Preventing relatives from abusing children

Recently, there have been many cases of child abuse in Hai Duong that deserve condemnation, such as the case of a child in Tu Ky district who was abused with an electric baton by his stepfather in July; in early August, a girl in Hai Duong city was abused by her own father and had to call the Child Protection Hotline (111) for help. Just last October, in Thanh Ha, when a conflict arose, the husband beat his wife and accidentally injured their young child...

Many perpetrators of child abuse in Hai Duong are relatives, the support, the shelter, and protection of the children.

According to 2023 statistics from Hotline 111, the number of children abused by relatives in the family accounts for the highest proportion of the total number of child abuse cases, reaching nearly 70%. In the first 9 months of this year, the number of children abused by relatives also accounted for more than 70%.

In Hai Duong, in 2023 and the first 6 months of 2024, the provincial police investigated 47 cases with 62 subjects related to violence and child abuse. The authorities prosecuted 44 cases with 52 subjects, administratively handled 1 case with 8 subjects... Of which, child abuse cases in Hai Duong right at home and by relatives accounted for a significant proportion.

Why is the number of child abuse cases by family members so high?

Part of the reason comes from the concept of "spare the rod, spoil the child". Many parents justify their violent behavior towards their children. Even when angry, parents do not hesitate to scold and curse their children. According to the Law on Children, violence does not stop at brutal beatings but also includes insulting the honor, scolding, and threatening the spirit of children. These acts do not leave physical injuries but cause great mental damage.

It is worrying that the community rarely proactively denounces and reports child abuse and molestation to the authorities. Many cases are allowed to drag on for years, and only when the situation reaches a serious alarming level are they discovered by the media. Indifference, apathy, the belief that educating children is the responsibility of each family, or a mentality of deference and fear of retaliation... make many people around not dare to intervene or denounce this illegal act.

Vietnam was the first country in Asia and the second country in the world to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990. We have the Law on Child Protection, Care and Education passed in 1991; the Law on Children passed in 2016, the Penal Code, the Civil Code, the Labor Code, the Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control and hundreds of sub-law documents regulating the responsibilities of state agencies, social organizations and unions in the care and protection of children.

There is clearly no shortage of legal documents protecting children’s rights. To help children avoid being affected by acts of violence within the family, in addition to raising the understanding of parents and relatives about child protection laws, children need protection from the government and relevant organizations and unions in the locality.

According to the 2016 Law on Children, as soon as a child shows signs of physical or mental abuse, the local authorities where the child lives (not necessarily according to the household registration) must immediately isolate the child from the guardian. In cases where the abused child has no relatives other than the current guardian, the authorities will temporarily care for and educate the child. If the child has other relatives such as the biological father or mother, grandparents who can care for the child, the child should be returned to the relatives.

Protecting the future green shoots of the country at all times and in all places is a must, and first of all, the family must be the foundation, helping children develop confidently and not be "stunted" by their own relatives.