Sexual abuse of children is a bitter reality. The Noida horror is a grim reminder of this disgusting evil practice. Parents, teachers and mass media must share prime responsibilities to eradicate this evil from our society.
WHAT HAPPENED IN Nithari, Noida will surely haunt the psyche of the nation for quite sometime. It is horrible, disgusting, and tormenting, even to think of the evil spirit that has descended on this earth. Words cannot describe the vileness of the tragedy.
A paedophile, assisted by another abominable creature, lured children from his neighbourhood for more than two years. Together they abused them, mutilated their bodies and then casually got rid off the remains in their own backyard. Poor, innocent children disappeared from the village at an alarming frequency. The irresponsible police, as is obvious, treated the complaints with callous disregard, which they often reserve for the poor and helpless. In the meanwhile, the devils went on abusing and killing the innocent victims, one after another, without giving a damn to the 38 innocent lives they took.
It is outrageous to believe that the unconcerned police never deemed it fit to act on the complaints of the parents or even register an FIR. Instead, they encouraged the two depraved men to continue with their acts of criminal perversion by not taking any action for more than two years. Equally surprising is the fact that no one in the vicinity noticed anything suspicious. This clearly shows the apathy and values, which characterise our daily lives.
It is true that the two accused, an industrialist and his servant, are not the first paedophiles we have heard of or read about. Also, it is not the first reported case of serial killings in human history. However, the laxity and negligence on the part of the police and the administration, the aloofness of the society or one’s own neighbourhood, and the barbarity of the crime are disconcerting and demoralizing.
Of all the crimes committed against children, paedophilia is the worst, as it leaves the abused children physically and mentally battered for the rest of their lives. The number of surveys and data available on the subject suggest that paedophilia is more common than most people know or can think of.
A paedophile, usually a male, could be anybody - a relative, a neighbour, a teacher, or a servant. The proximity provides an easy access to the victim. A paedophile, in some cases can be a stranger, like the accused in the Nithari incident, who uses enticements, such as chocolates, to lure children into his trap.
Psychologists treat paedophilia as an addiction rather than a mental illness. There are not much in-depth case studies on the topic, as most of the abused children never gather the courage to come out in the open against the perpetrators; or in many cases the family chooses to hush up the matter to avoid further embarrassment and trauma to the child as well the family. And, more often than not, if the paedophile happens to be from the family, the incident is given a quiet burial. Some of the available material include Indian author Pinky Virani’s book Bitter Chocolate, which discusses the prevalence of this crime against children in our society.
It is important to discuss how in future we can shield our children from paedophiles. There are laws. In the year 2003, the then Goan government enacted a comprehensive piece of legislation to put an end to the exploitation of children under 18 years of age, and to save the unsuspecting children from the paedophile ring.
Even though the law may act as a deterrent against child abuse, it may not be sufficient, as every case of child abuse may not be taken to court. There is a need for educating the children at an early age about possible attempts usually made by paedophiles. The parents are in a relatively better position to educate the children in this regard. Teachers also can prove very helpful. Educational institutions, government bodies, and voluntary organisations may further facilitate by spreading awareness about this evil practice among the least literate sections of the society.
The challenge before us, the parents, is to make our children aware of the presence of shady characters in society, and of their wiles and deviousness.
Children usually see things in black and white. For them it is not easy to make out the right and wrong. They are not mature enough to see the shades in between. The challenge is to make them aware of the presence of bad people, who would pretend to be friendly only to take advantage of their (children’s) innocence, gullibility, and vulnerability.
And, we have to do it without tinkering the innocence of the children, lest the child would end up suspecting everyone and everything. It is not an easy task. Who says parenting in modern times is an easy job?
Viral Thaker
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