Kin go back on kid abuse cases
Police not aware of laws, say activists
The rights of children who are victims of various types of abuse including corporal punishment in schools are violated. In many incidents, though there is a cage registered against those who subject the children to abuse under Juvenile Justice Act, parents withdraw the case or compromise with the opposite party over a period of time, activists said.
They said that parents take the compensation offered to them or cow down to the threats they receive from the accused. Such instances are very high in cases related to corporal punishment in school. Lack of knowledge of child rights and the JJ Act among the police adds to the agony of the victimised children.
Mr A.L. Kismat Kumar, former director of Juvenile Welfare and Correctional Services, said society often does not recognise that children have rights and subjecting them to punishment at home or at educational institutions is still seen as a right by parents or teachers. “They do not understand that they are violating child rights,” he said.
“Parents should come out of the notion that a police case will affect their kid’s future. People still think that their daughters can’t get married and their sons will not get opportunities if there are cases. At the same time educational institutions and Government should focus on counselling the victims and also the staff to handle such issues,” he said.
Rights activists say that cops who deal with these cases have little knowledge of the law. Police can register a suo motu case or on any stranger can file a complaint. But police rarely comes forward and even when someone lodges a complaint they are summoned multiple times citing various reasons. “Due to this and keeping in view of their child’s future, parents give up and cases are also closed. So many complaints are not even registered also.
“The end result of all this, children are losing their rights and they continue to bear the mental and physical agony,” Balala Hakkula Sangham honorary president Achyuta Rao said.