So............There is a lot of ways where society can play their role in child abuse prevention

TOGETHER WE PREVENT CHILD ABUSE.............

WE CAN DO SOMETHING FOR CHILDREN.............

Encourage Society Awareness

Society is more aware on child abuse	Share
This is the fifth part from a series of features on social issues, focussing on children. KUALA LUMPUR - There were 819 reported cases of child abuse nationwide in the period of January-April this year, according to the Social Welfare Department's (JKM) statistics. Of these cases, 549 involved girls and the rest, boys. Selangor recorded the highest number of cases at 320 followed by Perak (91) and Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory at 79. Based on the statistics for 2007 and 2008, Selangor was the state that recorded the highest number of child abuse cases in the country. The state recorded 816 of such cases in 2007 and 949 in 2008. Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory was second at 444 and 595 cases for 2007 and 2008 respectively. "The number of abuse cases in the Klang Valley is high, partly due to the big population size and stress. "Furthermore, the society is now more aware of its social responsibility to report such cases," JKM's Director (Children) Nor Amni Yusoff told Bernama in an interview held at Menara Tun Ismail here recently. Various means Nor Amni said the public can used the various means to report child abuse cases. They can do it by calling the hotline 'Talian Nur 15999' or send e-mails and letters. She said close to 90% of the abuse reports received by JKM came via the Talian Nur hotline launched by the Women and Family Development Ministry in December 2007. The effectiveness of this Talian Nur can be seen from the drastic increase in the number of reported abuse cases. Nor Amni said there was a jump of 501 reported abuse cases from 2,297 in 2007 to 2,780 cases last year. In comparison, there was only an increase of 280 cases from 2006 to 207. "We have held large scale publicity on this Talian Nur. This hotline is in four languages -- Malay, English, Tamil and Mandarin. Apart from acting on reports lodged, this hotline also handles enquiries about the ministry. "Talian Nur operates round-the-clock and is handled by a company trained by the ministry. It receives reports on abuse cases apart from enquiries on the ministry. "For calls on information, the operator would provide the required information but if the call is on abuse, then the caller would be referred to the respective JKM officer," she said. Immediate action According to Nor Amni, upon receiving a report on an abuse case, the JKM officer would act within one hour to ensure that the child is immediately rescued. "However, at times our people were unable to act as the information given was incomplete particularly the location of the home (address). There were also instances of false reports," she said. JKM would however investigate each of the reports lodged. At least for the false alarms, the parents would know that the society's eyes and ears were on the safety of their children, she said, adding that for some abuse cases, the JKM officer or child protector would be accompanied by officers from other agencies and the police. The rescued children would be sent to the hospital for a medical examination and the doctor's report on the case. "We want to know whether the abuse is dangerous or the otherwise. If it is dangerous, we would lodge a police report," she said. Apart from Talian Nur, the public can also use the Teledera (1-800-88-3040) hotline to lodge reports on child abuse cases. However the number of reports lodged via this hotline was small. Teledera operates during the office hours. After these hours, the Red Crescent Society takes over and any report that ensues would be referred to the JKM. Now and forever The abuse of children is not something new in this country. In the past, these cases went unreported as the society saw it as a way to discipline the child. Nor Amni said the society then was more tolerable on such cases as the abuse at that time was not as bad as that committed today. "Before, the parents were not under tremendous pressure as that they experience now. To me stress plays a crucial role in the abuse of children now where the pressure on life is real heavy. "Now most of the parents are working, there is no family support. Now we have more small families. Before we used to have more big families. Our children can be taken care by our relatives or their grandparents who live together with them. "Before, people do not lodge reports because not only they did not care but also not to tarnish the family honour rather than giving priority to the interest of the victims. "There were mothers who knew but refrained from lodging reports as they were unemployed and if their husbands go to jail who would support the family? That was the previous situation. Now the mothers are better off and they are not willing to see the daughters becoming sex slaves for their fathers," she said, adding that incest cases in the country involved all races. Child Act 2001 For the abuse cases, particularly the physical abuse cases, the JKM can take legal action against the parents under the Child Act 2001. However the department had, so far, not taken action to punish the parents as it wants to provide the opportunity for them to be rehabilitated through a counselling programme. "For abuse cases, we try not to punish the perpetrators. Parents do not simply abuse their children, but the stress from the surrounding environment pushed them to lose their patience. In some of the abuse cases, the children were also responsible. "For parents who do not know how to deal with the situation, they would easily lose their patience particularly if the child is hyperactive or disabled", said Nor Amni. She said JKM would continue to monitor the parents even though a particular abuse case was closed. For the abused child who needs to be separated from their parents, the child would be placed with a foster family or an institution of the JKM usually for three years. "If we find that the parents, after attending counselling, can have their child back, then we can shorten the period of the child's stay at our institution. "However if the parents remained unchanged even after the three years, we would go back to the court to ask for extension and there were cases where the child reached 18 years old, " said Nor Amni. She said there were cases where the parents could not be traced after three years, forcing the child to stay at the institution until the person is 18 years old. Child's rights Each of JKM's policies and programmes is designed to protect the rights of all children in Malaysia. According to Nor Amni, this is in line with the United Nations' Convention of The Rights of The Child (CRC). She said under this convention, the child has four rights -- the right to live, the right for protection, the right to participation and the right for development. Nor Amni said Malaysia signed the CRC in 1995 and needs to ensure that all provisions under the convention are adhered to. Hence the society needs to improve their role as the welfare of children is a joint responsibility. "As members of the society, we cannot run away from this responsibility . The child is not other people's but also ours. We should think that all of the children are our children. We must lodge reports on child abuse. "We hope more would come forward to give their cooperation and perform their responsibility for the sake of the children's future'.

Article for child abuse in Malaysia

Child Abuse Cases in Malaysia

Child abuse can be defined as intended or unintended harm to a child by another person who may be parents, relatives or guardians. There are four major categories which are physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and emotional abuse.

The cases in Malaysia are getting serious; according to Social Welfare Department of Malaysia indicated each year at least 1,000 children in Malaysia are reported as victims. With high statistics of child abuse, children rights are taken away and children also loose the opportunity to live healthy and happily.

It is a repulsive issue for the society and it would affect the image of the country. Furthermore, it is a big problem with a serious impact on the child's physical and mental health, well-being and development throughout their lives. Children should have the human rights of live free from violence, harm and exploitation.

Nowadays, government have organized Child abuse prevention campaign which help the them escape from abuse and also educate the public to love the children. Children are the hope in the future of the country and the well-being of children is very important.

There are few organization which included Protect and care the children (P.S the children), Malaysian Pediatric Association (MPA), Social Welfare Department of Malaysia, The Women's Aid Organization (WAO) and The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). These few organization is playing important roles to protect the children; in addition they always concern about the issues of child abuse and try their best to give the best life for the children. Children are future leader in our country and they are innocent and have right or opportunity to stay healthy and happily.

Wealth Mastery Academy are now launching new courses which is IMM (Internet Marketing Mastery) on 08 January 2010. p/s: lets we think and try to find the solution for this problem. why do children have to suffer while they are still in the young age. why do people keeps lets this thing happened. stop writing or talking put your pen down and think to this problem.

Ways to overcome this problem

Teach your children the difference between acceptable and unacceptable touching, and to trust their instincts about people. Educate yourself about the signs of abuse so you'll be able to detect it.

Things You'll Need:

• Yellow Pages
• Telephones
• Therapists

1. 1

   Understand that "child abuse" means any kind of harm done to a child and does not just mean sexual abuse.

2. 2

   Teach your children that there is a difference between "good" and "bad" touches. Explain what these are.

3. 3

   Explain that no one has the right to hurt your child or touch him or her in private areas or touch in anyway that makes him or her feel uncomfortable.

4. 4

   Tell your children that the words they need to remember are No, Go, Yell, Tell. If anyone touches them in a way they don't like or tries to get them to go with a stranger or person they don't feel comfortable with they should always say "No!" and ...

5. 5

   Go away from the person or situation as quickly as possible.

6. 6

   Use their danger voice to yell. A danger voice is a very loud, low-pitched yell, that gets attention immediately. It is not a high-pitched screech. It should never be used in any other situation.

7. 7

   Tell a parent, teacher or caregiver immediately about what happened.

8. 8

   Help your children understand that they need to be wary not just of the traditional idea of "strangers" but of anyone who makes them feel uncomfortable, even if it is someone they know - like the next-door neighbor.

9. 9

   Talk to your children about situations they must avoid, like taking any food or medicine from a person who is not a parent, teacher, caregiver or close friend. Help them understand how to identify a police officer. Take them to the local police station and let them see what a uniform looks like and what a badge looks like.

10. 10

    Show your children how to make a collect call to home and how to call 911.

11. 11

    Learn what the signs of abuse are so that you will notice if something is going on with your child. Look for bruises, burns, bloody or missing underwear, difficulty with bowel movements or urination, problems with walking or sitting, behavior problems, inappropriate sexual behavior, sore genitals or anything that just makes you feel there is something amiss.

12. 12

    Get help from the police, social services department or through a child abuse hotline if you suspect there is a problem.

    
    

    this is some advice for parents who does not know how to protect their children while they are at work.

Be a nurturing parent.

Children need to know that they are special, loved and capable of following their dreams.

Help a friend, neighbor or relative.

Being a parent isn’t easy. Offer a helping hand take care of the children, so the

parent(s) can rest or spend time together.

Help yourself.

When the big and little problems of your everyday life pile up to the point you feel

overwhelmed and out of control – take time out. Don’t take it out on your kid.

If your baby cries…

It can be frustrating to hear your baby cry. Learn what to do if your baby won’t stop

crying. Never shake a baby – shaking a child may result in severe injury or death.

 Get involved.

Ask your community leaders, clergy, library and schools to develop services to meet the

needs of healthy children and families.

Help to develop parenting resources at your local library.

Promote programs in school.

Teaching children, parents and teachers prevention strategies can help to keep children

safe.

Monitor your child’s television and video viewing.

Watching violent films and TV programs can harm young children.

Volunteer at a local child abuse prevention program.

Encourage Society Awareness

What is needed?

• Reporting mechanisms and accountability - Oftentimes, victims do not report abuse because the authorities or authority figures are the abusers. There is a vacuum of accountability and justice due to a fear of reprisals from their attackers and/or local authorities. In the rare case where children feel safe enough to come forward with reports of abuse, the protective guardians (parents, community members) often don’t know where they can go for help or how to address the injustice.
• Legal standards and consequences-Abuse occurs at the hands of different types of offenders and, depending on age, circumstance and severity of abuse, must be dealt with through varying means ranging from intensive therapy to long-term incarceration. Perpetrators must be held accountable for acts of sexual abuse and rape, though the issue of cultural competency must be considered, as well as sensitivity towards the victims. However, populations generally know very little about offenders or how to manage them appropriately and adequately. In some countries, attackers are vindicated and the crime is considered nullified as long as they marry the victim. This practice is an unacceptable and outrageous violation of human rights that should be addressed through countries’ legal, judicial and relevant indigenous mechanisms. In parts of Africa, a societal misunderstanding of abuse exists and reports of abuse rarely make it to any type of authority. A rape counselor at a clinic in Sierra Leone explained that parents tend to blame the children for the abuse. "They beat them first to get an explanation of what happened, and then again as punishment."Societal norms against child sexual abuse and support for some type of justice mechanism are necessary so that perpetrators are made fully aware of the gravity of the crime and know that consequences will follow.
• Protection for susceptible children and prioritizing prevention- Programming for support of orphans and street children are important to protect them from exploitation. Children need protection, vocational training and empowerment in order to avoid abuse. Community centers and safe houses could help with this dimension. Also, these highly vulnerable children need to have a trustworthy, effective outlet in order to report abuse and receive the help they need to cope with the trauma.
• Protection for victims of abuse - Victims’ security must be guaranteed in order to ensure that they are able to seek medical attention and justice without fear of reprisals from the perpetrator or local authorities or stigmatization from their communities.
• Community-based, culturally sensitive programming - Community based educational programming that addresses the stigma of rape and sexual abuse are imperative in order to encourage victims to come forward and receive help and the emotional support they need from their families and communities. Communities must be made aware of options of recourse and how to address the issue with sensitivity. Outreach, training and education directed towards the community, service providers and parents is an essential component as well so that children can feel safe in reporting abuse to an adult that will listen and take the appropriate action. Organizations such as Stop the Silence work in this arena.

Is this Humanity

Wednesday July 28, 2010

Man held over abuse of baby girl

By MARTIN CARVALHO and ALLISON LAI
malacca@thestar.com.my

MALACCA: Police have arrested a man in his 20s over the abuse of an eight-month-old girl rescued by welfare officers two days ago. The suspect is the lover of the baby’s 28-year-old mother. He was picked up at the Malacca Hospital at about 11am yesterday when he came to visit the victim.State CID chief ACP Mohd Adnan Abdullah said the arrest was made shortly after a report was lodged yesterday by a police officer for alleged child abuse. The alleged abuse is believed to have taken place on Sunday. A babysitter staying nearby saw the baby’s condition the next day and informed her husband, who alerted the welfare authorities. The baby had cane marks and bruises on her head, face and legs.The baby’s mother has four other children, aged two to seven. They will be sent to hospital to determine if they had also been abused. State Youth, Sports and Welfare Committee chairman Datuk Abd Karim Sulaiman said a court order was obtained for welfare officers to take temporary custody of all five children pending investigations. Abd Karim said welfare authorities would also carry out an evaluation to determine if the mother was capable of caring for her children. The mother from Pontian in Johor is said to have been separated from her husband and moved to Malacca with her lover about a month ago

This is an article taken from The Star July 28.

News paper articles

Firstly, before i begin with the new post, i would like to comment on Ratcha's point. I totally agree with the stereotype thinking. However, not only boyfriend though. The same goes with father too. A child, especially girl usually think that the father is the hero in a family. He should protect and guide the family. This is because they get influenced by fairy tales. So when the father physically abuse or even sexually abuse the child, she doesnt know that her father is actually wrong. They keep quite and the scenario keeps on and on.

I found some interesting articles in the newspaper that support all three of our points which are improve parenting skills, increase government involvement and encourage society awareness.

PROTECTING THE CHILD

March 2, 2010, New Straits Times

More importantly, children need to be educated on their rights.”

What are the factors behind child abuse?

“It depends on the type of abuse. Physical abuse, for instance, may take place due to poor parenting skills or high levels of stress.

A parent or a caretaker may be unable to deal with a baby who cries non-stop. There have been a few cases of heartless adults who enjoy abusing children. Sexual abuse is the work of sick individuals. The only way to prevent this type of abuse is to allow no opportunity for it to take place. That is why it is important to teach children about their bodies and how to retaliate when someone violates them. Emotional abuse, on the other hand, is more complex as the signs are not apparent. Such abuse includes verbal abuse. Whatever the nature of abuse, the only way to stop it is to change the way society perceives children. Children are persons in their own rights. They are not merely objects.

For instance, we don’t hit another adult but many parents hit their children as they regard their children as their possession. Some parents say they beat their children to discipline them but research has proven that this is ineffective. You might get the desired effect immediately but the negative effects last a long time. It teaches children that it is okay to hurt other people. There is a fine line between discipline and abuse and it is so easy to cross it.”

What should a child do should he/she be abused?

“Inform a trusted adult such as a parent, teacher, counsellor or religious figure. The adult should immediately act upon the complaint no matter how minor it is.”

Are there any laws to protect children against abuse in Malaysia?

“Malaysia ratified the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1995 (CRC) and by doing so has agreed to place children’s rights as paramount consideration.

What can we do to help those who are abused?

“There are a number of NGOs which provide support for the abused — Women’s Aid Organisation and PS the Children, to name a few. I am sure they would welcome volunteers. However, it is more important to ensure that professional counselling is given to the victims. Counselling should also be given to the offender to ensure that he/she does not repeat the offence.”

What can society do to combat child abuse?

“Respect children as individuals with rights.” If adults understand and accept this, abuse against children may decrease. They must also be vigilant. The phrase “jangan jaga tepi kain orang” does not augur well for child protection. If you suspect anything amiss, ask what is happening.

Lastly, be supportive. Neighbours should look out for the children in their neighbourhood. The recent death of the three-year-old who was kicked, stomped and brutally beaten could have been prevented had family members and neighbours raised the alarm.

REPORT CHILD ABUSE OR FACE LAW

March 6, 2010, New Straits times

Under the Child Act, parents and family members, childcare providers and medical practitioners must immediately report children suspected to be physically or emotionally injured as a result of being ill-treated, neglected, abandoned or exposed, or are sexually abused. Should they fail to report such cases, they can be fined a maximum of RM5,000 or jailed not more than two years or both. Teachers, counsellors and the public should also report cases of abuse to the authorities although they are not required to do so.

Shahrizat acknowledged that the law had not been strictly enforced, with no one being charged so far. She wanted the law to cover others as well, such as teachers. "Children, especially students, spend most of their time in school, so perhaps they (teachers) should also be governed by the same provisions under the law."

"We can take the child (victims of abuse) into our care but it is up to the police to go after those who did not report the abuse although they are required by law to do so," she said later when visiting the Taman Sinar Harapan children's home at Bukit Besar here.

footnote by Hanis: if everyone practice "jaga tepi kain sendiri", many and many children get abuse and the abuser gets away. There are many NGO in Malaysia that gives support for the abuse so make used of them. Teachers are also responsible to report any changes in the children even though they are not being paid for that purpose. Do we need to pay salary just to report an abused child? Where are our humanity?