Malini Yugendran
Auckland, October 31, 2022
A video of a minor who had sustained injuries and was begging for help whilst bystanders were seen filming her without compassion had gone viral on social media.
The Uttar Pradesh Police have confirmed that a male has been charged with rape and attempted murder of the 12-year-old.
Violence against young children is not new to us as we read about such cases and we take solace that these sorts of incidents, do not occur on the streets of New Zealand.
But in reality, Aotearoa New Zealand has one of the highest rates of family violence in the developed world and according to the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse’s Data Summaries 2017, there were 10 children and young people under the age of 20 were murdered in 2016, and 63 children aged 16 or under were hospitalised for an attack perpetrated by a family member. The report also states that 7262 children were involved in protection order applications in 2016.
The meaning of violence
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child defines violence as “All forms of physical or mental violence, injury and abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse.”
The World Health Organisation defines it as “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against a child, by an individual or group, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development, or dignity.” Research states that 40% of children who witness violence at home are also physically and/or sexually abused. Abuse of children is not excluding bullying, humiliation, harassment, beating, being subjected to brutal treatment, and/or sexual abuse and/or exploitation.
Impact on children
The impact of such trauma on a child is manifold.
According to research, children experiencing domestic abuse may demonstrate aggressive behaviour, poor social skills, depression, fears, anxiety, sleep disorders, and learning difficulties.
The behavioural issues of many children are rooted in their emotional responses to violence and fear of death- their death and that of a parent.
Children may also experience anger, remorse, and feelings of culpability for the abuse.
The Te Ara website quotes the following letter that a boy sent to a Judge about his mother’s abusive partner.
“I have tried to take my life because I have not been able to deal with the things that he has done to me and my family. Sometimes I feel like I have failed my family because I have not been able to protect them from this man.”
Even witnessing domestic violence can instil sentiments of powerlessness in children, leading them to perceive the world as unstable, aggressive, and dangerous.
An Action Plan
Experts say that Action must take two-fold: Prevention and Intervention.
Education in schools can create awareness and help children identify aggression and harmful interactions and control at home and should provide them with information on seeking help. This sort of education can start at preschool and daycare centres.
Children can be taught about good touch and bad touch and about treating people with respect. Teachers can play a pertinent role in identifying students who are withdrawn or hyper in school and perhaps get a counsellor to have a chat with the child. At the higher level of schools, more complex vocabulary can be used. Schools can also identify high-risk groups and engage with strategies to reach out to these groups.
Primary care providers can play an important role in identifying and screening for domestic violence and reporting such cases. By identifying and intervening in domestic violence primary care providers can break the pattern of abuse and save the child from trauma.
Where to go for help?
Children should be though to ring 111 if they need help.
Women in households where there is an aggressive and abusive partner can connect with Women’s Refuge at 0800-7338843 or reach them via their website: www.womensrefuge.org.nz and they will help navigate the support services that women need. Shakti provides culturally safe support for women and their children of Asian, African, and Middle Eastern origins and they can be reached on 0800-742584. Shama Ethnic Women’s trust in Waikato can be reached on (07) 8433810. More helplines can be found on the Family Violence Services website:
www.areyouok.org.nz/support-available/family-violence-services/
Men can reach out to Gandhi Nivas, which offers intervention and prevention support services for men who are at risk of committing harm to their family and they can be reached on 0800-426 344. Almost 60% of males who went through the Gandhi Nivas Programme were able to avoid reoffending. Website: www.gandhinivas.nz
Family violence is everybody’s business. All New Zealanders should do their part to protect their families and children.
Malini Yugendran is an Indian Newslink Reporter based in Auckland.
