Time Out With CK – On Child Abuse
It is often said that when the purpose of a thing isn’t known, abuse is inevitable. But most times, it doesn’t take just knowing to avoid abuse because most persons actually know the purpose of a thing but choose to abuse it, for reason(s) best known to them. So I say “Even when the purpose of a thing is known but not appreciated, abuse is inevitable”.
This is because it isn’t just enough to have knowledge of something, wisdom requires you apply the knowledge appropriately. Wisdom is appreciating knowledge through appropriate application.
Children are gifts from God and it is naturally expected that they should be appreciated; yet it seems some people only desire/seek to have them without knowing how to treat them right. Worse still, some even know but choose to treat them inappropriately.
Abuse is defined as improper treatment or usage; application to a wrong or bad purpose. It has to do with misuse and perversion.. Thus, when a child is not properly treated, it is tagged “CHILD ABUSE”.
Child abuse can be physical or verbal. But either way, it goes a long way to mar the life of the abused child.
The most important unit of the society is the family. This unit ought to be the safe zone of every child. It is heartbreakingly sad how this family unit turns out to be the danger zone for many children in the society today. There are too many societal vices today because a large percent of the family unit has neglected its duty.
Lots of children are deeply abused at home, in their supposed “safe zone,” because most “home trainings”, in the name of discipline, are outrageously mindless and callous. Some children are physically abused in the name of ‘Don’t spare the rod’. And who said the ‘rod’ has to be an object?
Some over-zealous parents or guardians go as far as using hot iron to smear a child’s skin, in the name of discipline. Outright wickedness! Some starve their children as a means of correcting/punishing them from/for the mistake/offense they have committed. Who taught these folks these training methods
What happened to the part that says chastise with love? Starving and/or going physical with your child(ren) isn’t chastisement with love for God’s sake. Mr. & Mrs. Disciplinarians, it’s high time you stopped this cruel lifestyle of maltreating children.
Another less talked about method of child abuse is the verbal abuse. African mothers, who told you that you need to nag with swear words to correct your children? Some complicate their children’s life & destiny with swear words.
I remember how a mother yelled at her child in anger “idiot, na motor go kill you”. Next day, the little boy was almost knocked down by a vehicle while he was playing on the street. This same woman ran out and was raining curses on the driver who had long driven out of the street. An old woman shouted at her in Bini language saying “what is wrong with this goat? You should be happy that a car wants to kill your child, afterall you said so yesterday”.
Some parents and guardians use their mouths to create fear, depression, inferiority complex, emotional and psychological challenges for their children. This should stop. Please!
The deadliest abuse of children is sexual abuse. Many children, both male and female, are sexually abused everyday. Indeed, there is so much wickedness in the society. Even babies are sexually abused. Oh c’mon, what is there in a kid that interests you? Even you Auntie, what is there in Junior’s pee-pee that interests you?
I know of a case where a supposedly ‘Mary-Amaka’ sister was sexually abusing her neighbor’s 6 years old son. When she was caught, she gave an excuse, that she does so because a kid can’t get her pregnant. Mbok, leave me lemme use slaps to manually reset her mind!!!
Stories of how fathers sexually abuse their teenage daughters are becoming too common, uncles raping their nieces, teachers taking advantage of the children they are meant to guide and protect. Even stories of mothers putting sleeping drugs in the food of their sons, so they can have sex with them, and many more.
Too many tales of abuse, leaving these abused children in terrible states, will make any tender heart bleed. The society is filled with adults who are still hurting from childhood abuses.
The worst part about being abused is the feeling of betrayal. The one who should have protected you was the one who harmed you. Enough already! Children need to be loved. Treat them with tender care. Let’s renew our minds and work together to END CHILD ABUSE. Let love reign!
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