The recently passed Children’s Rights Law was an important step in the protection of society’s most vulnerable group. It made the responsibility of caring for children essential to the Government’s work, and made child abuse a public issue that involves the whole community, not one confined within the limits of private homes.
The law sets regulations and penalties, but it's only the beginning of a long road. Doctors told The National that many cases of abuse may be going unreported. One reason for the lack of reporting is that children don't feel comfortable discussing abuse happening at home, especially if the perpetrators are their parents or other relatives. This is where the real work of the law begins.
Child protection workers suggest that the country needs a solid protection network, which will require proper resources and funding. There must be collaboration across all entities dealing with children, from nurseries and schools to hospitals. They all have to work with the police to address any suspected cases of abuse or neglect.
Naturally, it will take time to change the existing culture and to get children and people dealing with them to speak up against any type of abuse – psychological, physical or sexual. But these taboos should be broken. Since it’s a sensitive issue, we need to handle it carefully. Members of the community should be encouraged to report any suspected cases.
All those dealing with children – including teachers and doctors – should be trained how to detect and deal with the cases they encounter. Social workers must be empowered to go into homes to assess children at risk, but they also need to study each case carefully and determine solutions based on legal and cultural considerations.
Parents and other caregivers need to understand that there is a thin line between discipline and abuse. They also need to understand that neglect is also a crime punishable by law. According to the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, neglect or deprivation was the most common abuse reported, consisting of 78 per cent of reported cases, followed by emotional or verbal abuse (73 per cent) and sexual abuse (10 per cent). As a community, we must work together to eliminate this scourge on society.
