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Abstract
Child sexual abuse affects all strata of Bangladeshi society. Children are vulnerable from
a very young age, with the risks for boys diminishing in their mid-teens as their physical strength
increases. Overall, girls are much more at risk and children with disabilities are particularly
vulnerable, as they are perceived to be easy to be victims. There are different types of child
abuse in different countries. In many ways, a sexually abused child is abuse twice, by the
perpetrator physically, and second by society, both psychologically and socially. The matter
becomes even more traumatic because the child and his family have to observe forced “silence”
on the matter. It may cause lots of bad effects among our children. We can reduce it by taking
same steps. Especially Parents & Government can play main roll for reducing child abuse. It
should be stop for our better society. The government of Bangladesh too appears to be
recognizing the growing problem and has introduced tougher laws to prevent it, though its
effective implementation is yet to be seen. We need such are society where the child get enough
freedom which they actually deserve. Moreover we have to ensure an environment where they
get the proper care & facility to grow up them completely and properly. We can say that child
5.5 Abandonment: 09
ID: 2009-2-13-024
7. Recommendation 12 A. K. M. Ezazul Haque,
1. Introduction:
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Child Abuse in Bangladesh: A Silent Crime
main victims of child abuse are broken family children, sex workers children, street children and
child labor. In Bangladesh, There are different types of abuse in our society which may always
not recognize. Child abuse has a great impact on Child’s health. In Bangladesh, it is in creasing
day by day. It is really shocking for us. Now a day’s children are not safe both in home and
outside. Some steps could be taken to prevent child abuse. Currently in Bangladesh, There are
many institutions that are very much active to make awareness among the people. Its should be
2. Definition
Child abuse or maltreatment constitutes all forms of physical and emotional ill-treatment,
actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a
relationship of responsibility, trust or power. Child abuse is the crime of harming a child in a
physical, sexual or emotional way. (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 8th Edition). All
types of abuse and neglect leave lasting scars. Some of these might be physical; however
emotional scarring has long term effects in the Child’s life. Most child abuse occurs in a child’s
home. For this reason, we can not know all of these abuses. Child sexual abuse is a hidden type
of abuse, which occurs both home and outside. It is very complicated form of abuse because of
its guilty.. In this country, children are vulnerable. Girls are much more at risk and disabled
children are also vulnerable. Bangladesh is very poor so that many child works as a labor and
some work as a maid, they are abused. Children are scared for this reason. They have a bad idea
about society. In some cases, they can not grow with suitable environment for them. At the day
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Child Abuse in Bangladesh: A Silent Crime
of March 19, 2010, I got news from “Daily Prothom Alo” that is about child abuse. One teacher
tortured his student for color pencil. It is really shocking. Our government gave an
announcement that teacher can not torture his students. If he or she torture, he will be punished.
3. Main Victims
As far as we know from the aspect from Bangladesh. The major categories are broken
family children, Lack of family unity, sex workers children, street children and child labor etc.
Parents who got divorce and do not look after their child properly; those children are one of the
major victims. Those children are one of the major victims. They have no shelter from their
parents, so that they are one of the major victims. The children of our local prostitutes who do
not have a positive environment to grow up also face this kind of abuse. Our society neglects
them so that they are very much abused. The children who lives in street or work specially as a
maid in the home, they are also victims. They don’t have a positive environment and positive
looking from our society, so that they are abused. Bangladesh is very poor country. Government
can not provide all of basic needs to us, for this reason children have to involve works. However
child worker is prohibited. Government can not be strict because of their lacking. In that case
children are abused when they work in the street or inside the home. Female child are very much
affected by sexual abuse. They are not safe even in their home. Male children are also abused by
There are many reasons of child abuse. Poverty is one of the main reasons. From the
aspects of Bangladesh we do not have enough facility from our government. In this case major
number of members involve in working, so that they are abused in their work place. Another
thing is that in some cases children are used as a prostitute in that time they are sexually abused.
They are sold by businessman. Sex discrimination is one of the other reasons. We divide male
and female child, then some people do wrong behave with them. Our society does not show a
positive behave for female child. They are very much neglect in our society. Most of the people
in Bangladesh are not conscious about family planning. For this reason, they produce a large
number of children and they can not look after them properly. In this case, their child may be
abused. Another thing is that most people are not aware about children. They do not give a
proper guide line to grow up children. In this reason Childs do not know what should they do?
They are not aware about internal and external threats of child. Early marriage is one of the other
main reasons of child abuse. Most of the people in Bangladesh are illiterate. They do not know
the effects of early marriage. They give marriage their female child so that the children are being
abused. They are abused physically and mentally in their father in laws house. They abused for
dowry also. It is really shocking news because in the rural area, it is increasing day by day. Some
times they do not know family manner so that they are mentally tortured by her husband as well
The paper aims to improve our understanding about the prevalence and determinants of
child abuse in rural Bangladesh. Data from the 1995 sample survey of 4643 children aged 10-15
year in 150 villages were used. Findings revealed that 21% of the children were in the labor force
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Child Abuse in Bangladesh: A Silent Crime
although the Bangladeshi laws prohibited child labor. The prevalence of child abuse and
exploitation was widespread in Bangladeshi villages as 2.3% of all children were physically
abused, 2% were financially exploited, 1.7% was forced to involve in inappropriate activities,
and 3% were forced to work for long hours. The prevalence of physical assault was much higher
among younger children although the probability of other types of abuse was higher among older
children. Boys were more exposed than girls to abuse of any kind. Poverty was also significantly
associated with child abuse. Multivariate analysis suggested that the out-of-school children and
the children of illiterate, landless and unskilled laborers were more likely to be abused than
others when age and sex of children were controlled. Maltreatment is also termed as child abuse.
Child abuse may be sexual, physical or emotional in nature. Depending on various factors and
situations, child abuse mars a child for life and may impede their progress and lifestyle. The
Child abuse is quite simply neglect by parents for their children. It can also come out of
mere neglect of the various needs of children as they grow up. A child may not have the
amenities and/or toys that their friends have. This kind of child abuse has a intense impact on the
child, as the child may grow up to be anything from an introvert to a person at war with the
entire society for no particular reason. Almost eighty percent of persons having experienced
child abuse are at the risk of developing severe psychiatric problems. A majority of these
children also face trauma and other disorder like the reactive attachment disorder. Some children
may also face depression and anxiety. Child abuse can be caused by parents, guardians, relatives
or even friends of the child. Any failure to provide the necessary commodities of a child life,
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Child Abuse in Bangladesh: A Silent Crime
more importantly food, clothing, shelter and medical care is termed as neglect. Further, if the
parents or guardians refuse or fail to provide the child with the financial support they require, it
can be termed as neglect. A number of child abuse cases have been found to have occurred in
institutions revolving around kids, like schools, residential schools, churches and even in
government agencies.
Physical abuse also plays an important part in deciding how the child grows up to be.
Isolated cases of physical abuse cannot be termed as child abuse. Physical abuse can be repeated
injuries and beatings, kicking, burns and other forms of torture. Physical abuse is one of the most
easily recognized child abuses as it is can be easily made out by the markings and bruises on the
body of the child. State and other laws say that any non-accidental physical injuries to the child
or other actions that result in physical impairments in the child are physical abuses.
The abuse that maybe mars the child's psychology to the greatest level is sexual abuse.
Sexual abuse is considered to be exposing the child, or making them partners in sexual or sex-
related acts. Sexually abused children are typically inclined not to disclose their experiences due
to feelings of guilt and shame, bonds of dependence upon the perpetrators and / or their inability
to understand the sexual meaning of the abuse. Obviously, this situation is further aggravated if
the perception and attitudes of adults toward children discourages girls and boys from expressing
their feelings or experiences, either positive or negative. In that case children who are sexually
9
Child Abuse in Bangladesh: A Silent Crime
abused are even less likely to share their trauma with their parents, teachers or relevant
authorities. Conversely, adults who value children’s opinions and create an inclusive
environment for children to express themselves will enable children to disclose all types of
information freely without fear and ridicule, even in case of sexual abuse. Sexual Abuse and
Substance abuse is also a type of child abuse under the law. If any manufacture or use of
a controlled substance abuse takes place in the presence of the child, it is termed as Substance
abuse. The manufacture may take place either in the presence of the child or premises occupied
by the child. Substance abuse also incorporates selling, distributing or giving drugs and alcohol
to the child.
5.5 Abandonment:
whereabouts of the parents are not known to the child, it is considered as a case of abandonment.
Abandonment also means that the child has been left by the parents in situations where they can
face physical harm, or if the parents have failed to keep in contact with the child for a large span
of time.
6. Effects:
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Child Abuse in Bangladesh: A Silent Crime
behaviors. There are various types of effects of child abuse on children. We can see many
physical complications because of child abuse. Some effects of physical child abuse include
stomachaches, migraines, gut problems or other physical symptoms not directly caused by the
abuse – these are psychosomatic indicators. Abused kids often feel exhausted, starving, or sick
most of the time. One possible effect of physical child abuse is passive aggressive behavior.
Child abuse is one of the main reasons of depression among children. Anger turned inward leads
to feelings of depression, and 80% of depressed teenagers don't get help. They're more likely to
suffer another bout of depression in their early 20s, and abuse drugs and alcohol. Victims of
child abuse are also suffering from isolation. Abused kids are less likely to make friends and
more likely to be rejected by their peers. An effect of child abuse is skipping school without
anybody noticing, stopping eating without anyone caring, or spending time with people doing
things better left undone (these can be consequences of neglect). Abused kids’ health,
achievements, and adulthood are affected by sexual and physical child abuse – and not "just" by
feelings of low self-worth. Abused kids are more likely to suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome,
depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The symptoms of physical child abuse don't end
Being abused doesn't mean a child – or adult – will automatically have an unhappy life.
It's not the abuse that can ruin everything – it's how individuals deal with problems that make or
break their future. Sexual abuse of children and youth is shrouded in secrecy, guilt and fear.
Offenders use intimidation and threats to keep the child from telling, but the number one reason
children and youth don't tell is that they are afraid they won't be believed. Though there is
widespread under-reporting of child molestation by both male and female victims, males are
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Child Abuse in Bangladesh: A Silent Crime
much less likely to disclose. In addition to distorting children's thoughts, abuse also forces
children into a position of having to "hide the family secret". This prevents children from having
real relationships and has life-long effects. And because our ability to form healthy social
relationships is learned, abused children are deprived of many skills necessary to navigate the
social world. Their entire concept of a relationship is distorted. This leads to problematic
relationships in life and even on the job. Another disturbing aspect of abuse is the experiential
restraint it puts on children. If a child fears doing anything new because of the chance that it will
lead to a violent attack or because an abusive parent keeps extremely tight control over them, the
child will lose his or her sense of curiosity and wonder at the world and will stop trying new
things and exercising his or her mind. That child will never achieve his or her intellectual
potential. There is a long list of outcomes for children experiencing abuse. They range from
The point is that abuse increases a child's risk of developing a number of health and
psychological problems.
Others effects may be Academic difficulties; Aggressive behavior; Alcohol and other
drug abuse; Anxiety; Attention problems; Bad dreams; Bed wetting; Behavior problems; Chronic
speeding; Dehydration; Depression; Dissocialize states; Eating disorders; Failure to thrive; Fear
or shyness; Fear of certain adults or places; Frequent injuries; Insomnia; Learning problems;
Lying; Malnutrition; Panic attacks; Physical symptoms such as headaches and stomach aches;
Repeated self-injury; Risky sexual behaviors; Running away; Self neglect; Separation anxiety;
Sexual dysfunction; Sleep disorders; Social withdrawal; Stealing; Stuttering; Substance abuse;
7. Recommendation:
Child Abuse are, sadly, not uncommon in Bangladesh. To create a suitable society for our
children to grow up, we have to take some steps. These recommendations are described below:
• We have to open our eyes to this fact. We have to make a positive environment where
Parents can understand their child and Children can discuss problems without any hesitation.
We all have to join hands to make an effort to spread this message by verbal, written and
• We have to create a suitable environment for children to live freely. We can raise awareness
• Many children face sexual harassment and, in most cases, the perpetrators are close relatives,
like uncles or cousins. Mahmuda Islam, Professor at Dhaka University's Social Science
Department, says, "Children are sexually harassed mainly by close relatives in the family or
neighbors. This is one of the reasons why a majority of such incidents are not made public."
• Our social attitude must change. We should also teach children about the dangers they may
face. Parents and other family members can attribute to reduce child abuse. They have to
give space to their child to talk freely. Sometimes children feel confusion about what they
should do if they are abused. Children should be encouraged to discuss problems with their
parents.
national and international partners including the private sector, and civil society. People
among our society, have to come forward to prevent this child abuse. Government, NGOs
and international organization can work together to understand the context of abuse, identify
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Child Abuse in Bangladesh: A Silent Crime
signs of abuse and provide sensitive and empathic care. A range of approaches including
residential care, psychotherapy and community-based programs have been found useful.
Currently in Bangladesh, There are many institutions that are very much active to make
Many national organizations are working in the very root level of child abuse. Breaking
Bangladesh. It is established in 1993. Its main purposes are to make awareness and to create a
positive environment and protective behavior in the society. Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar (Child
Rights) Forum, established in 1990, is an apex body of 200 NGOs of Bangladesh working in the
child rights sector. The vision of Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum is to establish a healthy,
child-rights enriched society, free of abuse, exploitation and discrimination for the disadvantaged
children of Bangladesh. Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) is a national legal aid and human rights
organization, established in 1986. Their goal is to establish the rule of law based on the
principles of equality, democracy, human rights, justice and gender equity. Bangladesh Institute
of Human Rights is established in 1992. The Areas of expertise are Child labor and working
children, Children and education, Children and health, Children and participation, Children and
violence, Children in conflict with the law, Children with disabilities, Children working and
living on the street, Gender and girls, Individual cases of violations, Minority or indigenous
children, Reporting to and monitoring the CRC, Rights based programming, Sexual exploitation
of children.
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Child Abuse in Bangladesh: A Silent Crime
abuse. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is an international organization who cares
about children right. They arrange funds and provide financial help to the victims. It was created
by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946; The International Labor
Organization (ILO) is created by United Nations that deals with labor issues. It survey about
9. Case Study:
Name of victim: Shila Begum, the daughter of Mr. Badshah Ali, the permanent resident of
Alleged perpetrators:
1. Mr. Alamgir Kabir Elias Shaukat, Sub Inspector of the RAB-1 in Dhaka
2. Ms. Nipa Begum, the wife of Mr. Alamgir Kabir Elias Shaukat
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from a reliable
source regarding the alleged abuse of a child maid by the officer of the Rapid Action Battalion-1
The victim is Shila Begum, who is a minor living in Krishana Pur village, Puthiya police
station, Rajshahi district, Bangladesh. About 9 month ago, she was hired as a maid by Ms. Nipa
Begum, the wife of Mr. Alamgir Kabir Elias Shaukat, who is the Sub Inspector (SI) of the Rapid
Action Battalion-1 in Dhaka. On or around 24 May 2007, Nakshi, the daughter of Ms. Nipa
Begum, allegedly broke a spice blending stone but she falsely accused Shila for the damage. For
this petty matter, Ms. Nipa Begum allegedly struck Shila's head with a cutting instrument
(known locally as a chhunni) and also pressed ! a lighte d candle light to her chest. It is also
alleged that the RAB SI Alamgir kicked Shila with his boots. Shila fell to the floor and her hand
was broken. On 24 May 2007, Ms. Nipa Begum allegedly took Shila to the Puthia Bazar at
Rajshahi and left her without paying her any salary or providing any medical treatment. Shila
was rescued by her neighbor who took her to her father Mr. Badshah Ali. After that, she was
admitted to a local health complex and her condition improved after getting proper medical
Mr. Jasim Uddin, the Officer-in-Charge of the Puthia police station, confirmed that the
victim's father lodged a complaint about the incident on 26 may 2007. The First Information
Report (FIR) has been reportedly forwarded to the Dakhhinkhan police station. However, the
AHRC has been informed that there has been no development of the investigation into the
incident to date. The two alleged perpetrators, Ms. Nipa Begum and Mr. Alamgir Kabir Elias
Shaukat have not been arrested. Meanwhile, when she was contacted by a human rights
organization, Ms. Nipa Begum claimed that Shila was tortured not by her and her husband, but
by her father. She also refused to reveal her residential address. There is an allegation that after
the victim's father lodged a complaint at the Puthia police station, the concerned RAB official
and his wife exerted pressure upon a local journalist, human rights activists and police officers
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Child Abuse in Bangladesh: A Silent Crime
by various ways to escape their responsibility. When interviewed by the local human rights
group, Shila could not remember the specific date of torture. However, she reported that she was
ill-treated several times from April 24 May 2007.Shila's father, quite naturally wants justice for
10. Conclusion
A book on child abuse could not have been written one hundred years ago. If an
investigator from the 1970s were to be transported back to the nineteenth century so that he
could survey the family scene with modern eyes, child abuse would be clearly visible to him.
Abused children in particular are believed to have a much greater than average risk of
developing emotional and behavioral problem as a more long standing consequence of parental
treatment. In conclusion, placing structural barriers at the centre of any analysis of child abuse
prevention is crucial for understanding the constraints on prevention. At the very least,
maltreatment and other social forces and provides the professional and wider communities with
issues for further consideration when developing prevention programs. Child abuse is not only
wrong but it is immortal. Our children are the future leader of the next generation and need to be
treated like that. So it should be our motto that, “save our children to save.
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Child Abuse in Bangladesh: A Silent Crime
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