Menace of Child Abuse in India

Child abuse cuts across boundaries of geography, race, class, religion and culture. It may occurs anywhere. Perpetrators include parents, family members, teachers, caretakers, law enforcement authorities and other children. Some children are particularly vulnerable because of gender, race, ethnic origin, disability or social status. And no country is immune, whether rich or poor. The consequences of abuse can be devastating even children who survive must cope with terrible physical and emotional scars.

Research on Child Abuse is indeed a neglected area. The Constitution of India mandates the state under Article 39 to ensure that “Children are not abused and are protected against exploitation and against moral and material abandonment”. Unfortunately, the children in India are subjected to various forms of abuse. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines child abuse and child maltreatment as "all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child's health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power. The problem of child abuse is a clear replica of human rights violation and is a matter of worst forms of “child exploitation and abuse”. India records 19% of the world children and 1/3rd of the country’s population i.e. 440 million children are below 18 years and nearly 40% of the children are in need of care and protection and out of this 1,51,59,950 total children between 6 and 14 years leaving in Madhya Pradesh Of these, 19.63 lakh children never attended any educational institute while other 5.13 lakh dropped out at different levels. Present paper is based on secondary data. It will discuss problems and solutions for victim’s rehabilitation.