BY SHAY CULLEN
UNTIL violence against children – physical, emotional, psychological and sexual – comes to an end, peace will likely never come to the world.
This heinous crime against vulnerable children is a violation of human rights. It creates life-long suffering, anguish and pain that last into adulthood. The memories are hard to eradicate, they shape and influence character and personality, making victims to be who they are.
Many victims endure memories of abuse. They are resilient, brave and courageous. They become good, virtuous adults. However, other victims can become negative, vengeful and cruel, lacking empathy and compassion. They can be violent and even become powerful leaders and tyrants, killing thousands with impunity such as Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Genghis Khan and many more.
Millions of adults have never reported the childhood abuse they experienced. They endure the buried pain throughout their lives and are re-victimized by society that stigmatizes and shames victims, even blaming them for being abused. As children, they feared adult anger if they complained and accused their abusers.
They fear they will not be believed and even punished for reporting that they were sexually abused. Most victims, it seems, cannot trust adults or the justice system. Child abuse is a secret crime. The word of a child against that of a more intimidating powerful adult carries little credibility. That is all the more true if their abusers are people in authority or clerics.
Why is it that the sensitive reality and truth of childhood abuse is shunted aside by society? It is seldom discussed and nearly always avoided and denied. It is hidden in families, denied by people in authority, covered up by leaders of institutions and even by church authorities and ministers. All too often, it is ignored and not treated as a top priority as it should be, being a heinous crime.
This situation is real today but there is hope as in some places, it is slowly changing. In this #MeToo generation, more victims are reporting abuse and the media, some law enforcers, good prosecutors and the courts are responding and implementing the hard-won laws to hold abusers to account. However, it is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
The #MeToo movement has opened up the subject to the public. Some victims do get help and there are more non-government organizations (NGOs) offering help and shelter but few have a healing therapy to empower and give legal action to get justice for the victims and jail for the abusers to prevent more children being abused. The Preda Foundation offers full protection for victims, therapeutic services, legal action, healing and empowerment. The children win an average of 16 convictions a year against their abusers.
However, prevention through public awareness-building is essential. Considering that one in every three girls and one in six boys suffer childhood sexual abuse, the number of victims is huge. (To be continued)/PN
