Among the many things that pandemic is causing us to rethink our lives, none is more important or the urgent need for child protection. They may not be as susceptible to the virus as other age groups, but they are particularly vulnerable to the many side effects that this pandemic causes in society.
The economic consequences of COVID-19 have been rapid and brutal. Blockages and home stay orders have resulted in job losses and economic insecurity, growing pressure and insecurity for many families. We know that stress at home increases the risk of domestic violence, from developed economies to refugee camps.
In America, 1 in 15 children is exposed to parental violence each year - 90% of them as eyewitnesses. On average, every day, 137 women worldwide are killed by their partner or family members. We will never know how many of these cases a child has in the adjoining room if not there in the room.
Isolating a victim from family and friends is a well-known tactic of controlling abusers. This means that the necessary social distance can inadvertently cause a direct increase in trauma and suffering for at-risk children. There are already reports of an increase in domestic violence worldwide, including homicides.
This data comes at a time when children are deprived of supportive networks that help them cope: like peers and teachers trusted in post-school activities, visits to the home of relatives that provide a lifeline. With over a billion people living under closure worldwide, there has been a lot of commitment to preventing children from losing school, and caring for them in isolation.
For many students, schools are a lifeline, a shield that offers protection - at least temporarily - from violence, exploitation and other difficult conditions, including sexual exploitation, forced marriage and child labor. But children have lost these support networks. Blocking also means less evidence of their situation. In cases of child abuse, child protection services are most often notified by third parties, such as teachers, educators, post-school program coordinators, or trainers. All of this raises the question: What are we doing now to protect children at risk from the consequences that will affect them in the years to come?
We were unprepared for this moment, because as a society, we have not yet taken child protection seriously enough. The profound and lasting health effects of trauma in children are little understood. Women who find the strength to point out abuses against them are often shocked because many people to whom they tell do not trust them, or justify abusive behavior and even blame themselves. They often do not find support for their children at risk, and even meet judges or other legal professionals who are not trained in trauma and who do not take their effects seriously on children.
However, there are signs of hope. In California, general practitioner Dr. Nadine Burke Harris has argued that domestic violence and other bad childhood experiences (ACE) are key components of health and violence problems in the United States. She is leading an incentive to examine children for ACE by healthcare providers to enable early intervention.
Even though we are physically separated from each other, we can do something by calling family or friends, especially when we have concerns about someone. We can talk to you about the signs of stress and domestic violence, tell you what to do and how to take it seriously.
The Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children provides a range of resources to help protect children during pandemics, including a guide on how to talk to children about difficult issues. The Child Help Network can advise parents or anyone concerned to seek advice and information. Today it is necessary for all of us to try to give children the protection and care they deserve. / TIME
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