By Muhammad Aizat Sulaiman
GOMBAK, 5 December 2018: Children, both boys and girls, and even toddlers and babies, can be sexually abused. Child sexual abuse happens when someone older, stronger and more powerful or mature involves a child in some sort of activity for their own sexual pleasure. It does not always have to involve physical force or even touching.
These are among the basic facts of child sexual abuse awareness revealed by Psychology students.
Child sexual abuse can cause a state of emotional, physical and sexual maltreatment of economic or other exploitation meted out to a person aged less than 18 years of age, resulting in potential or actual harm to child’s health, survival and dignity.
An awareness campaign on child sexual abuse from Islamic perspective was recently held by a group of Psychology students in the campus here aimed at creating consciousness about child abuse in Malaysia.
Based on the recent study survey, 23,386 child abuse cases were reported by the authority. This staggering amount of cases reported are merely the tip of iceberg. Child abuse may comprise Neglecting children, Physical torture abuse, Sexual Abuse and Emotional Abuse.
Malaysia’s government enacted Child Act in 2001 to strengthen protection to children. Any offender caught of child abuse may be sentenced to a jail term of up to 20 years, liable for whipping, and a fine of up to RM50,000.
In Islam, treating youth with mercy is crucial. A hadith narrated by Abu Dawud, “Those who do not show mercy to our young ones and do not realise the right of our elders are not from us (A true believer).”
Child abuse should be emphasised regardless of race, creed and religion. It’s the right for or of children to have the right of not being abused by adults. ***