Child Abuse: What we can do to keep our children safe

Earlier this year, NGO Sahil released a report on child abuse in Pakistan, it revealed that reported cases of child abuse increased by 11 per cent in year 2018 compared to 2017, with more than 10 children suffering some form of abuse every day in Pakistan last year. The report found that a total of 3,832 child abuse cases were reported by newspapers in all four provinces as well as Islamabad, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. In comparison, 3,445 such incidents were reported from January to December 2017. In March 2020, Pakistan’s parliament passed a new law against child abuse, two years after the rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl that shocked the country. The nation’s first national child abuse law will introduce a penalty of life imprisonment for child abuse, Pakistan’s human rights minister, Shireen Mazari, said on 11 March 2020.

The issue of child abuse is important as well as real and shying away from it is not the solution. That is why lately there have been a lot of debate on it. Earlier this week TV anchor and morning show host Seemal Hashmi had a discussion with blogger and writer, Ridda Hamid on the topic of child abuse. Watch video:

Seemal and Ridda are of the view that Parents should take responsibility as the fight against child molesters begins with parents teaching their children. Teaching the “No Touch Zone” is very important and children must know it i.e.  teach children the names of their body parts beginning at eighteen months through age five.

Ridda said that at age five, teach children that private parts are now called the No Touch Zone. The No Touch Zone is from the waist to the knees, all the way around, and includes the chest area for a girl. Parents should create a permission list which includes the child, parents and some selective others who may touch the No Touch Zone, but no one else has permission unless or until a person is added to the list and personally introduced to the child by the parent, face-to-face, or by telephone.

Seemal pointed out an important point that parents should keep a close check and protect their child all times nothing is more important, this includes noticing the behavor change and give confidence to child that he or she can share with them what they are going through and trust the child so that he or she can trust you back. 

While discussing ways to teach child skills to prevent abuse, Seemal and Rida agreed that it is important to talk about body parts early with children and teach them that some body parts are private. It is pertinent to tell tell your child that body secrets are not okay and no one should take pictures of their private parts.

A child must know that these rules apply even with people they know and even with another child. Have a code word your children can use when they feel unsafe or want to be picked up.

“I am not naive enough to believe that these discussions will absolutely prevent sexual abuse, but knowledge is a powerful tool especially with young children who are targeted due to their innocence and ignorance in this area. And one discussion is not enough. Find natural times to reiterate these messages to your child, play your role as a parent,” said 24@9 host Seemal Hashmi.

Hailing from Lahore Seemal Hashmi is an award winning TV anchor and is assosiated with City News Network for almost eight years. She hosted the morning show of City42, City@10 for more than six years, along with being news anchor on the channel and conducting various transmissions. She also covered US elections 2016 for the channel. Currently Seemal is hosting 24@9 the morning show of 24 News HD.

Ridda Hamid is a USA based Pakistani blogger and freelance writer with interest in social media. She likes to write about cultural issues and political satire