Few months back I met few of my former students after a long gap of 21 years whom I taught in class 8 when I worked in a private school. Now they are proprietors of big business establishments at Delhi and responsible parents of lovely school going children. We had rekindled memories of their high school days nearly for two hours over dinner at a restaurant and I practically realized the extent to which acts of mental harassment committed by few teachers affect children throughout their life. They narrated how a particular teacher branded them unfit to study Advanced Mathematics at class 9 merely for the reason that they were not taking private tuition from him and how the school authorities blindly believed the words of the teacher without any concern for the feelings of the students. I really felt sad from the depth of my heart when they said, “Sir, the feeling of shame we underwent when we were kicked out from the Mathematics class still haunt us time to time. Even though we try to forget it, the mathematics books of our children provoke the pain of insults we underwent in front of our friends and make us depressed even today.” I could sense the feelings of anger, agony and depression in their words and facial expressions even after a span of 20 years of occurrence of the incident. While we were parting ways they requested me to ensure that such things never happen to any student under my care. In this article I would like to enlighten the readers about different types of child abuses existing in our schools and homes and also about the ways and means of protecting children from the ill effects of these cruel acts.
It is now globally recognized that punishment in any form or kind in school comes in the way of the development of the full potential of children. But in our society punishing children is regarded as normal and acceptable in all settings-whether in the family or in institutions. It is often considered necessary in order that children grow up to be competent and responsible individuals. It is widely used by teachers and parents regardless of its evident lack of effectiveness and potentially harmful side-effects. Its very ineffectiveness tends to result in an escalation spiral which then leads to both a culture of rationalization by those in authority and passive acceptance of the situation as evidence of ‘caring’ by children. So pervasive is the justification of corporal punishment that a child may not think her / his rights have been infringed upon. Even if the punishment hurts, the child does not feel the importance of reporting the incident. There are layers of beliefs and practices that cloak corporal punishment under guise of love, care and protection, when it is actually an abuse of authority that harms the child. This notion needs to be reviewed in the light of the widespread violence that exists in all institutions occupied by children.
Now let us see the meaning and different types of child abuses existing in homes and institutions. Any Act that may cause harm to a child’s health, survival, dignity and development is termed as Child Abuse. It has many forms: Physical, Emotional, Sexual, Neglect, and Exploitation.
Deliberately hurting a child causing injuries is called Physical Abuse. Children who are physically abused suffer violence such as being hit, kicked, burned, and slapped or having objects thrown at them.
Emotional abuse is the emotional maltreatment or emotional neglect of a child. It’s sometimes called psychological abuse and can seriously damage a child’s emotional health and development.
Sexual abuse is engaging a child in any sexual activity that may be touching or non-touching. Abuse may be conducted by an adult or another child who is developmentally superior to the victim.
Neglect or negligent treatment is purposeful omission of some or all developmental needs of the child by a caregiver with the intention of harming the child. This includes the failure of protecting the child from a harmful situation or environment when feasible.
Exploitation can be commercial or otherwise, where by the child is used for some form of labour, or other activity that is beneficial for others. Example: child labour or child prostitution.
Currently there is no statutory definition of corporal punishment of children in Indian law. Definition of corporal punishment can at best only be indicative. Any punishment imposed on children with the intention of causing physical hurt or discomfort may be called as corporal punishment. In keeping with the provisions of RTE Act, 2009, corporal punishment could be classified as physical punishment, mental harassment and discrimination.
Any action that causes pain, hurt/injury and discomfort to a child, however light comes under physical punishment. Acts of making children assume uncomfortable position (Standing on bench, kneeling etc), detention in the class room, library etc also fall under the definition of physical punishment.
Any non-physical treatment that is detrimental to the academic and psychological well-being of a child is called mental harassment. Few examples of these acts are humiliating or constantly criticizing a child, threatening, shouting at a child or calling them names, making the child the subject of jokes, or using sarcasm to hurt a child, pushing a child too hard or not recognizing their limitations, persistently ignoring them, never saying anything kind, never expressing positive feelings or congratulating a child on successes, never showing any emotions in interactions with a child etc.
It is understood as prejudiced views and behavior towards any child because of her / his caste/gender, occupation or religion and non-payment of fees or for being a student admitted under the 25 % reservation to disadvantaged groups or weaker sections of the society under the RTE Act, 2009.
Few examples of these acts are assigning different duties and seating in schools based on caste, community or gender, commenting on academic ability based on caste or community prejudices, deliberate / wanton neglect etc.
1. When adults use corporal punishment it teaches their children that hitting is an acceptable means of dealing with conflict. The more children are hit, the more is the anger they resort as adults and consequently the more they hit their own children when they become parents and more likely they are to approve of hitting.
2. Corporal punishment leads to adverse physical, psychological and educational outcomes- including increased aggressive and destructive behavior, increased disruptive behavior in the class room, vandalism, poor school achievement, poor attention span, increased drop-out rate, school avoidance and school phobia, low self esteem, anxiety, somatic complaints, depression, suicide and retaliation against teachers that emotionally scar the children for life.
3. Children subjected to punishment prefer aggressive conflict resolution strategies with peers and siblings and they do not consider it a violation of their rights.
4. There is an association between corporal punishment meted out to children and maladaptive behavior patterns in later life, such as aggression and delinquency.
5. The effects of various forms mental harassment or psychological maltreatment have shown that:
(a) Combination of verbal abuse and emotional neglect tend to produce the most powerfully negative outcomes
(b) Psychological maltreatment is a better predictor of detrimental developmental outcomes for young children than the severity of physical injury experienced by them
(c) It is the indicator most related to behavior problems for children and adolescents and
(d) Psychological abuse is a stronger predictor of both depression and low self – esteem than physical abuse.
6. A chronic pattern of psychological maltreatment destroys a child’s self and personal safety.
7. Subtle and overt forms of discrimination are also known to have a negative effect on the emotional and intellectual health of children.
In recognition of the harmful consequences of corporal punishment on the child, The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child stated that, “There is no ambiguity: ‘all forms of physical or mental violence’ does not leave room for any level of legalized violence against children. Corporal punishment and other cruel or degrading forms of punishment are forms of violence and States must take all legislative, administrative, social and educational measure to eliminate them.”
In the next issue we shall discuss about the Constitutional and Legal provisions made available in our country to protect children from corporal punishment.
