Do not cover up child abuse cases, UAE official tells parents

Parents or guardians should not cover up or conceal child abuse cases as such incidents will have a major impact on the lives of children, an expert has said.

During a webinar hosted by the child protection section of the Sharjah Social Service Department (SSSD) in coordination with Saudi German hospital In Sharjah, parents were explained about various types of child abuses and their impact on children’s lives.

The webinar was held on the occasion of International Children's Day, which falls on November 20.

An official at the SSSD told Khaleej Times that the awareness programmes organised by the department aim to educate families on the importance of reporting exposure of children to harm, whether from within or outside the family.

“It is our duty to educate the society about the dangers of not reporting child abuse incidents under the pretext of avoiding dishonour to the family or the children.”

There are many cases that were not reported, the official said, adding that the department has taken good care of all the children in 1,279 cases reported this year. The SSSD provided the abused and abandoned children with safe shelter as well as counselling sessions and therapies.

In a lecture, Dr Yahya Isawi, consultant paediatrician at Saudi German Hospital, briefed parents about types of abuses and their impact on children. He focused on the methods of diagnosis, early prevention and treatment. Dr Isawi urged parents and guardians to monitor their children closely to find any impact of physical or mental abuse and stressed on the importance of effective communication with children.

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com