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| Childhood Sexual Abuse in
Saudi Arabia The problem of child abuse has become very serious Wafaa Al-Kredia, guest contributor This article appeared in Arab News dated 5th May 2000 Excerpt from article CHILD abuse is a worldwide problem and not only in Saudi Arabia. We unfortunately don't like to talk about the problem and so too often ignore it. In the United States, on the other hand, the problem receives attention from many authorities and organizations for children's rights. Between 1985 and 1992, the problem of child abuse has become very serious, increasing by 50 percent - from 30 children abused per 1,000 to 45 per 1,000. I have recently received a briefing about
this problem in Saudi Arabia; it was sent to me by Dr. Huda Abdullah
Qattan, chairperson of the Committee for Protecting Children's Rights at
King Faisal Specialist Hospital. Dr. Huda affirms that the problem is
real, horrifying and hushed-up. This is due to a number of factors, such
as the difficulty of finding clear evidence of an alleged abuse, the
possibility of harming the reputation of the child's family as well as
other personal, social and legal considerations. Since doctors who might go public with
cases of child abuse fear being harassed by the authorities or concerned
families, they decide to drop the case. This doesn't mean that the problem
doesn't exist; it does - as Dr. Huda confirmed - but we lack corroborating
figures or reliable statistics. According to the report sent to me,
violence in the family is due to three principal reasons: the parents'
psychological state, the existence of an aggressive child in the family or
some event which has caused tension and stress within the family. Violence
increases in such circumstances and, the report continues, are represented
by the existence of disabled children or children suffering from
malnutrition, unwanted pregnancy and families who are socially isolated or
run financial troubles. Violent accidents occur, first and foremost, to
the females in the family, said Dr. Huda. King Faisal Specialist Hospital has
established an unprecedented program, the aim of which is to uncover cases
of child abuse in the Kingdom, channels for reporting the cases and ways
to avoid such cases in the future. In support of these aims, the Committee
for Protecting Children's Rights was established in 1994. |