Child sexual abuse is an unpleasant predicament affecting many young ones across the globe. Many people, when they hear of the term ‘child sexual abuse’ only think of it as a situation where an adult person has sexual intimacy with a juvenile. However, its vices go beyond that. In fact, the term child sexual abuse is just an umbrella of numerous sexual abuse little ones tragically suffers globally. These include sexual activities with a minor(whether consensual or not), child grooming, inappropriate exposure of their private parts, child pornography(which has become rampant with the emergence of new technologies-the internet), and many other inappropriate acts relating to the aforementioned. The World Health Organization(WHO) estimates that more than a 150million girls and over a 73million boys have experienced forced sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual violence globally.
Each and every one of us has Rights and Liberties, and children are no different. They have rights too. These privileges that they enjoy just like everyone else are meant to be protected by lawmakers of our various countries. Once their rights are violated there is a high risk of them being exposed to sexual harassment. Most likely on the list is child marriage. This act is very much child abuse, but rather under the guise of marriage. It is very common in most parts of Northern Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. Female children below the age of 18 are given out to older men. Men old enough to be their fathers in the name of marriage.
According to UNICEF, a shocking 77% of women in Niger were married before the age of 18, while 37,000 girls under the age of 18 are married each day around the world. Globally, almost 400 million women now aged 20-49 were married before the age of 18 and this is a worrying trend that needs greater attention.
The provisions of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child(CRC) clearly spell out the political, civil, economic, social, and cultural rights of children(18 and below). It clearly points to how children are meant to enjoy the same Human Rights as adults. It is fact females suffer most cases of child sexual abuse as compared to males. A little over six times than the male teens. These children miss out on a lot of things during this period. For instance, they receive little or no education- they are no better equipped to acquire knowledge. The knowledge that will clearly prepare them for their adult self. Hence, they grow up being ignorant of certain basic knowledge, experience, and ideas without any fault of theirs. They then become timid adults with less self-confidence, leading up to a very improper future. This is again condemned in the CRC law, article 13 as it maintains that children have the right to seek, and impart knowledge.
Another pertaining problem suffered by these children is the fact that they sometimes have to deal with the problem of unwanted pregnancies at such tender age. Indeed these girls are not physically and mentally prepared to go through the maternal cycle as well as cope with the demands that follow after childbirth.
Some of these girls even lose their lives in the process. There is also the issue of contracting sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. These infections strip them of their pride and end up spreading wildly into generations to come. As such diseases like HIV/AIDS affects not just the mother but also the unborn baby.
Child marriage is a big problem and the statistics of child marriages globally are really sickening. According to the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), one-third of girls in developing countries are married before they reach 18 years. Out of which every 1 in 9 is married off before 15. This trend is really terrible as it means 150 girls in developing countries will be married before their 18th birthday. The most shocking revelation yet in this is how certain developed countries are also into this despicable act. The legal age of marriage in England and certain parts of the UK like Wales and Northern Ireland is 18. There is however a provision for marriage with parental consent from age 16 to 18. Certain irresponsible parents exploit these loopholes. In England for instance, studies reveal that between 5,000 and 8,000 children are at risk of being forced into marriage annually. For many people, child marriage only occurs in an underprivileged and destitute developing country. However, these developments in much more developed and literate countries are a cause for concern.
In Ghana, Child marriage and Child Sexual Abuse may be attributed to poverty. It is actually imperative to view the issue of Child Sexual Abuse from both Social and cultural angles. Sometimes, due to the relationship between the perpetrator and the victims’ families, the matter is rarely reported especially if the victim and his family depend on the culprit for economic survival.
In some shocking research findings, scholars have also discovered that in some societies, where HIV/AIDS is prevalent, many prefer to abuse minors to satisfy their desire for the fear of contracting it with an Adult. These evil acts are allowed to go on in these communities with little reportage and attention from the media.
The Ghanaian media has been riddled with reports of child sexual abuse in the past 12 months as there is at least one reportage in the Ghanaian media space every day of adults exploiting minors. A situation that must receive immediate attention from stakeholders(government, ministry of Gender and Children Affairs, Teachers, Parents, etc).
These horrible acts can be prevented from spreading in our society. Victims of child sexual abuse need all the help and love they can get. Counselling and Education will improve their Mental Health and Physical health.
Well, commendation should be given to bodies and agencies who have taken it upon themselves with little or no financial backing from the government to undertake public education and sensitization programs that promote gender equality in these communities.
In April 2020, the United Nations Population Fund(UNPF), the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency in collaboration with the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service provided a dedicated hotline (055100090000) to respond to issues of abuse in Ghana.
Children are to be protected and shielded from these perverts who deprive them not only of their education and future but also their emotional and physical growth.
