How the Long Silence Maims
August 17th, 2007 by Anindita Sengupta
Thirteen-year-old Kenia from Madagascar has been in and out of hospital for the last few years. Among other things, she suffers from anorexia and incontinence and has had to undergo a colostomy. Kenia was sexually violated by her uncle when she was nine. She is just one of many children in sub-Saharan Africa, whose life has been maimed by sexual abuse. The problem is devastatingly common according to this article and abuse cases are on the rise in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya and other African countries.
WHO called it a “silent health emergency” three years ago. In their report, they pinpointed the causes as “economic poverty, and in some cases, affluence, armed conflicts and the breakdown of family and social systems”. They also pointed out that:
There is usually a strong element of denial and guilt if the suspected perpetrator is a family member. If a girl is sexually abused, she loses her worth for marriage. The child lives with the trauma but without professional and social counselling and support. The mother’s low status in the family and certain social taboos prevent reporting of such incidents. The superstitious belief that sex with a virgin is a cure for HIV/AIDS is accentuating the problem.
Like in Kenia’s case, the problem usually strikes frighteningly close to home. According to studies cited by Advocates for Youth, 51 percent of children between six months and 15 years of age receiving medical treatment for sexual abuse in rural South Africa have been abused by a neighbor, an acquaintance, a lodger or a stranger. In Zimbabwe, half of reported rape cases involve girls less than 15 years of age and girls are most vulnerable to sexual abuse by male relatives, neighbors and school teachers.
What is even more horrific at some level are the quick-fix solutions sought. In Zimbabwe, rape cases are sometimes settled out of court. The perpetrator either pays compensation to the girl’s father or pays a bride price and marries the girl.
The emphasis is on avoiding the costs that the family will have to incur financially (for treatment) and socially in terms of public shame and dishonour. In such cases, the child herself is a forgotten entity.
Apart from the tremendous psychological impact on a child, sexual abuse can also lead to infections, sexually transmitted diseases, internal lacerations and damage to internal organs. Young girls are vulnerable in multiple ways — because of age and gender — and in poorer families, because of economic disadvantages as well. WHO has suggested guidelines for child sexual abuse prevention here. The guidelines recommend, among other things:
…a set of priority interventions such as vigorous advocacy and communication, enhanced law enforcement and the development of a standardized protocol for clinical care and management.
The education of the child is an important component. Child sexual abuse often occurs in familiar spaces, among known people. The effects are also often exacerbated because the abuse is continued over a period of time. Children must know how to recognize abuse, yes. But equally crucial is that they feel that they can immediately talk to their parents about it. The conviction that they will be heard, and believed, no matter how close the perpetrator is to the family is vital. In many families, parents and children communicate at a superficial level constrained by misguided notions of propriety. Parents are loathe to discuss anything remotely related to sex with children because they want to preserve their innocence. This silence can be dangerous.
In more traditional societies, efforts must be made to delink necessary information on sexual matters from conventional ideas of morality. Children are often aware of their vulnerability, and scared as a result of this awareness. This fear leads to an inability to speak up. Providing them with a safe harbour is important. Stop It Now!, an organization that works in this area, provides tips here on what adults can do to prevent child sexual abuse — and help their children prevent it.
Schools can and should play a pivotal role in creating awareness and sensitivity. Unfortunately, many of our educational systems are floundering under antiquated notions of what must be taught and what can be omitted. So while, children are taught the names of people who fought wars 5000 years ago, they are not given information on how to protect themselves. Self defence, which should be a priority, seldom figures on the curriculum. Increasingly, the skills taught at school are irrelevant to what is required for survival in the real world.
The challenges are graver and more complex in societies where families have broken down and schools are poor, understaffed and lack resources. Meanwhile, Kenia’s situation remains bleak.
A surgeon who examined her this month said a full recovery was unlikely. The uncertainty preys on Kenia, her mother said. “Sometimes she tells me, ‘My body is hurting. I have so many problems. I don’t go to school. I just feel this sickness all around me,’” she said.
Betombo, who sexually abused her, is a free man. Kenia’s parents want justice for their daughter but they’ve almost given up hope. It is for girls like Kenia that the long journey towards change must continue. And the silence must be broken.