Child Abuse : Trauma and Treatment

The subject of child sexual abuse is still a taboo in India. There is a silence around the subject and a very large percentage of Indians feel that child sexual abuse is a largely western problem and that it does not happen in India. A part of the reason for this thinking lies in our traditional conservative family upbringing and community structure which doesn’t like talking about sex and sexuality at all. Parents don’t like talking to their children about sexuality as well as physical and emotional changes that children go through in their growing years. Not having a proper course on sex education in our school curriculums also adds to it. As a result of this, all forms of sexual abuse that a child faces do not get reported to anyone. There are times when the child doesn’t even realize that he is being sexually abused. The victims bury the incident as a painful and shameful one not to be ever told to anyone. The girl, whose family has not spoken to her about a basic biological issue like menstruation, would be unable to tell her parents about the uncle or neighbor who has made sexual advances towards her. The silence encourages the abuser to continue with his acts but leaves a lasting impression on the mind of the child.