9 Reasons Why We Should Start Talking About Child Sexual Abuse

Children suffer with CSA (Child Sexual Abuse) in silence and especially in a country like ours- a country drowning in self-created illogical beliefs. Hardly any of the victims is able to muster the courage to break it out to their parents. These innocent sufferers find it easier to talk to the ceilings, while to the outside world, they wear masks as if it is they who performed the act of shame.

Ever wondered what makes a child suffer in silence? May be the following reasons will help you understand why they consider bearing the pain to be a better option than breaking open the jar of darker nights to the world.

1. Because their minds are played with

The abusive adult threatens, manipulates and convinces the child by making them believe that the fault was of the child itself and if they dared to open their mouth, no one would believe them.

 

2. Because the abuser, more often than not, is from their own family

Since in India, we are taught to respect elders because of their age and not their virtues, the child chooses to keep quiet out of regard for the elder and to save their family’s honour.

 

3. Because a child is unaware and confused

For an innocent kid not familiar with the feel of a foreign touch, it is extremely difficult to get whether it was just an overly nice lady or a touch that should not have happened at all.

 

4. Because the child feels guilty as though it was their own fault

The clear truth is that no child can be responsible for falling prey to CSA voluntarily. They are consumed by a plethora of disturbing feelings when a more powerful adult takes over them.

 

5. Because the child is blackmailed

The culprit may take undue advantage of the child’s innocence by offering them treats, fancy gifts, or by doing emotional favours for their parents or dear ones and on top of it all, they threaten the child by telling what will dawn upon them if they say no or leak out the issue to anyone.

 

6. Because the child has always known any sexual activity to be a taboo

This hesitation is a result of a child being brought up in an extremely orthodox environment where the family looks away and flips the channel as soon as a condom ad comes up. The victim feels that even though unwillingly, they have given into a forbidden act and hence, have become the sinner.

 

7. Because they fear the reaction of their peers

For a CSA victim who already would have suffered a major blow to self confidence, it is all the more difficult to face bullying comments at the school.

 

8. Because being caught in the cobweb of poverty, they are forced into the business

There have been cases of poor adolescent kids being traded off to certain abusive richer classes who engage in child trafficking for business purposes of sexual nature.

 

9. And finally, because they are scared

It is hard to even imagine the degree of trauma a CSA victim suffers from. They live in fear of the offender, the society and in some cases, of their own family members.

 

What can parents do? Educate.

It comes as a prime responsibility of the parents to encourage a healthy and friendly environment at home where children are able to talk freely about what makes them comfortable and vice versa. Moreover, parents should also teach their kids about what is an appropriate and inappropriate touch so that they are always aware.
Let’s take the cover off the CSA victim and put it on whom it is supposed to be, the offender.

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