Paedophilia in India, from a social point of view and victim’s perspective, remains undeterred even after the law is made for it. The victims of this sexual misconduct have to suffer and continue to stay mum. This is because paedophilia is no more than just another taboo due to the obvious sexual connotation. Adding on to the sex is the incestuous sexual misconduct which conflicts with India’s conservative family values.
An Aunt, an in-law or parents of the child’s violator will never believe such an act and discard any complaint by children as they don’t think the violators are capable of acting this way. Moreover, due to the taboo nature of sex in India, children in society are less informed and are to trust and obey elders in their community completely. This makes them more susceptible vulnerable to sexual exploitation from adults. This issue becomes more pronounced in the case when an adult is related to the sexually abused child through milieu and or by blood.
Children who have felt physical discomfort while being sexually violated, not being aware of the violation, are uncomfortable reporting it to adults as such acts are considered ‘embarrassments’. The toxic notions of ‘masculinity’ for boys make identifying any C.S.A actions even more challenging. This makes it hard for pre-pubescent males in India to report this act to adults. Adults or parents at home discard the boys’ cry by saying, “you must have enjoyed it.”
Hence they remain silent and wallow in pain without letting anyone know. This ‘secret’ of theirs is hidden while being encumbered with anxiety, stress, anger, depression, guilt and helplessness. The long-lasting effects on survivors include poor mental, physical and social health, inability to commit to close relationships, and difficulty in sexual intimacy post-adolescence. Any unreported H.I.V or other forms of S.T.Ds that could be life-threatening, and effects neurobiological systems, e.g. the cortical representation of the genital somatosensory field, are a few of the long-term consequences of Child Sexual Abuse (C.S.A).
According to ‘The Ministry Of Women And Child Development, ’ 53% of the 430 million children have been sexually abused. 20% of them are abused in more extreme forms. Crime In India,2014 of the National Crime Records Bureau(N.C.R.B), in cases of C.S.A 57% were boys and 43% were girls. In total, 10,854 cases of children being raped were reported in 2015. Mrs Renuka Chowdhury from Congress said, “India is a country with a tradition of denying child abuse. It doesn’t happen here, is what we normally say. But by remaining silent, we have aided and abetted the abuse of children.”
