In a shocking incident that has raised serious questions about the safety of children in our country, a four-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted in her own home in Delhi's Begumpur area of Rohini.
The incident came to light when the girl finally broke down in front of her mother and shared her ordeal. She noted that their neighbour, Firen, allegedly assaulted her on the pretext of making her go off to sleep, while her parents sat in the other room.
Thankfully, the parents were quick to act and filed a complaint against him in the police, who in turn were able to catch hold of Firen. But how did he manage to carry out the heinous crime so slyly?
How did it happen?
While speaking to the media, a senior police official shared the exact series of events.
"The accused was known to the family. So the family members didn't hesitate or stop the accused, when he offered to put the child to sleep. He allegedly sexually assaulted her and fled from the home after warning her to remain silent about the incident," he told a leading daily.
Incidentally, Firen has been charged under "IPC section 376 (rape) and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act;" the fact that a married neighbour could barge in and assault a young child has shaken the city.
For the purpose of the investigation, he police made sure that a medical test was done on the victim. Luckily, the victim eas stable and could live with her parents.
And while the four-year-old was brave enough to come forward early and was lucky to stabilise, many kids are sucked into depression due to such incidents and that later affects them in life.
How it affects kids
We spoke to Aditi Kulkarni, consulting psychologist at HealthEminds, Delhi, who explains that depression is marked by, "persistent low mood lasting for at least two weeks or more, during which the individual experiences loss of energy and interest, and feels hopeless about life in general."
She adds that symptoms of depression in adults and children/adolescents aren’t always the same. In pre-teens the early warning signs include the following:
- Withdrawal from all activities – spends most time alone
- Significant fluctuations in sleep and appetite
- Inexplicable aches and pains
- Crying and/or irritability
- Lack of motivation to attend school
- Excessive guilt
- Pre-occupation with or fear of death and dying
So how can parents help kids going through this type of depression? Kulkarni suggests that parents must follow the given process to help the child:
- Talk to the child and make him/her feel supported
- Encourage them to share their feelings with you. Sometimes just having a non-judgmental adult hear them out can make them feel better. Try to avoid pointing out mistakes or ridiculing.
- Encourage physical activity. Encourage him/her to spend time outdoors.
- Focus on your child’s strengths
- Ensure that the child has a nutritious diet since one’s eating habits affect mood as well as overall well-being
Read: Child Sexual Abuse: Teach your kids about 'The Underwear Rule'
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[All images courtesy: Pixabay]
