Since 1970, Our GK Books are

Rated as one of the

Best Books on General Knowledge
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE REFRESHER Rs. 300.00
by O.P. Khanna
EVER LATEST GENERAL KNOWLEDGE Rs. 175.00
by O.P. Khanna
TEST OF REASONING Rs. 115.00
TOPICAL ESSAYS Rs. 100.00
CHOICEST ESSAYS Rs. 100.00
PERSONALITY AND YOU Rs. 15.00
HOW TO STUDY AND TAKE EXAMS Rs. 20.00
ESSAY WRITING Rs. 30.00
POSTAGE FREE ON ORDERS WORTH Rs. 50.00 OR MORE.
(Please add Rs 15.00 towards postage if order is worth less than Rs. 50.00)
KHANNA BROTHERS (Publishers)
126, INDUSTRIAL AREA, PHASE-1, CHANDIGARH - 160 002
AVAILABLE AT ALL LEADING BOOK STORES OR ORDER DIRECT.
OUR PUBLICATIONS
REVISED & UPDATED 2008 EDITIONS
A
ccording to researchers at Stan-
ford University and the Universi-
ty of California-Santa Barbara,
stories about crime and violence
make up 40 per cent of the child-related
newspaper coverage. Though we do not
have similar statistics and research-based
analysis on Indian children, situation is
alarming in India also.
University of California also found a
general lack of public policy coverage
related to children in the sources studied.
In this behalf, the Indian situation is worse
because our television and newspaper pre-
sentations on childrens issues hardly men-
tion, much less focus on policy issues that
affect children.
Nor are the age groups clearly marked
in the newsier articles and television dis-
cussions. It is the adolescents mostly who
get the media attention.
In news coverage of children the
emphasis is on reports of crime, with chil-
dren portrayed as both victims and perpe-
trators of violence. Such an emphasis
diminishes the publics perception of the
relative importance of other child-related
concerns.
A child who experiences any kind of
maltreatmentneglect, physical or sexual
abuseis likely to get involved with the
juvenile justice system.
Its not clear how many youths under
18 are tried in adult criminal courts in this
country. Cases of three-year old charged
with rape and murder have been reported
in newspapers.
It is no consolation that brutalisation
of children is a world wide phenomenon.
In India, situation is as bad as anywhere
else but cases of child abuse do not get
reported.
Peculiar to India is female foeticide or
selective abortion based on the foetus
gender or sex selection of child. This is a
crime perpetrated against the yet-to-be
born girl child. Often, parents themselves
are responsible for committing this crime.
Besides, domestic violence too affects chil-
dren badly. Children get physically abused
or hurt at home or get mentally damaged
while witnessing violent fights between
parents and among relatives. Children
some times intervene to protect the adult
victim, endangering themselves. Children
also copy the violent adult behaviour they
witness at home and elsewhere and they,
thus, expose themselves to stress-related
problems. They lose self-confidence or
develop guilt complex blaming themselves
for the violence at home, especially
between parents.
Unlike the laws of many other coun-
tries, Indian Penal Code makes no distinc-
tion between child sexual abuse from rape
or molestation or other kind of crime. In
fact, the laws against child sexual abuse
are only in their developing stage. Some
parts of the law applicable to sexual abuse
of a child are related to sale, hire, distribu-
tion, or circulation of obscene objects of
literature to children.
Several movements have been started
to initiate amendments to the penal code,
adding specific crimes for sexual abuse.
But, in an increasingly violent society, laws
are no succour to the innocent victims of
crime and violence.
In sum, rape and sexual abuse of chil-
dren in India is a large problem not easy of
solution. Indias corrupt and weak legal
system renders the problem even larger.
However, the situation can be
improved by appropriately educating chil-
dren and adults on crime and violence, and
educating the police, law officers and
judges to be more sensitive toward social
issues.
Children on Crossroads
ESSAY
Several
movements have
been started to
initiate
amendments to
the penal code
adding specific
crimes for sexual
abuse. But, in an
increasingly
violent society,
laws are no
succour to the
innocent victims
of crime and
violence. Rape
and sexual abuse
of children in
India is a large
problem, not
easy of solution.
Indias corrupt
and weak legal
system renders
the problem even
larger.

T
h
e

C
o
m
p
e
t
i
t
i
o
n

M
a
s
t
e
r
.
C
o
n
t
e
n
t
s

o
r

T
r
a
n
s
l
a
t
i
o
n

o
f

c
o
n
t
e
n
t
s

o
f

t
h
i
s

d
o
c
u
m
e
n
t

m
u
s
t

n
o
t

b
e

r
e
p
r
o
d
u
c
e
d

i
n

a
n
y

m
a
n
n
e
r

w
i
t
h
o
u
t

p
r
i
o
r

p
e
r
m
i
s
s
i
o
n
.
T HE COMP E T I T I ON MA S T E R
Available as Print Edition also for Rs 50 per copy from your local newspaper agent
S UBS CRI BE & S a v e Mo r e t h a n 3 0%*
For One Year Subscription just send Rs 350 by MO or Cheque in the name of
The Competition Master to 126, Industrial Area-1, Chandigarh - 160002,
alongwith your complete name and address.