By KANWAL TARIQ HAMEED
Published: 18 September 2006
PARENTS and teachers should watch and listen for signals from their children that they may be being abused, say child protection workers.
Victims may be afraid or unable to tell their parents or teachers directly what is happening to them, says Be Free Anti-Child Abuse and Neglect Centre training programme co-ordinator Fatima Frutan.
Parents and teachers play an important role in protecting children from becoming victims of abuse, or putting an end to it.
Many children will look for a way to let their parents or teachers know that they are being abused – and parents in particular must listen carefully for such hints, said Ms Frutan.
By KANWAL TARIQ HAMEED
Published: 18 September 2006
PARENTS and teachers should watch and listen for signals from their children that they may be being abused, say child protection workers.
Victims may be afraid or unable to tell their parents or teachers directly what is happening to them, says Be Free Anti-Child Abuse and Neglect Centre training programme co-ordinator Fatima Frutan.
Parents and teachers play an important role in protecting children from becoming victims of abuse, or putting an end to it.
Many children will look for a way to let their parents or teachers know that they are being abused – and parents in particular must listen carefully for such hints, said Ms Frutan.
Male children are more likely to try and hide the fact that they are being abused because of fears that they will appear weak – or that their parents will impose more restriction on them after finding out, she added.
The GDN reported in July that thousands of cases of child abuse in Bahrain are going undetected.
About 60 per cent of cases reported relate to the sexual abuse of young children, particularly boys, according to Health Ministry officials.
“The relationship between parents and their children, or between teachers and their students are very important,” said Ms Frutan.
“These are the most two important relationships in a child’s life.”
Simple ways of detecting abuse are to listen to what children are trying to say and to teaching them not to keep secrets, she said.
“Listening to your child is very important – and listen carefully to what they are trying to say to you,” said Ms Frutan.
“Teach your child to talk to you and tell you about their day-to-day events and explain to them not to keep secrets from you, because family members do not keep secrets from each other.
“Children tend to give their parents or people they trust a hint to know if it’s okay to tell them that have been abused and (see) if they are really going to listen to them,” she added.
“A study showed that boys try much harder than girls to keep the secret that they have been sexually or physically abused, because of two main reasons.
“The first one is that they fear their family will look differently towards them and may give them the feeling that they are weak and two, they may not like to tell their parents because they don’t want any more restrictions in their life.”
Even talkative children who seem to tell their parents and teacher everything may use indirect ways to explain something that is happening to them, Ms Frutan.
“As a parent you should know if your child is trying to say something important to you, because this could prevent them from being abused physically, sexually or emotionally in school, or even by a neighbour or a family member.
“Children sometimes explain by talking, drawing, or asking questions to (try to) make you understand in which situation they are and if that is right or wrong. “Be an effective listener, and stay near your child.”
© Gulf Daily News
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