What has happened to today's children?

by Panchamee Hewavissenti

How cruel is the world today to harass children? Why can't they think that one time they were also children? Some people today act as if they have never gone through the stages of childhood.

Parents grumble that they can't send their children out because the outside world is not safe. But do you know that some children are not even safe at home? They are sexually harassed by their own fathers, grandfathers or brothers.

When I visited the Children's and Women's Bureau recently the officer-in-charge showed my male journalist a picture which he refused to show me. Later I asked my friend what he showed to him. It was a photo they got from a website. The six month old toddler was given a disgusting soother. You may think that toddlers won't be abused, but they are. They are abused even before they are able to walk or speak...

One of the plagues widespread in society is the increasing usage of mobile phones. They use the mobile as an ornament. The mobile usage is widely seen among the school children. Parents want their children to have mobiles to reflect their societal status.

Mobile phones and tuition classes are becoming increasingly popular in society. These are the very causes of child abuse. Some girls get out of their houses saying they are going for tuition classes. Almost everybody who go to tuition classes use mobile phones.

And when someone wants to start an affair with the girl he somehow gets to know her mobile number and talks to her, flatter her. The immatured girl is thus cheated and later the person tries to take her to a restaurant. The child is unable to curb her untrained desires and later faces tragedy.

Buddhika Balachandra the Officer-in-Charge at the Children and Women's Bureau cited many child abuse complaints they have received. "One girl who's going to an international school had been raped by three guys in her class.

Out of fear and shame she hasn't told anyone that she faced such a tragedy. She took twenty eight pills and was admitted to the hospital. Then her parents got to know what had really happened to their daughter".

The officer-in-charge further stresses, "They are now regretting they sent her to an international school. Because the child earlier attended a government school and the parents wanted their child to learn English and get on with high class people. One of the guys who raped her is a son of a famous lawyer in Sri Lanka. All three guys are now remanded".

He further says that the police found some videos filmed in Sri Lanka using children. He requests from the public if someone sees a familiar face, to let the responsible bodies know so that they will carry further investigations. The public can inform the Children and Women's bureau on 0112392535.

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