Importance of protecting children from sexual violence

Dr. Hany Jahshan, the expert on the prevention of violence and injuries, said that the primary responsibility for protecting children from sexual violence belongs to family, pointing out that family is capable of protecting the child if it is characterized by non-disintegration, do not suffer from social problems such as addiction to drugs or alcohol and do not suffer from mental illness.


 He added that official child protection institutions and government social services must intervene to protect children who have family risks that threaten them and violate their rights.

He pointed out that constitution stipulated the government is responsible for child protection and coordination between these bodies to ensure that.

In an interview with Al Maghrib Today, Jahshan said that consequences of sexual violence against children include the direct and harmful physical consequences of childbirth, such as genital infections or associated injuries throughout the body, as well as child's exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV / AIDS and pregnancy of young girls.

Jahshan said the consequences of sexual violence against children could reach death due to increased AIDS infection, illegal abortion of a pregnant girl or death from adolescent suicide resulting from depression as a consequence of sexual violence.

He said that dangers of sexual violence including shame, fear of sexual education for children. To prevent these dangerous, Ministry of Education should implement a sustainable national program for the appropriate sex education curriculum for the child's development stage.

The risks of places where children are expected to be present usually require monitoring of children according to their stage of development during play or going to school.

Jahshan stressed importance of controlling the relationships of children, especially adolescents, with other adults, even if they are relatives, and verify the integrity of the relationship and the behavioral and moral background to them.

Jahshan added that article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child states: "States Parties undertake to protect the child from all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. For these purposes, States Parties shall in particular take all appropriate national, bilateral and multilateral measures to prevent: (a) The inducement or coercion of a child to engage in any unlawful sexual activity; (b) The exploitative use of children in prostitution or other unlawful sexual practices; (c) The exploitative use of children in pornographic performances and materials.