INTERNATIONAL DAY OF INNOCENT CHILDREN VICTIMS OF AGGRESSION- "BEHIND CLOSED DOORS"
Children are too often at the receiving end of acts of aggression, whether they be related to violence at home or in school or arm conflict, gangs, etc. Violence claims the lives of too many children every year and affects millions worldwide. It is a time to recognize the sufferings of children for whom aggression has taken a physical, mental, or emotional toll.
On the home front, some estimate that as many as 275 million children worldwide are exposed to domestic violence. Domestic violence knows no ethnicity, geography or status. The child victims of such attacks may develop behavioral and psychological
problems, depression and suicidal thoughts. They are also at a greater risk of substance abuse, early pregnancy and criminal actions.
In Bangladesh, every year approximately 4,381 children’s experienced different forms of violence, of whom 1,383 children have been subjected to sexual violence. About 88.8% of children, 1-4 years experienced some form of physical punishment or psychological aggression, and 51% of marriages are child marriage. (1)
When arm conflict erupts, the innocents of society often bear the greatest burden of the conflict. As a result of international conflicts, countless children have been killed or maimed and many of those who have survived have lost their parents and their means of substance. The purpose of the day is to acknowledge the pain suffered by children throughout the world who are victims of physical, mental and emotional abuse. This day affirms the UN's commitment to protect the rights of children.
According to reports, violence against children like troubling dynamics in families may be drug or alcohol or mental health problems, is on the rise in Bangladesh amid the COVID-19 lockdown due to lack of social activities and financial pressure are increasing rifts within families. Due to pandemic emotional trauma caused by movement restrictions, school closure and isolation will only intensify the already high levels of stress that vulnerable children who live in the frontline communities have to contend with.
Protecting children from violence, exploitation, abuse should be a priority of all parties in a conflict just as it should be all family members in a home. Today is an occasion to acknowledge the pain, but also resilience that we can overcome it by working together.
Bubbles aren't transparent, we can't see what's going on inside families. We know there's a strong association between poverty and family violence and child abuse. It is therefore likely knowing what we do in some of the overseas trends that as stress from lockdown increased, it’s likely that abuse and neglect will also commensurately increase which is going to have a long term effect on a child's mental health.
"AT THE END OF THE DAY WE WILL BREAK A BUBBLE TO SAVE A CHILD'S LIFE".
Fantastic