TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: On an average, every day four children in Goa are abused, El Shaddai Charitable Trust claimed, adding that in most cases children are abused by persons known to them and this is mostly kept under wraps or not reported.
The Trust, which works for the welfare of children, also said that tourism-related paedophilia cases are very prevalent and add to the increased number of child abuse cases in the State.
“Every day four children are abused in Goa, (and) as per government statistics number of cases of child abuse being reported to different non government organization and child rights activist are increasing each passing year,” SCAN-India, project of El Shaddai, director Ashwini Verekar told media on Wednesday morning.
Verekar said that many of these cases are of mental and physical abuse and emotional neglect. “Cases of (abuse by) elderly person known to children and incest are on the rise and so are the tourism-related paedophilia cases,” she said.
Verekar said that SCAN-India, through the police, child welfare committee (CWC), Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) and community, has in the last five years assisted a total of 515 cases of child abuse, while for the financial year 2013-14, total 146 cases were reported to the trust, she said.
“These cases are referred to us by JJB and by parents. We are involved in assisting children who are in conflict with law on charges of theft, kidnapping and murder also,” she said.
The El Shaddai in association with Women’s World Summit Foundation (WWSF) is organizing a fifth edition of prevention of child abuse campaign in Goa, from November 1. November 19 is observed as World Day for prevention of Child Abuse.
