Protecting our children: A look at current Indian laws on child abuse

It’s not easy being a parent in India. In addition to the challenges of keeping up with the latest in
fashion and technology, you also have to worry about the safety of your children. With child
abuse cases on the rise, it’s more important than ever for parents to be aware of the laws that
protect their children. That’s why I tried to put together this comprehensive guide to child abuse
laws in India.

I’ll cover everything from assault and battery to sexual abuse and molestation. We’ll also discuss
the penalties for those convicted of child abuse, as well as the various organizations that offer
support to victims and their families. So whether you’re a parent yourself or just looking to learn
more about this important issue, be sure to read our guide to child abuse laws in India.
When it comes to child abuse, India has one of the toughest laws in the world. The Protection of
Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act, 2012, is a comprehensive legislation that deals
with all aspects of child sexual abuse.
This act was enacted in response to the widespread cases of child sexual abuse that were being
reported in the country. It is aimed at protecting children from all forms of sexual abuse,
including rape, molestation, and sodomy. The POCSO Act is a much-needed piece of legislation
and provides a strong framework for the protection of children. It is important to be aware of this
act and to take all necessary steps to protect your child from sexual abuse.
Child abuse instances in India
Child abuse can take many forms in India, ranging from physical and sexual abuse to mental
harassment. According to a study conducted by the National Commission for Protection of Child
Rights (NCPCR), nearly 55% of children in India experienced some kind of abuse. This number
is incredibly high and points to a serious issue that needs to be addressed.
Physical abuse is one of the most common forms of child abuse in India, with around 25% of
children having experienced it at some point. The most common types are hitting and slapping,
burning, and beating. Additionally, around 16% of children have been sexually abused in some
way, including rape or other forms of unwanted sexual contact. Unfortunately, mental
harassment is also on the rise, with 11% of children claiming to have been victims of emotional
or verbal abuse by their caregivers.
It’s clear that child abuse has become an all-too common occurrence in India and needs to be
addressed urgently. Knowing the laws related to this issue is a good start towards understanding
what needs to be done to protect our children.
GLOBAL WARMING AND ITS IMPACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Global warming is a phenomenon that refers to the gradual increase in the Earth's temperature
due to the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This increase in temperature has led
to a host of negative impacts on the planet, including climate change, which has become one of
the biggest challenges facing humanity today.

Climate change is a term that refers to the long-term changes in the Earth's climate, including
changes in temperature, precipitation patterns, and weather events. These changes have been
driven by global warming, which is primarily caused by the burning of fossil fuels and
deforestation, which release large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the
atmosphere.

One of the most visible impacts of climate change is the rising sea levels. As the Earth's
temperature increases, so does the melting of polar ice caps and glaciers, leading to the
expansion of ocean water and rising sea levels. This rise in sea levels has already begun to
threaten coastal communities and low-lying areas, leading to displacement of people and
destruction of habitats.

Another impact of climate change is the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather
events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and droughts. These events not only cause damage to
infrastructure and property but also threaten the livelihoods of people, particularly those in
vulnerable communities.

Furthermore, climate change is having a significant impact on the world's ecosystems. Many
species are experiencing shifts in their habitats and patterns of migration, which can lead to
population decline and extinction. This, in turn, can have a ripple effect on entire ecosystems,
leading to imbalances and further impacts on human societies.

To mitigate the impacts of climate change, it is essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by
transitioning to renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, and by promoting
energy efficiency in buildings and transportation. It is also crucial to protect and restore natural
ecosystems, such as forests, wetlands, and coastal habitats, which can act as carbon sinks and
help absorb greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

In conclusion, global warming is having a significant impact on climate change, which, in turn,
is causing a wide range of negative impacts on the planet. Addressing this challenge will require
a coordinated global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable
development. Only by working together can we hope to mitigate the worst impacts of climate
change and build a more sustainable and resilient future for ourselves and future generations.
HUMAN TRAFFIKING

What is Human Trafficking? Simply put, human trafficking is forced labor and sex
work. It is a crime, a form of modern-day slavery. If a child is trafficked, it is child abuse.

Where does it happen? Human trafficking happens in your community.

The U.S., along with Mexico and the Philippines, are among the worst
locations in the world for human trafficking. Human trafficking
happens frequently around big sporting events – big games, big
tournaments, big races. But it also happens in cities small and large, in
rural communities, and in the suburbs on a daily basis.

Who is being trafficked? Seven in ten victims of human trafficking are

women and girls. Typically, the victim knows the trafficker. It’s the
lady down the street, a new “friend” on social media or an online
game, mom’s boyfriend, or dad’s best friend. Children in foster care are
more likely to be victims of trafficking. In general, children and
vulnerable adults are more susceptible to the traps of a trafficker,
easier to control, and less likely to fight back.

How do traffickers find, hunt, and lure sex workers? Most are lured
into trafficking by predatory tactics known as grooming.
These careful and deliberate tactics are used to gain trust and
access. It happens far more frequently than anyone would like to
admit and happens online, or in person. Predators groom victims in
their own families and youth sports leagues, churches, social groups,
mentoring organizations – anywhere.

Once a trafficker establishes trust and access, they begin to coerce

the victim into forced sex work. Male traffickers often establish a
romantic relationship with their victims and use their power to force
victims to entrap more girls their age.

What can you do to protect the children in your life from falling victim
to a trafficker? Parents, caregivers, and families can help protect
children and teens by maintaining an open and honest dialogue about
the dangers of the Internet, an increasingly complex and connected
world. “The Sex Talk” is badly in need of updating. Talking with your
children and teens should be an ongoing conversation about healthy
boundaries and relationships, sex and sexuality, consent, online
predators, sexting, and sextortion.

Monitor a child’s digital life. Pay attention to new friends they make,
gifts they may be receiving, and any significant changes in their
behaviors. But the single most important thing is to tell your children
is that you are there to help them and protect them – regardless of the
circumstance.
Student stress Nowadays

Stress has become an inseparable component of students’ academic life due to a

variety of internal and external outlook placed upon their shoulders. Youngsters are
particularly susceptible to the problems associated with academic stress as
changeovers occur at an individual and social level. It therefore becomes crucial to
recognize the sources and impact of academic stress in order to derive adequate and
efficient intervention policies. Understanding the sources of stress would make
possible the development of effective counseling modules and involvement by college
psychologists and counselors in order to help students lessen stress.

Since ages, people assumed that the students were least influenced by any type of
stress or problems. The only job students were expected to embark on was to study
and studying was never recognized as stressful. What proved to be stressful were the
hopes parents had for their children, which in turn grew into larger loads that these
children could not carry anymore? A study on suicide in the world indicates “India
has the Highest Suicide Rate” and these numbers show no sign of dropping.
According to a research finding, college students are stressed by study workload and
assignment deadlines. In addition to these monetary difficulties, parental anxiety and
impractical hopes also cause stress among students. The educational system also plays
a crucial role consequently leading to increased stress levels experienced by students.
Some of the causes include congested lecture halls, semester grading system,
insufficient resources and facilities, huge syllabus, long hours and expectations of
mindless cramming of concepts. Parents and institutions ruthlessly implant the fear of
failure which affects their self-worth and self-reliance.
It has now become a grim reality and therefore, becomes a considerable cause of
concern as it is indicative of rising mental health anxiety in India. Academic Stress
causes certain mental problems like feeling of loneliness, doomed to failure and
finally depression. Depression, fretfulness, behavioural problems; touchiness, etc. are
few problems identified in students with high academic stress. It also generates
problems like altered sleeping pattern, increased blood pressure, weight gain or
weight loss etc. The pressure these students face to perform is so harsh resulting in
high increase in suicide attempts.
It becomes vital to also understand that low stress does not essentially determine that
students will achieve better, but in fact under these circumstances, they would see the
task as straightforward and may also get easily bored. Though certain levels of stress
drive the students towards finest performance, when it is not managed proficiently due
to insufficient resources to cope with the stress, it can have miserable consequences
for the student as well as the institution.
Thus, as the sources of stress differ in spite of indistinguishable stress responses
brought forth by the body, understanding the former will help develop customized
interventions aimed to reduce stress levels of students, which will in turn lead to
overall well-being of the individual.
Techniques like biofeedback, yoga, life-skills training, mindfulness meditation, and
psychotherapy have been found to be effective in dealing with stress among students.
Comprehending the source from the different fields will enable experts in the field to
design customized solutions for students. Improving the overall interests of the
student would in due course be productive not only for the individual but for the
general productivity of the institutions as well.
Academic stress may badly affect the performance and their health condition so it is
very essential to arrange some workshops at the commencement of each semester.
Thus the students will become skilled at how they can beat their stress while studying.
Institutions should also organize classes for practicing yoga, meditation, physical
exercise etc. Teaching faculty must focus on tackling anxiety of students, which will
reduce stress among the students. Through effective counseling, counselors and also
psychologist students can be helped to decrease the stress and inspire them for better
academic performance.

Social Evils: Root cause of country’s decline in growth

No nation can consider growth without the participation of all segments of society. The
development of a nation occurs in the right direction when its citizens, particularly its youths,
develop themselves on these ten points: Truth, Glory, Knowledge of Scriptures and Science,
Learning, Nobility, Modesty, Strength, Wealth, Valour, and Eloquence.

These principles can only be taught during one’s growing years in school in order to develop a
strong personal character as part of one’s internal environment. The society and government are
part of the external environment, which influences people’s behaviour and contributes to social
evils as well.

There are numerous social ills; however, I will concentrate on the true root cause of these ills,
which is generally ignored in society.
The best environment for a child to grow up in is in school. The child is willing to shape
themselves according to what the teachers and society decide. If they get the right guidance,
approach, and perspective, they will undoubtedly become the best version of themselves.
However, the rotten education system and copying in exam have seriously harmed the majority
of students’ mindsets. This has had a negative impact on individual development and, as a result,
social and national health, leading to a variety of undesirable behaviours in their lives. The
attitude and culture that has developed in many schools and teachers mindset to achieve a perfect
score and 100% result by allowing copying in exams.

How does copying in an exam affect a child’s mental health?

The weak mind always takes the shortest path, which means that it has a natural tendency to
avoid any hard work or work that requires intellectual and mental effort. When a school or
teacher allows copying in an exam, it automatically creates a mindset among students that there
are illegal ways to complete any work without exerting any effort. This already has a negative
impact on their academic performance, as they lose confidence, avoid higher education and
develop a tendency to seek the shortest path to resolving any problems in life. The teacher serves
as a role model for each student, and if the same teacher, whether consciously or unconsciously
allows copying in an exam, makes the lives of students miserable and destroys the great Guru-
Shishya parampara (Mentor- disciple tradition). As a result, many teachers fail to fulfil their
responsibility of teaching in an appropriate manner.
The consequences of this weak and wrong mindset are that it develops a slavery mentality, fear
of even calculated risk, seeks government jobs because they see them as jobs without any
responsibility and accountability and earning through bribes and wrong means, loses fighting
spirit and when faced with problems in life, becomes addicted to drugs, becomes a part of many
social evils, and negatively affects mental health, causing depression, anxiety, and developing
suicidal tendencies. This type of character development is detrimental to a country’s
socioeconomic growth. This pessimistic attitude leads them to believe that nothing good can be
done for society and country, and even when some organisations and individuals work sincerely
to make good things happen, they question the integrity and doubt everything good in society.
If we are serious about developing our future generations with strong personal and national
identities. We really need to make a significant change in the educational system, as well as
guide and assist teachers in putting an end to the scourge of exam copying. It will take time, but
it is not impossible.
Another negative trend is that the attitude and mentality that many teachers have developed over
the years is resisting the new education policy that is required to overhaul the entire education
system in order to positively grow future generations. Many teachers believe they will be
required to change their teaching methods and will be held accountable, which should have been
standard practise in schools or as part of the educational system since independence. Only a
character with the necessary education can be attained if the teaching methodology includes
permutations and combinations of the ten points listed above based on the needs of a subject and
topic.
Salute to the teachers and schools that do not allow students to copy in exams, and to the many
students who do not copy in exams despite being in such an environment.
NGO’s, spiritual, social, and cultural organisations that fight social evils and injustice must focus
on this critical root cause. Any action that does not address the root cause is pointless. The
majority of social issues will be resolved if exam copying is prohibited and each educational
institution implements national education policy sincerely and within a reasonable timeframe.

Government enacting laws or policies with large sums of money will not change much on the
ground unless each section of society and related organisations work together to make it happen.
GOOD TOUCH AND BAD TOUCH

In today’s time, news on child abuse, kidnaps, molestation, etc., is prevalent and a
matter of concern. As a parent to a young child, you want to keep your child safe and
protected. Accordingly, it’s essential to empower the children with the proper
knowledge about good touch and bad touch before it’s too late.

It is imperative to create opportunities to talk to the children and discuss what a good
touch is and what is not. Even though you may think that your child is too young to
understand the difference between the good and bad touch and other such topics, but they
are not, you can talk about these subjects with ease, so that they learn about them from an
early age without getting scared. This blog will help you educate your children about the
difference between good and bad touch.

TALK ABOUT GOOD TOUCH AND BAD TOUCH

Tell your kids about various kinds of touches. For example, good touch feels caring, like
a pat on the head, back, or a bear hug. In comparison, a bad touch can hurt your body or
feelings, such as pinching, hitting, or touching any private area. Let children know that
it’s ok to say no if you don’t like any touch, even from a friend or a family member.

TEACH THE SWIMSUIT RULE

This is a simple rule when teaching young children about bad touch. Explain to your child
that the parts covered by a swimming outfit or undergarments are private parts, and
anyone except them should not touch or see. This way, they can understand if
inappropriately touched and raise their voice. However, insist they inform you if they feel
uncomfortable by anyone’s touch.

DON’T BE SHY
Being expressive regarding sexual matters is crucial, and though these topics might be
sensitive to discuss, you are where your child gets their signs from. Explain them in an
engaging way with examples of incidents that happened before.

TEACH THEM THE OWNERSHIP OF THEIR BODY

Empower them to voice up and say NO. Inculcate in them the right to be the boss of their
own body. They have the choice to deny a handshake, a hug, or any physical touch if they
don’t like it. Also, tell them not to allow anybody to click their pictures without
permission.

STICK TO THE TERMINOLOGY

Parents sometimes use nicknames for sexual terms, which is inappropriate. Employing the
appropriate terms for the body parts, such as the vagina, penis, and so on, makes these
parts feel important. The right words will also be helpful for your child to express
themselves accurately concerning their body.

TEACH THEM TO FIGHT BACK

Parents keep teaching their children to be soft, well-mannered, and polite around
strangers. Instead, teach them to talk or retaliate when they don’t find anything right. Ask
them to shout for help when stuck in any uncomfortable situation. Make sure your child is
not alone while visiting an unknown place and is in good company who you trust
wholeheartedly.

DON’T FORCE ANY KIND OF TOUCH

Ask your child before you hug or kiss them. Let them know that they have control over
their body and no one has the right to touch it without their permission. Kids can be
uncomfortable at different times for different reasons, so don’t force them to use their
bodies in a way they don’t wish to. For example, instead of saying, go give a hug to your
Aunt Jeffery, say give a handshake or a fist bump.

TEACH YOUR CHILD TO TRUST THEIR DECISION

Your child should not feel guilty if they refuse affection from anyone for any reason.
Educate your daughter that her feelings and decisions are paramount when it comes to her
own physical space. This will help her to trust her emotions with clarity.

KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING

Parents can see a developmental shift in the conversation about body safety as the
children grow up, are exposed to media and peers, and begin to understand more about
their bodies and sexuality. So it is important to review these points frequently and
welcome questions on sexuality.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Parents have the responsibility to teach the kids to differentiate between good and bad
things in the world. If you find symptoms such as doing poorly in school, looking dull or
uninterested, bed wetting & thumb sucking suddenly, or any behavioral change in your
kid, then talk with them. Keep calm and listen to your child.
PROBLEM OF ADOLESCENCE

Fortunately, most adolescents enjoy good physical and mental health. However, the
incidence and

prevalence of chronic diseases in adolescence are on the rise and likely are due to
an earlier onset of

obesity-associated disorders, longer survival after serious childhood disorders, and

other unknown

factors. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic and the gl obal response to it,
including disruptions in

home and school schedules, have taken a toll on the mental health of adolescents.

The most common problems among adolescents relate to growth

and development, school, childhood illnesses that continue into adolescence, mental
health disorders, and the consequences of risky or illegal behaviors, including injury,
legal consequences, pregnancy, infectious diseases, and substance use disorders.
Unintentional injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes and injuries resulting
from interpersonal violence are leading causes of death and disability among
adolescents.
Psychosocial adjustment is a hallmark of this phase of development because even
healthy and typically developing individuals struggle with issues of identity,
autonomy, sexuality, and relationships. “Who am I, where am I going, and how do I
relate to all of these people in my life?” are frequent preoccupations for most
adolescents. psychological disorders are more common during adolescence than
during childhood, and many unhealthy behaviors begin during adolescence. Having
an eating disorder, poor diet, obesity, substance use, and violent behavior can lead to
acute health problems, chronic disorders, or morbidity later in life.

HAZARDS OF SMOKING

When confronted about smoking (by nonsmokers or even their own conscience) most smokers
will get into a defensive stance. Sure, they know that smoking is unhealthy but, ultimately, who
are they hurting other than themselves? Surely, there is nothing illegal about cigarettes, right?
They’re not guns.

Unfortunately, cigarettes kill more people per year

than guns – and not just smokers, as you can read in this in-depth article about second hand
smoking And as if that wasn’t enough, every year researchers find more and more evidence that
smoking, and the tobacco industry in general, are harming the planet we live on, causing
irreparable damage to ecosystems, polluting water, land, and air and pushing Earth towards a
global cataclysm.

Here’s a couple of mind-numbing facts about smoking and the extent of environmental damage
and pollution it causes:
  Fact 1: Each year, 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are disposed of. A generous estimate is that
half of them end up in landfills – the other half ends up in soil, lakes, oceans, and forests.
Cigarette butts are theoretically biodegradable (they are made of cellulose acetate) but it
takes them just under 2 years to completely vanish (which is also debatable as nothing
vanishes completely) – and that is under perfect conditions.
 Fact 2: 600 million trees are chopped down every year by the tobacco industry. Keep in
mind that for every 15 packs of cigarettes a smoker smokes, one tree had to die.
 Fact 3: US tobacco industry produces 16 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in one
year – global tobacco production quadruples that amount. For comparison, one car
produces 4 million times less. Shutting down the tobacco industry equates to taking 16
million cars off the streets every single year.
 Fact 4: Tobacco manufacturers use four miles of paper every hour to wrap and package
cigarettes and other products – making the entire industry a sizeable contributor to
deforestation although it already is one to begin with.
Unfortunately, very little people know about the gigantic negative influence that the tobacco
industry has on the planet. They might be vaguely aware that smoking contributes to global
warming (and it does, negligibly, since it emits carbon dioxide and methane) but would be
surprised to learn to what extent the entire industry adversely affects whole ecosystems.