When this 12-year-old girl attended a sexual abuse counselling programme given at a Government School here recently, her words caused considerable alarm.
For, her two maternal uncles, aged 32 and 35, were sexually abusing both her and her 19-year-old elder sister for the past several months. She had not realised what was happening till she was given counselling as part of a child sexual abuse prevention programme.
Her teachers immediately alerted the 1098 Childline services and the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) took her into custody and lodged her in a children’s home. Subsequent medical examination revealed signs of sexual abuse. However, they could not take custody of the elder sister as she was a major and in any case denied that abuse was taking place.
Even as the DCPU were discussing the filing of case against the two maternal uncles under Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the girl was visited by the grandmother. Following which, the girl suddenly retracted her earlier statements and now wants to go back to her mother (aged 38) and the two uncles who are unmarried.
With her testimony, the police are reluctant to file a case as chances of conviction are negligible. Not only that, the grandmother was now petitioning the Government officials that the child was being held against her will at the Children’s Home.
A senior child protection official in the district told The Hindu that this case was typical of nearly 90 per cent of child sexual abuse cases with the perpetrators being family members itself. While the victims initially come forward, they retract following pressure from other family members.
In another case, the official said that a 15-year-old girl, who had completed Class IX, was being abused by her step-father. The girl fled the home and lived in her friend’s place for a month after which her aunt alerted the DCPU.
She was taken to a children’s home, and initially agreed to testify against her step father, she refused after her mother met her. Now, the girl has become withdrawn and is refusing to attend Class X.
In such cases, the authorities are in real dilemma as they cannot send her back to the family as medical examination had proved sexual abuse and the victim’s family complaints that she is being held against her will.
In order to bring cases of child sexual abuse to light, DCPU officials said that awareness programmes were being conducted in the Government schools across the district.
Further, boards containing messages have also been erected near the Headmasters’ rooms.
The DCPU officials said that anyone having information about children being sexually abused can contact 1098 Childline helpline, which was supported by Union Ministry of Women and Child Development.
