Police step up vigil against child abusers

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, DEC. 7. The city police have stepped up vigil against sex offenders who target children, particularly those among the foreign tourist segment.

Recently, the Kovalam police was alerted that a foreigner, who had served a five year jail sentence for child abuse in his country, was luring children hailing from poor fisherfolk families in the area by being liberal with gifts.

The police was alerted of his presence by some other foreign tourists. The SI (Kovalam), Mr. Asokan, said the foreigners gave a list of known child offenders published in public interest by a newspaper in their country. The man's name was also on the list.

Initially, the suspect denied that he was ever jailed for child abuse. But when police officials confronted him with the evidence they possessed, he relented.

The parents of the children with whom the tourist had struck up an acquaintance were alerted. However, they were reluctant to make a complaint and the suspect was let off with a warning.

Sexual abuse of children remains a grim fact of life in our society, a psychiatrist said. "It is more common than most people or authorities realise it to be. However, the actual reporting of such cases to the police is very low owing to the sensitive nature of the crime," he said.

Police sources said there has been a steady decline of the number of cases registered by the police under section 377 of the Indian Penal Code which relates to a wide range of unnatural offences including child abuse. In cases of child abuse parents are unwilling to press charges beyond a point because a police complaint would mean public scrutiny.

Police said the cases of sexual crimes against children reported in the State fall mainly into four categories. They are abuse, victimisation, violation and assault. Since the last three categories involve violence or rape against the victim, the offender is charged. However, mere sexual abuse where there is no assault is often ignored.

A psychologist said most child victims do not tell anybody of the sexual abuse because they develop a sense of guilt. "Some victimised children think that it happens to every one else or it would not happen again. Some are afraid because the offender is a figure of authority. Hence it is important that the parents, police and teachers are sensitised about the matter," he said.

It is widely felt that parents need to be sensitised about sexual abuse of children and taught how to look for tell-tale signs of abuse in their children. Psychologists said exceptional fear in children of certain people or places, unreasonable resistance to physical examination by parents, scary drawings using lot of black and red ink and sudden change in conduct could be pointers to sexual abuse.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : BJP frowns upon Antony's call for Army in Kannur
Next     : Children to take over AIR on Dec. 10.