CHILD ABUSE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD: THE NEED FOR EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND POTENTIAL FUTURE IMPACT ON THE CHILD

RESEARCH QUESTION-ARE THERE ANY PATTERNS OF CHILD ABUSE?
INTRODUCTION
Child Rights gained momentum in the 20th century. Children were considered “young adults” until then and there was a lack of special laws to protect their vulnerability. Parents and caregivers often exploited children’s gullibility. Child abuse occurs when parents or caregivers abuse the child physically, emotionally, sexually and neglects to give the child proper care. The abuse can have negative impacts and can shun the emotional and physical growth of the children. Today, child abuse is a global issue. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines child abuse and child maltreatment as “all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child's health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power”. Nearly 3 in 4 children suffer physical violence at the hands of their parents or caregivers.
TYPES AND SYMPTOMS OF CHILD ABUSE 
According to WHO, child abuse can be physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. It is important to identify the symptoms of such abuse to provide utmost care to the victims. Child abuse can be a single episode or several episodes taking place over time. 

• Physical Abuse is in the form of hitting, throwing, choking, burning etc. These acts are done on purpose to injure the child. Physical abuse is often visible compared to other forms of abuse since it leaves marks on the child, though it may not be the case always. While the common symptoms of any kind of abuse are withdrawal from friends, mood swings, anxiety, depression and self-harm; physical abuse can be identified when the child’s explanations do not match the injuries. 
• Emotional Abuse is often in the form of name-calling, bullying, teasing, rejection, negative criticisms, and can lead to depression, delayed emotional growth, loss of self-esteem and loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities. 
• Sexual Abuse occurs when the child is sexually exploited by an adult, teenager or even by a stronger child. Sexual abuse can be physical, emotional or verbal. Kissing the child forcibly, touching his/her genitals, sexually talking to the child, rape, oral sex etc. are forms of sexual abuse. Sexually abused children can have more knowledge about sexual activities that might be inappropriate to his/her age and increased chances of pregnancy. 
• Neglect to provide adequate shelter, care, food etc. for the growth and well-being of the child can lead to diminished physical growth in children in terms of height and weight. Common symptoms of neglect are poor or no supplies to meet physical needs, poor hygiene, lack of medical attention and poor attendance in school.  

Sometimes, the behaviour of parents and caregivers can help identify child abuse. 
CAUSES AND IMPACT OF CHILD ABUSE
The reasons that cause child abuse are often complex. Usually, parents and caregivers are overwhelmed and crumble at the challenges of parenthood. Some other reasons could be:

• Mental Health Issues of the parents/caregivers
• Traumatic childhood experience of the parents/caregivers
• Financial problems or unemployment
• Lack of support from family 
• Lack of adequate parenting skills 
• Low confidence in one’s abilities 
• Alcohol or substance abuse

As mentioned earlier, child abuse can have a lasting negative impact on the child as he/she grows up. Victims of child abuse can have physical, emotional, behaviour and mental health issues-depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, delinquency, substance abuse to mention a few. Therefore, the need for early identification and appropriate action is substantial in curbing the long term effects of the abuse. 
NEED FOR EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND APPROPRIATE ACTION 
Child abuse must be reported to the official authorities mandatorily. Identification of child abuse is a difficult task. Teachers and other elders must talk to the child if they notice any peculiarity in their behaviour. It is important to have such conversations with children because more often than not, children are unaware that they are being abused. It is necessary to teach children the appropriate terms of body parts as it can protect them and they will be able to share what exactly happened with them. Toys can be used as an aid to help the child speak up. Physical exams, lab tests, X- rays etc., can help in diagnosing and taking appropriate action. 
Once, it is identified that the child has been abused, he/she should be provided with a safe environment away from the abuser. The child must be provided with medical attention and follow-up care to ensure the child’s well-being. Alternatively, consulting a therapist is highly recommended. Therapy can help the child to learn to trust again and boost one’s confidence. Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy can help the child deal with the traumatic experiences and child-parent psychotherapy can improve the child-parent relationship. 
Child abuse of boys, often go unnoticed and their behaviour changes are mistaken for age-related changes. It becomes even more difficult to identify abuse in boys because of stereotypes about men and masculinity. In 2007, the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare, supported by United Nations Children’s Fund, conducted a study to understand the magnitude of child abuse in India, they found that 53.22% children faced one or more forms of sexual abuse and among them; the number of boys abused was 52.94%.  What most are unaware of is that boys and girls become victims nearly at the same rate (48.5% and 51.2% respectively). Another research co-led by Duke Global Health Institute (DGHI) professor Kathryn Whetten shows that orphaned boys are as vulnerable to abuse as girls. 1 in 5 women and 1 in 13 men report having been sexually abused as a child aged 0-17 years.
Children who experience child abuse are more likely to be arrested as juveniles and perpetrate violence therefore it is necessary to break this cycle of violence. 
CHILD ABUSE IN INDIA
India has one of the largest child population in the world. Regardless of the laws and policies implemented to curb child abuse, the condition is yet to become better in the country. The number of child sexual abuse cases increases every year in the country. “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.” 
Laws and Policies to curb Child Abuse in India
India’s young population grapples with the lack of access to education, basic resources and healthcare. This makes them susceptible to adverse childhood experiences. The vision of the Constitution of India is to nurture and provide necessities to children. The State must look after their well-being. 

• Under Article 21A, the State must provide compulsory education to children in the 6-14 age group.
• Article 23 prohibits the trafficking of human beings. 
• Article 24 prohibits child labour and the working of children under 14 years in hazardous work environments. 
• The National Policy for Children, 1974 is the first child-centric programme launched by the Government of India to protect the children. It recognizes the responsibility of the State to nurture children, who are considered as the nation’s supreme assets. 
• The National Policy on Education, 1986 called for a more child-centred approach in primary education.
• The National Plan of Action, 2005 aimed to tackle issues such as child marriage and female infanticide. 
• Childline services were launched by the Government after the Twelfth 5 Year Plan to help children in case of emergency.
• The Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005 led to the setting up of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in the year 2007. The NCPCR works to spread awareness about child abuse and provide redressal and rehabilitation. 
• The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 is the special law that deals with child sexual abuse, harassment, pornography and other related issues. It works to establish child-friendly courts and child-friendly interrogation techniques. 39,827 child sexual abuse cases were reported in 2018 under the POCSO Act.

The nation-wide lockdown due to the spread of Coronavirus in the country has seen an increase in violence against women and instances of child abuse. The Government helpline number received 3.07 lakh calls on child abuse and violence between March 20-31, 2020.
In India, most of the child abuse cases go unreported as it happens inside the four corners of one’s home. The focus has been more on the public sphere than the private sphere. 

RESEARCH QUESTION-ARE THERE ANY PATTERNS OF CHILD ABUSE? 
If we closely inspect several child abuse cases, we can find a pattern in most of these cases. For instance, let us take the case of the death of Sherin Mathews. Sherin Susan Mathew was an Indian-American toddler whose body was found dead in a culvert in Texas and her adoptive father admitted to disposing of the body. Sherin was initially reported missing in October 2017 after her adopted father claimed he had forced her to stand outside alone at 3:00 A.M. as a punishment for not drinking milk. He later admitted to having “physically assisted” her in drinking her milk and got choked. According to Sherin’s paediatrician, Sherin had multiple broken bones. This incident led to revising of the adoption process in India since Sherin was adopted from Bihar.  Reports suggested that the adoptive parents had a careless and uncaring attitude. Parents should employ healthy mechanisms to reprimand a child. The multiple broken bones of Sherin indicate physical abuse by her parents. 

• Parents and caregivers often believe that they have ultimate control over their children. This false sense of “authority or superiority” is one prime reason for child abuse. 
• Parents who abuse their kids may have been victims of abuse in their childhood.
•  Another pattern in most of the cases was an addiction to alcohol or substance abuse.
•  Poverty plays an important factor in India. Poverty-stricken parents may consider their children as a burden. 
• Domestic violence and child abuse are closely related. Parents who abuse their partners are more likely to abuse their children. Even if children are not the one being abused, seeing their parent being abused can instil in them fear and anxiety and can scar them for lives. Reports suggest that the reason why many women flee their homes is that their perpetrator was attacking their children too.
• In India, especially in rural areas, female children are often considered “undesirable” and such children are abused by their caregivers. 
• Parents’ expectations from their children can pressurize the child and can take a toll on their emotional well-being. 

WAYS TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE

• Do not vent out your anger on your child
• Teach your children about good touch and bad touch
• Notice the behavioural changes in your children
• Be a friend to your children
• Respect your children’s privacy 
• Understand your dreams are not your children's duty to fulfil 
• Do not tell your children that you are doing them a favour by providing them with necessities
• Take regular breaks from your children. This will help you relax
• Schools should create awareness about child abuse

CONCLUSION 
If you suspect that a child is undergoing child abuse, it is necessary to report it to the police. Child Abuse is a criminal offence. Early identification and reporting can spare the child from further abuse. 

FURTHER READING:  
​https://www.bicyclehealth.com/blog/sexual-abuse-assault#whatarethedifferenttypesofsexualassault


BIBLIOGRAPHY 
See Queensland Government, “What is Child Abuse?”, available at  https://www.qld.gov.au/community/getting-support-health-social-issue/support-victims-abuse/child-abuse/what-is-child-abuse/child-abuse-types 
See Mayo Clinic, “Child Abuse”, available at https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/child-abuse/symptoms-causes/syc-20370864  
See Rainn, “Sexual Assault of Men and Boys”, available at https://www.rainn.org/articles/sexual-assault-men-and-boys  
See Vikas Choudhry, “Child Sexual Abuse in India: A Systematic Overview”, available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6177170/  
See Amisha U. Pathak, “Child Abuse in India- An Analysis”, available at http://www.indiathink.org/Child-Abuse-in-India-An-Analysis-by-Amisha-u-Pathak.pdf 
See Duke Global Health Institute, “Study Finds Orphaned Boys Are As Vulnerable to Abuse as Girls”, available at https://globalhealth.duke.edu/news/study-finds-orphaned-boys-are-vulnerable-abuse-girls 
See Wikipedia, “Death of Sherin Mathews”, available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Sherin_Mathews 
See The Hindu, “Sherin Mathews case: Father gets life sentence”, available at https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/texas-man-gets-life-sentence-in-3-year-old-daughters-death/article28162860.ece