#ProtectTheirInnocence: A Renewed Global Call To Action Against Child Sexual Abuse

NOTE: We are using this to push for more stringent laws against child sexual abuse. To support this call, kindly reshare this message with the hashtag #ProtectTheirInnocence. The number of shares it gets shows the amount of support it has, and therefore the degree of attention we can expect from our parliaments.

Introduction 

Recent heartbreaking reports of toddlers falling prey to sexual violence in Sudan’s conflict zones, underscore the urgent need for collective action - not just lamentation. It's time to transform our outrage into impactful change, prioritizing the safety and well-being of our most vulnerable citizens – our children. This article proposes a comprehensive framework to better protect our children from sexual predators globally, promoting a safer, more just world for all.

To start with, it's essential to acknowledge the devastating harm caused by child sexual abuse. Despite its severity, this critical issue often receives inadequate attention, largely due to a lack of understanding about its profound and long-lasting impact on victims. By recognizing the true extent of this harm, we can work towards creating a safer environment for children and providing necessary support to survivors.

The Effects Of Kid Sexual Abuse On The Victims And The Society

Sexual abuse can have severe and long-lasting effects on a child's physical, emotional, psychological, and social well-being. And, it goes beyond the victims to impact the rest of our society. From our research, here are some of these potential effects:

Physical Effects

1. Injuries: Physical injuries, such as bruises, cuts, or internal injuries, can occur during the abuse.

2. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): Children may contract STIs, including HIV, from their abusers.

3. Pregnancy: In many cases, older children become prematurely pregnant as a result of the abuse. Being unable to bear the child, many of them lose their lives to pregnancies.

Emotional and Psychological Effects

1. Anxiety and fear: Sexually abused kids may experience intense anxiety, fear, and hypervigilance, which can lead to difficulty sleeping, concentrating, or relaxing.

2. Depression: Sexual abuse can contribute to depression, low self-esteem, and self-blame in children.

3. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): The sexual abuse victims may develop PTSD, characterized by flashbacks, nightmares, and avoidance of triggers that remind them of the abuse.

4. Dissociation: These kid sex abuse victims may dissociate from their feelings, thoughts, or bodily sensations as a coping mechanism. This often leads to harmful effects like emotional numbing, struggles with intimacy, relationships, emotional intelligence, difficulty in recalling events, depression, increased risk of mental disorder, and more.

5. Shame and guilt: Following sexual abuse incidents, the kids may feel ashamed, guilty, or responsible for the abuse, which can lead to self-destructive behaviors.

6. Difficulty with relationships: Many people who were victims of kid sex abuse struggle with forming and maintaining healthy relationships due to trust issues, intimacy fears, or emotional dysregulation. Thus, their entire lives are ruined without special interventions.

7. Self-harming behaviors: Many of the victims are known to engage in self-harming behaviors, such as cutting or substance abuse, as a way to cope with their embattled emotions. There are indications that many of them may go as far as procuring suicide.

Behavioral Effects

1. Acting out behaviors: Many of the victims exhibit acting out behaviors, such as aggression, tantrums, or delinquency, as a way to express their emotions.

2. Withdrawal: The victims may withdraw from social interactions, become isolated, or exhibit avoidant behaviors.

3. Regressive behaviors: Many of the victims grow up exhibiting regressive behaviors, such as bedwetting, thumb-sucking, or clinging.

4. Sexualized behaviors: Sexually abused children may grow up engaging in sexualized behaviors, such as excessive masturbation or sexual acting out, as a result of the abuse. My findings also indicate a strong connection between kid sex abuse and the tendency to become prostitutes later in life.

Long-term Effects On Victims

1. Complex trauma: Children who experience sexual abuse may develop complex trauma, which can affect their emotional regulation, relationships, and overall well-being.

2. Mental health disorders: Kid sex abuse victims are at a higher risk of developing mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, or borderline personality disorder.

3. Substance abuse: People who experienced sexual abuse as kids may be more likely to engage in substance abuse as a way to cope with their emotions.

4. Difficulty with intimacy: Children who experience sexual abuse may struggle with forming and maintaining healthy intimate relationships in adulthood.

Impacts On Society

As we mentioned earlier, kid sexual abuse can have far-reaching and devastating impacts not only on the victims but also on society as a whole. Some of these impacts include:

1. Economic Burden: The cost of treating and supporting victims, as well as the economic impact of lost productivity and healthcare expenses, can be substantial.

2. Social Unrest: Kid sexual abuse can lead to a lot of social unrest. For example, there are instances where the relatives of kid sexual abuse went besides themselves and attacked the suspects, leading to a major breakdown of law and order.

3. Breakdown of Trust: Repeated cases of abuse can erode trust in institutions, such as schools, churches, and law enforcement agencies such as we have in Sudan.

4. Increased Crime Rates: Unaddressed trauma and behavioral problems can contribute to increased crime rates, including violent crimes and substance abuse. For example, my findings seem to indicate that certain kid sexual abuse victims may become serial killers, taking up arms against the offending gender.

5. Intergenerational Trauma: Untreated trauma can be passed down through generations, perpetuating cycles of abuse and neglect.

Weak Laws: The Major Reason We Found For The Most Egregious Cases Of Kid Sex Abuse

Based on our appreciation of the situation, the weakness of legal systems across the world is a significant contributing factor to some of the most appalling and devastating cases of child sexual abuse. For example, in Sudan (which is our reference point), the punishment for the sexual abuse of underage girl kids is outlined in the Sudanese Penal Code 2009 and the Child Act 2010.

The Sudanese Penal Code states that anyone who commits rape or sexual assault against a child shall be punished with imprisonment for up to 10 years, and may also be liable to whipping (Article 149). Imagine that! Only 10 years for such a serious crime?

The same applies to the country's Child Act 2010. While prohibiting all forms of violence against children, including sexual abuse, the Act states that anyone who commits sexual abuse against a child shall be punished with imprisonment for up to 10 years, and may also be liable to a fine (Article 43).

Here's the breakdown…

• Rape of a child attracts up to 10 years' imprisonment and whipping (Penal Code, Article 149)

• Sexual assault on a child attracts up to 5 years' imprisonment and whipping (Penal Code, Article 150)

• Indecent assault on a child attracts up to 3 years' imprisonment and whipping (Penal Code, Article 151)

As you might agree with us, the penalties for child sexual abuse crimes are woefully inadequate here, bearing little relation to the severity of the offense. This glaring disparity raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of the country’s justice system in deterring such heinous crimes. It's little wonder, then, that child sexual abuse remains a pervasive and deeply troubling issue in the Northeastern African country as reported.

Collective Responsibility And Call To Action

It's essential to acknowledge that kid sexual abuse is a societal problem that requires a collective response. To start with, we call on the United Nations through UNICEF to push for more stringent laws against the crime. Parliaments across the world should kindly follow suit 

For example, the rape of a child should attract nothing less than life imprisonment everywhere as it is in countries like USA, UK, and Australia. Sexual assault and indecent assault on a child should attract nothing less than 60 and 50 years’ imprisonment respectively.

Such penalties, we believe, should be enough to deter a good number of would-be kid sexual predators.

Other measures we can take to stem the tide of kid sexual abuse are:

1. Raising Consistent Awareness: A popular saying goes that “prevention is better than cure”. Accordingly, let's take detailed and consistent preventive measures to educate the members of our communities about the signs, symptoms, and impacts of kid sexual abuse. The awareness campaigns should include educating adults on why and how to avoid any temptation towards child sex abuse.

2. Support Victims Adequately: Let governments and NGOs provide adequate and accessible trauma-informed support services for victims and their families.

3. Hold Perpetrators Accountable: It's one thing to make laws but an entirely different thing to implement them. So, ongoing discussions and studies should focus on ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable through the justice system.

4. Implement More Institution-based Prevention Strategies: Develop and implement evidence-based prevention programs in schools, communities, workplaces, worship places, and other institutions.

Together, we can create a safer, more supportive environment for all children. Thank you.

SEE ALSO: Help For Those Who Are Sexually Attracted To Minors