULT OF THE SAMPLE 9-10
8. LEGISLATIONS FOR CHILD WELFARE 11-12
9. SCHEMES AND PROGRAMMES ON CHILD PROTECTION 12-13
10. NCRB DATA RELATED TO THE CHILD ABUSE 15
11. SUGGESTIONS 16-18
12. CONCLUSION 19
13. REFFERENCE 20
14. QUESTIONNAIRE

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INTRODUCTION

"There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its
children."
— Nelson Mandela, Former President of South Africa
Childhood is the primary stage of life. It knows no worry or anxiety, no good or evil. It is the
period of both ignorance and innocence. The heart of a child is as pure as a crystal and it is
also said that “God lives in a child”. They Constitute principle assets of any country. India’s
national policy for children also declares children to be “SUPREME NATIONAL ASSETS”.
Children’s Development is as important as the development of material resources and the
best way to develop national human resources is to take care of children. India has the largest
child population in the world. Significant progress has been made in many fields in assuring
children their basic rights. A lot more has to be done for the health, nutrition and education of
children it is unfortunate that girls in particular face debilitating discrimination at all stages.
However the tender flowers of today are subjected to various types of abuses which not only
create have in the lives of the innocent souls but also ravish the aspirations of a
demographically rich country like India. Some people without understanding the importance
of the fact that a child is God’s gift, abuse them to an extent that their future is ruined forever.
Extreme cases of child abuse include; the case of Dhananjoy Chatterjee , a security guard
who was executed by hanging for raping and murdering 14 year old Hetal Parekh on March
5, 1990 at her apartment residence in Bhawanipur, Kolkata. Aarushi murder mystery also
involves the case of child abuse where a girl was killed for no fault of hers. Such cases are
existing examples proving that demons still exist in our society and these demons can only be
killed if the individuals and the government join hands for a fight against child abuse.

Child abuse is a state of emotional, physical, economic and sexual maltreatment meted out to
a person below the age of eighteen and is a globally prevalent phenomenon. However, in
India, as in many other countries, there has been no understanding of the extent, magnitude
and trends of the problem. The growing complexities of life and the dramatic changes
brought about by socio-economic transitions in India have played a major role in increasing
the vulnerability of children to various and newer forms of abuse. We worry about what a
child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today. We forget that
"Children are not things to be molded, but are people to be unfolded."
Child abuse has serious physical and psycho-social consequences which adversely affect the
health and overall well-being of a child. Child abuse is a violation of the basic human rights
of a child and is an outcome of a set of inter-related familial, social, psychological and
economic factors. The problem of child abuse and human rights violations is one of the most
critical matters on the international human rights agenda. In the Indian context, acceptance of
child rights as primary inviolable rights is fairly recent, as is the universal understanding of it.

Through this project report of ours we want to highlight the menace of child abuse and spread
the fact that if we want to abolish child labour from its very roots we should first take oath
that we will not employ and child to help us in the domestic purposes. Every owner of a
factory should keep in mind not to employ child labourers. The harmful effects of child abuse
are essential to be understood by one and all to abolish it completely.

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RESEARCH METHOLOGY

For the purposes of the project we adopted online questionnaire method as a mode of data
collection. We used Microsoft docx, for the purposes of data collection and sent the weblink
to the people for recording their responses. The questionnaire pattern followed was of mixed
type with more reliance on dichotomous questions due to the feasibility with the subject
matter.
The study aimed to develop a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon of the child
abuse with a view to formulating appropriate policies and programs to prevent child abuse .
For the purpose of the study we made the questionnaire and got it filled it by 40 people of
various age groups and recorded their responses which are attached with this project.

Need for a study on child abuse :-

There is large child population in India and a large percentage of this population is vulnerable
to abuse, exploitation and neglect. There is also inadequate information about the extent of
child abuse in the country. Barring a few sporadic studies, with limited scope, the attempt to
understand the different form and magnitude of child abuse across the country has been
inadequate .the only information available annually is the crime data maintained by NCRB.

Purpose of the study:-

This small study is helpful in the following ways:
1. The study will contribute to breaking the silence around child abuse in the society.
2. The study will inform about the nature and extent of child abuse in different settings and
recommend immediate and appropriate responsive actions that can be undertaken by the
families, community, government and civil society organisations for the care and protection
of children.
3. The study will strengthen grounds for a separate legislation on child abuse and will
facilitate formulation of appropriate polices, strategies and schemes to tackle the problem of
child abuse.
4. It will contribute the suggestion for the prevention and control of child abuse.

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DEFINITIONS AND TYPES OF CHILD ABUSE

The World Health Organisation (WHO, 1999) has defined ‘Child Abuse’ as a violation of
the basic human rights of a child. It includes all forms of physical, emotional ill treatment,
sexual harm, neglect or negligent treatment, commercial or other exploitation, resulting in
actual harm or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the
context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power1.

‘Child Neglect’ is defined as

(a) In attention or omission by the caregiver to provide for the child: health, education,
emotional development, nutrition, shelter and safe living conditions;
(b) In the context of resources reasonably available to the family or caretakers;
(c) And causes harm to the child’s health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social
development.
‘Child Maltreatment” sometimes referred to as child abuse and neglect, includes all forms
of physical and emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect, and exploitation that results in
actual or potential harm to the child’s health, development or dignity .
Within the above broad definition of Child Abuse and Neglect, five subtypes can be
distinguished—physical abuse; sexual abuse; neglect and negligent treatment; emotional
abuse; and exploitation.

(a) Physical abuse of a child is that which results in actual or potential physical harm from
an interaction, which is reasonably within the control of a parent or person in a position of
responsibility, power, or trust. There may be single or repeated incidents2.

(b) Child sexual abuse is the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she does not
fully comprehend, unable to give informed consent to, or for which the child is not
developmentally prepared, or that violates the laws of the society. Child sexual abuse is
evidenced by an activity between a child and an adult or another child who by age or
development is in a relationship of responsibility, trust or power; the activity being intended
to gratify or satisfy the needs of other person. This may include but is not limited to: the
inducement or coercion of a child to engage in any unlawful sexual activity; the exploitative
use of a child in prostitution or other unlawful sexual practices; and, the exploitative use of
children in pornographic performances and materials.

(c) Emotional abuse is the failure of a caregiver to provide an appropriate and supportive
environment, and includes acts that have an adverse effect on the emotional health and
development.
(d) Neglect is the inattention or omission on the part of the caregiver to provide for the
development of the child in all spheres: health, education, emotional development, nutrition,
shelter and safe living conditions, in the context of resources reasonably available to the
family or caretakers and causes, or has a high probability of causing harm to the child’s

1
World Health Organization (1999): Report of the Consultation on Child Abuse Prevention; Geneva,
http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/neglect/en/on 18-3-2018at 10:00a.m..
2
Oregon State University, Physical AbusEhttp://oregonstate.edu/instruct/hdfs444/physabuse.html on 18-3-
2018at 10:00a.m

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health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development. This includes the failure to
properly supervise and protect children from harm as much as is feasible3.
(e) Exploitation refers to commercial or other exploitation of child in work (child labour), or
other activities for the benefit of others, such as child trafficking.

Causes
There are many interacting causes of child abuse and neglect. Characteristics or
circumstances of the abuser, the child, and the family may all contribute. In many cases the
abuser himself/herself was abused as a child. Substance abuse has been identified as a key
factor in a growing number of cases. In some cases abusers do not have the education and
skills needed to raise a child, thus increasing the likelihood of abuse, and providing
inadequate parental role models for future generations.
Children who are ill, disabled, or otherwise perceived as different are more likely to be the
targets of abuse. In the family, marital discord, domestic violence, unemployment and
poverty, and social isolation are all factors that can precipitate abuse. Lying, disrespect,
disobedience, low performance in school and destroying property are the main reasons for
punishment.
Patterns of abusive behavior may result in the physical or mental impairment of the child or
even death. Small children are especially vulnerable to physical injury such as whiplash or
shaken infant syndrome resulting from battery.
Abused children are more likely to experience generalized anxiety, depression, truancy,
shame and guilt, or suicidal and homicidal thoughts or to engage in criminal activity,
promiscuity, and substance abuse4.

Recognizing Child Abuse

The following signs1-4 may signal the presence of child abuse or neglect.
(i) The Child
• Shows sudden changes in behavior or school performance
• Has not received help for physical or medical problems brought to the parents’ attention
• Has learning problems (or difficulty concentrating) that cannot be attributed to specific
physical or psychological causes
• Is always watchful, as though preparing for something bad to happen
• Lacks adult supervision
• Is overly compliant, passive, or withdrawn
• Comes to school or other activities early, stays late, and does not want to go home
(ii) The Parent
• Shows little concern for the child
• Denies the existence of—or blames the child for—the child’s problems in school or at home
• Asks teachers or other caregivers to use harsh physical discipline if the child misbehaves
• Sees the child as entirely bad, worthless, or burdensome
• Demands a level of physical or academic performance the child cannot achieve
• Looks primarily to the child for care, attention, and satisfaction of emotional needs.
(iii)The Parent and Child
• Rarely touch or look at each other
• Consider their relationship entirely negative

3
International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (2006): World Perspectives on Child Abuse,
Sixth Edition, http://www.ispcan.org on 17-3-2018 at 9:00a.m.
4
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/ A0857276.html child abuse: Causes and Effects — Infoplease.com
http://www.infoplease.com/ ce6/society/A0857276.html#ixzz276MAPcX on 17-3-2018 at 9:10a.m.

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• State that they do not like each other

Signs of Physical Abuse
The term ‘‘battered child syndrome’’ was coined to characterize the clinical manifestations of
serious physical abuse in young children. Another form is the “The shaken infant”. Shaking is
a prevalent form of abuse seen in very young children(less than 1 year). Consider the
possibility of physical abuse when the child:
• Has unexplained burns, bites, bruises, broken bones, or black eyes
• Has fading bruises or other marks noticeable after an absence from school
• Consider the possibility of physical abuse when the parent or other adult care give Uses
harsh physical discipline with the child.

Signs of Neglect
Consider the possibility of neglect when the child:
• Is frequently absent from school
• Begs or steals food or money
• Lacks needed medical or dental care, immunizations, or glasses
• Is consistently dirty and has severe body odor
• States that there is no one at home to provide care
Signs of Sexual Abuse
Consider the possibility of sexual abuse when the child:
• Has difficulty walking or sitting
• Runs away
• Reports sexual abuse by a parent or another adult care
• Is secretive and isolated
• Is jealous or controlling with family members
Signs of Emotional Maltreatment
Consider the possibility of emotional maltreatment when the child:
• Shows extremes in behaviour, such as overly compliant or demanding behaviour, extreme
passivity, or aggression
• Has attempted suicide
• Constantly blames, belittles, or berates the child
• Overtly rejects the child
Problems - India and worldwide
After centuries of being shoved under the carpet, the truth is out. India has the largest number
of children (375 million) in the world, nearly 40% of its population. 69% of Indian children
are victims of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse (or read it as every 2 out of 3). New Delhi,
the Nation’s capital, has an over 83% abuse rate. 89% of the crimes are perpetrated by family
members. Boys face more abuse (>72%) than girls (65%). More than 70% of cases go
unreported and unshared even with parents/ family. Nearly five children die every day in
America from abuse and neglect.
In 2015, an estimated 1,560 children died from abuse and neglect in the United States. In the
same year, Children’s Advocacy Centres around the country served over 266,000 child
victims of abuse, providing victim advocacy and support to these children and their families.
In 2016, this number was over 279,000.so we can conclude that the child abuse is a
worldwide problem that is increases day by day5

5
Pinheiro, P. S. (2006): World Report on Violence against Children; United Nations Secretary-General's Study
on Violence against Children; United Nations, New York http://www.violencestudy.org/r25 on 17-3-2018

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RESULT OF THE SAMPLE

As already discussed above the online questionnaire method has been adopted for recording
the responses of the pupils and on the basis of its findings the observations regarding the
subject matter of child abuse are as follows:-
 SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE PREVELANCE OF THE SIN:-
55.3% said that they heard it through news channels or read it through print media
:39.5% said they had themselves seen the victimization of other while 5.2% said they
were themselves subjected to victimization.
 WHICH GENDER IS MORE FRQUENTLY ABUSED??
76% said female ,18.4% said male,2% said transgender,
3.6% said both male and female
 MOST ABUSED AGE GROUP??
41% people said 10-15 ages group child more abused ,38.5% people said 6-10 age
group child more abuse, 17.9% said above 15 year child more abused.
 WHETHER BOYS ARE AT EQUAL RISK OF ABUSE
69.2% people said yes boys are at equal risk of abuse , 20.5% said no and 10.3% said
may be
 SUBJECTION TO PERSONAL ABUSE BY STRANGER??
71.8% said they are not sexually and physically harassed by stranger
 IF ABUSE ANY PHYSICAL OR PHYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT
69.2% said that they were never diagnosed with depression or any mental disorder
10.3% said yes for another mental disorder
10.3% said yes they suffering from dispersion
 ABUSE BY FAMILY MEMBER??
17.9% people said yes that children are prominently abused by their family members,
69.2%said may be and 12.8% said no.
 ABUSE BY SCHOOL AUTHORITIES??
66.7% thought that yes some teacher or the staff of the school too are the abuser,
30.8% thought may be
 MOST PROMINENT WAY OF ABUSING??
43.6% said psychological is the most prominent way of abusing ,28.2% said physical,
25.6% said sexual
 AFFECT ON CHILD HEALTH?
100% people said the child abuse has affect on child health
 GENDER PREFERENCE AS PREDOMINANT REASON FOR CHILD ABUSE??
51% people thought that gender preference is the reason for the child abuse
,15.4%said no.
 PHYSICAL ABUSE BY FAMILY MEMBERS??
28.2% people said that they hit by their family members, 69.2% said they cannot hit
by their family members.
 WOULD THE PUPILS HIT THEIR CHILDREN IN FUTURE??

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69.2 % people said they never hit their child in the future , 17.9% said yes they hit
their children in the future.
 WHETHER SPECIALLY ABLED CHILDREN ARE AT MORE RISK?
60.5% people thought that the specially abled children face more abuse as compared
to other children,18.4% said no.
 THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR CHILD ABUSE??
The most important factor for child abuse prevalence in the society:-
41% said economic (poverty, unemployment, burden on family etc)
33.3%said social (lack of education, broken homes) etc
20.5% institutional (weak laws and their enforcement)
 SOCIETAL IGNORANCE AND CHILD ABUSE:-
92.3% thought that societal ignorance is one to the leading cause of perpetuation of
child abuse , 7.7% said no
 AWARENESS ABOUT CONSTITUIONAL PROVISIONS WITH REGARD TO
CHILD ABUSE
66.7 %people said that they are aware about the constitutionalism provision to fight
child abuse ,23% said no
 OPINION ON MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO STEM THE PROBLEM OF CHILD
ABUSE.
73.7% people thought that social intervention, economic empowerment .solid legal
backing all are the most effective way to stem the problem of child abuse .

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CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS AND SAFEGUARDS FOR CHILD

WELFARE

Laws in India for the prevention of the child abuse6:-

(i) CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
The Constitution of India recognizes the vulnerable position of children and their right to
protection.
Following the doctrine of protective discrimination, it guarantees in Article 15 special
attention to children through necessary and special laws and policies that safeguard their
rights. The right to equality, protection of life and personal liberty and the right against
exploitation are enshrined in Articles 14, 15, 15(3), 19(1) (a), 21, 21(A), 23, 24, 39(e) 39(f)
and reiterate India's commitment to the protection, safety, security and well-being of all it's
people, including children.
Article 14: The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal
protection of the laws within the territory of India;
Article 15: The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion,
race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them;
Article 15 (3): Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making any special
provision for women and children;
Article 19(1) (a): All citizens shall have the right (a) to freedom of speech and expression;
Article 21: Protection of life and personal liberty-No person shall be deprived of his life or
personal liberty except according to procedure established by law;
Article 21A: Free and compulsory education for all children of the age of 6 to 14 years;
Article 23: Prohibition of traffic in human beings and forced labour-(1) Traffic in human
beings and beggars and other similar forms of forced labour are prohibited and any
contravention of this provision shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law;
Article 24: Prohibition of employment of children in factories, etc. -No child below the age
of fourteen years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any other
hazardous employment;
Article 39: The state shall, in particular, direct its policy towards securing:
(e) That the health and strength of workers, men and women, and the tender age of children
are not abused and that citizens are not forced by economic necessity to enter vocations
unsuited to their age or strength;
(f) That children are given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in
conditions of freedom and dignity and that childhood and youth are protected against
exploitation and against moral and material abandonment.
Legislations Provisions:-
National legislations for protection of child rights in the country are:

 Factories Act ,1954

 Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956
 Probation of Offenders Act, 1958
 Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, 1986
 Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act,1986
 Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1987

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 Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994

 Persons with Disabilities (Equal Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 2000
 Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000
 Commission for Protection of the Rights of the Child Act, 2005.
 The Guiding Principles of the NPAC 2005
 Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006

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SCHEMES AND PROGRAMMES ON CHILD PROTECTION

Some of the existing child protection schemes and programmes include7:

 A Programme for Juvenile Justice for children in need of care and protection and
children in conflict with law. The Government of India provides financial assistance
to the State Governments/UT Administrations for establishment and maintenance of
various homes, salary of staff, food, clothing, etc. for children in need of care and
protection and juveniles in conflict with law. Financial assistance is based on
proposals submitted by States on a 50-50 cost sharing basis.
 An Integrated Programme for Street Children without homes and family ties.
Under the scheme NGOs are supported to run 24 hours drop-in shelters and provide
food, clothing, shelter, non-formal education, recreation, counseling, guidance and
referral services for children. The other components of the scheme include enrolment
in schools, vocational training, occupational placement, mobilizing preventive health
services and reducing the incidence of drug and substance abuse, HIV/AIDS etc.
 CHILDLINE Service8 for children in distress, especially children in need of care and
protection so as to provide them medical services, shelter, rescue from abuse,
counseling, repatriation and rehabilitation. Under this initiative, a telephone helpline,
number 1098, runs in 74 urban and semi-urban centers in the country.
 Shishu Greha Scheme for care and protection of orphans/abandoned/destitute infants
or children up to 6 years and promote in-country adoption for rehabilitating them.
 Scheme for Working Children in Need of Care and Protection for children
working as domestic workers, at roadside dhabas, mechanic shops, etc. The scheme
provides for bridge education and vocational training, medicine, food, recreation and
sports equipments.
 Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme for the Children of Working Mothers in
the age group of 0-6 years. The scheme provides for comprehensive day-care services
including facilities like food, shelter, medical, recreation, etc. to children below 6
years of age.
 Pilot Project to Combat the Trafficking of women and Children for Commercial
Sexual Exploitation in Source and Destination Areas for providing care and
protection to trafficked and sexually abused women and children. Components of the
scheme include networking with law enforcement agencies, rescue operation,
temporary shelter for the victims, repatriation to hometown and legal services
 National Child Labour Project (NCLP) for the rehabilitation of child labour. Under
the scheme, Project Societies at the district level are fully funded for opening up of
Special Schools/Rehabilitation Centers for the rehabilitation of child labourers. These
Special Schools/Rehabilitation Centers provide non-formal education, vocational
training, supplementary nutrition and stipend to children withdrawn from
employment.
 INDO-US Child Labour Project (INDUS): The Ministry of Labour, Government of
India and the US Department of Labour have initiated a project aimed at eliminating

7
RAHI (1998): Voices from the Silent Zone- A Study on Women's Experiences of Incest and Childhood Sexual
Abuse; Delhi page no 250.
8
“CHILDLINE India Foundation : Documents - Cause ViewPoint – Child sexual abuse- The Law and the
Lacuna”. Childlineindia.org.in.on 25-3-2018

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child labour in 10 hazardous sectors across 21 districts in five States namely,

Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh.
 CHILDLINE FOUNDATION child helpline 1098 service is a 24 hour free
emergency phone outreach service for children in need of care and protection. CIF
undertakes replication of CHILDLINE, networking and facilitation, training, research
and documentation, and Communications and Strategic Initiatives both at the national
and international level.

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NCRB DATA RELATED TO THE CHILD ABUSE

According to the NCRB data of 2016-17 Delhi and Mumbai accounted for a major chunk of
the offences against children. While Delhi recorded 8139 incidents of crime against children,
Mumbai was a distant second with 1456 incidents and Bengaluru accounted for 1063 cases.
Together, the three accounted for more than 60% of all cases against children as recorded in
metropolitan cities. Pune and Lucknow, which were fourth and sixth in the list on the basis of
percentage shares, accounted for 437 and 146 cases.

India is home to almost 19% of the world‘s children. More than one third of the country‘s
population, around 440 million, is below 18 years. India‘s children are India‘s future as
strength of the nation lies in a healthy, protected, educated and well-developed child
population that will grow up to be productive citizens of the country. India must invest
resources in children proportionate to their huge numbers.

An exercise on child budgeting carried out by the Ministry of Women and Child
Development revealed that total expenditure on children in 2016-17 in health, education,
development and protection together amounted to a mere 3.86%, rising to 4.91% in 2006-07.
However, the share of resources for child protection was an abysmal low of 0.034% in
2015-16 and it remained the same in 2016-17. It is estimated that around 170 million or 40
per cent of India‘s children are vulnerable to or experiencing difficult circumstances9

The findings of the NCRB data give validation to the campaigns of child rights NGO Save
the Children. The NGO has been the voice of children, in instances of child abuse and
exploitation. Considering the shockingly high instance of child sexual abuse at the workplace,
the NGO’s fight for a blanket ban on child abuse in all forms receives even more
impetus. Donate online to do your part in preventing child abuse in all forms, and giving
every child, irrespective of societal background, caste, creed and religion - a future. Sexual
harassment spans geographies, caste, religion, nationalities, race and even the ties of family.
The crime needs a strong approach to make children empowered, and fight back sexual
advances

 9
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/tp-others/ncrb-now-collates-child-abuse-
data/article23037842.ece on 26-3-2018 at 11:00a.m.

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SUGGESTIONS

So as to effectively deal with the problem of child abuse in India certain suggestions put
forward are as follows:_

Education for parents :- Consequently, many parent education and support programs have
encouraged the participation of all families, without regard to specified risk. By targeting all
families, rather than low-income or otherwise at-risk groups, parent education and family
support programs have achieved the broad-based backing necessary to underwrite statewide
programs.
Many groups that provide parenting education, such as natural child birth groups, community
–based prevention programs, and mental health services also can provide social support
systems for families either at risk for or in treatment for abuse. Mutual support or self-help
groups also provide a network of support to members in adjusting to new roles, problems, or
changes in family circumstances. These groups can help members expand their social
contacts, improve their feelings of self-esteem, and increase their knowledge of child
development.

Programs for abused children

It has been argued that prevention of abuse is in part tied to providing therapeutic treatment to
children or young people who have been abused or neglected. To minimize the long-term
effects of abuse, age-appropriate treatment services should be available to all maltreated
children.
Treatment programs for abused children include therapeutic day school programs as well as
day hospital programs, residential programs, and home and clinic setting treatment. These
programs most often concentrate on improving the cognitive and developmental skills of
younger children and psychodynamic treatment for children in older age groups.

Life skills training for children and young adults

The purposes of life skills training are first to equip children, adolescents, and young adults
with interpersonal skills and knowledge that are valuable in adulthood, especially in the
parenting role; and second, to provide children with skills to help them protect themselves
from abuse. Knowledge and skills can be imparted in a variety of ways; irrespective of the
specific techniques, educational classes or supports would be provided through the school
systems and through adult education centers.
Skill and knowledge building should be stressed in the areas of child development, family
and life management, self-development, self-actualization, and methods of seeking help. For
adolescents in particular, education in sexuality, pregnancy prevention, and issues related to
parenting should be provided.
Public information and education
While hospitals, schools, and community agencies have a critical role to play in
implementing this child abuse prevention strategy, they cannot fully shoulder the
responsibility. Educational campaigns are necessary to make the public aware of the
seriousness of the problem and its implications as well how individuals can make a
difference. The effectiveness of the preceding prevention strategy will only be realized when
there is a fully aware public, committed to preventing child abuse.

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Child care opportunities

The purpose of child care or day care programs is to furnish parents with regular or
occasional out-of-home care for their children. While child care is a necessity in households
in which all adults are employed, such services also are beneficial for parents who do not
work outside the home but who find continuous child care responsibilities very stressful.
Child care programs also provide opportunities for children to learn basic social skills. Head
Start programs in particular provide a rich mix of child care and child development services.

Family support services

Lacking a support network in times of crisis puts families at significantly greater risk for
abuse or neglect. To provide immediate assistance to parents in times of stress, crisis care
programs should be available on a 24-hour basis and should include the following services:
telephone hot line, crisis caretakers, crisis baby-sitters, crisis nurseries, and crisis counseling.
Through these programs, parents facing immediate problems could receive immediate
support to alleviate the stresses of a particular situation. Help should be available over the
phone or through in-person counseling.
The program also should offer parents the options of having someone come into their homes
on a temporary basis to assist with child and home care or of taking the child to a crisis
nursery. Because crisis care is temporary and short-term, such programs should be equipped
to refer parents to long-term services as needed.

Advocacy and Awareness:

The media should be used to spread awareness on child rights. Debates and discussions with
participation of children can be a regular feature on electronic media in order to enhance
people's knowledge and sensitivity on child protection issues.
While media coverage of child protection issues is desirable, it is essential that the coverage
is done in such a way that it prescribes to high ethical standards of reporting such as avoiding
disclosure of the identity of the child victim to reduce the child's trauma and prevent re-
victimization of the child. It is also essential to obtain informed consent of the child in cases
of reporting. All these measures will protect the child from the stigma attached to abuse and
prevent sensationalization of the issue. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and
media self regulatory authorities should take necessary action to develop ethical standards for
the media and to implement them.

Support programs for new parents

The purpose of support programs for new parents, such as prenatal support programs, is to
prepare individuals for the job of parenting. Such programs should include supports during
both the pre- and postnatal periods to ease the difficulties associated with having a new infant
at home. Prenatal and postnatal medical care is clearly important, particularly since low birth
weight babies, drug exposed babies and babies otherwise sick in infancy are at risk for being
abused. Many prospective parents now participate in prenatal care programs that go beyond
the medical needs of the pregnant mother and the growing fetus to include attention to the
demands of parenting.
Prenatal programs can build on existing medical programs and educate about-to-be parents in
child development, parent-child relationships, and adult relationships.
Currently, home visitation is the most innovative and holistic prevention program used in
approaching the difficulties of educating and supporting the at-risk family, while at the same
time making a wide range of community and professional services available to the family.

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This strategy is a comprehensive program in which services vary widely in both scope and
content.

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CONCLUSION

The study on child abuse is expected to place the subject of child abuse on the national
agenda. The understanding must be translated into action, and not only the central
government, but state governments, civil society, families and children themselves need to
understand the rights perspective and together create the enabling environment wherein a
child is protected from abuse and exploitation. The momentum needs to be sustained and
should be carried forward in the form of a movement that will take all stakeholders along the
road to sustainable development and create a protective environment for the children of India.

Children go missing for a number of different reasons. Difficult and abuse situations at home
often force children to run away; economic compulsions make them move to urban and semi-
urban areas in search of a living; and sometimes they are trafficked for domestic work, other
forms of labour or commercial sexual exploitation. Annually, large numbers of children go
missing and there is little attempt to track them or trace them. Such children are most
vulnerable to all forms of abuse and exploitation. Not only should they be tracked but
existing mechanisms for their rescue, rehabilitation, repatriation and reintegration should be
reviewed and strengthened while keeping in view the best interests of the child10.

The primary responsibility of protecting children from abuse and neglect lies with the
families or the primary caregivers. However, communities and civil society and all other
stakeholders are also responsible for the care and protection of children. The overarching
responsibility is that of the state and it is the state that has to create a protective environment
and provide a safety net for children who fall into vulnerable and exploitative situations.

10
Sen, S & Nair P. M. (2005): Trafficking in Women and Children in India; Orient Longman Pvt. Ltd., New
Delhi page no. 130

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REFFERENCE

BOOKS:
 International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (2006): World
Perspectives on Child Abuse, Sixth Edition.
 RAHI (1998): Voices from the Silent Zone- A Study on Women's Experiences of
Incest and Childhood Sexual Abuse; Delhi.
 Sen, S & Nair P. M. (2005): Trafficking in Women and Children in India; Orient
Longman Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

WEBSITES:-

 World Health Organization (1999): Report of the Consultation on Child Abuse

Prevention; Geneva,
http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/neglect/en/
 Pinheiro, P. S. (2006): World Report on Violence against Children; United Nations
Secretary-General's Study on Violence against Children; United Nations, New York
http://www.violencestudy.org/r25

 Oregon State University, Physical

AbusEhttp://oregonstate.edu/instruct/hdfs444/physabuse.html

 http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/ A0857276.html child abuse: Causes and

Effects — Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/
ce6/society/A0857276.html#ixzz276MAPcXz
 “CHILDLINE India Foundation : Documents - Cause ViewPoint – Child sexual
abuse- The Law and the Lacuna”. Childlineindia.org.in. 2010-01-19. Retrieved 2018-
sss02-13
 http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/tp-others/ncrb-now-collates-
child-abuse-data/article23037842.ece

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