The news in Al-Ayyam newspaper about the increase in child sexual abuse and molestation made me so sad and disheartened; especially knowing that such sickening offenses are committed by first-degree relatives of the child like parents or siblings and second-degree relatives like uncles or cousins, as well as friends close to the family. The offenders have almost no ethos; they themselves may have been subjected to sexual assaults that deformed their souls, made them suffer psychological trauma, and drove them to retaliate in a morbid manner. However, that should not give them reprieve from due justice and proper penalties. I, together with other writers in Bahrain, have launched repeated campaigns to fight against this abhorrent phenomenon, which destroys the dignity and spirit of the innocent child for the rest of his/her life. We requested a 15-year jail term for the offender, at least.

I blame the media for exacerbating rather than alleviating the scourge of child molestation; why do they not warn families against leaving their children alone with adults, even if they are relatives? Why do they not emphasize to families that they must permanently keep an eye on their children? Why does the TV stay silent, never warning children about fondling and inappropriate touching? Why does the TV not teach children how they should react when someone closely approaches them and begins groping?

The TV should broadcast repeated clips directed to teachers, encouraging them to inform the parents of the sexual assault victim and identify the perpetrator who should be penalized. There should also be TV clips directed to parents, who should make their children aware of the necessity of reporting any type of sexual molestation or harassment. Parents should believe what their children tell them in regards to abuse. They should encourage their children not to be intimidated by the perpetrators, who want to escape justice by bullying and threatening their victims.

Our radio broadcast stations have done nothing more than interview the victims. They should campaign and address children who should learn how to react if someone fondles or inappropriately touches their genitals. Parents should learn how to diagnose and judge the symptoms of sexual assault of a child – especially reclusion and behavioral disorders caused by shame and guilt.  Molested children are also more prone to genophobia, and fear marriage, when they become adults.

I was pleased with the interview, on Al-Ayyam, of Dr. Sharifa Sawar, the psychiatric consultant and specialist on family violence.   She revealed heartbreaking facts about the increment in the rate of incest. She stressed its negative post-victimization influence, including psychological complications, lowered academic achievement, and the victims becoming perverted themselves; in other words, molested children may have a higher risk of becoming future criminals, who would retaliate by molesting other children. Dr. Sawar wondered why we do not interfere immediately and provide victims with essential psychiatric treatment to prevent the molestation of their self-esteem as well.

I would like to know about any efforts exerted by the Ministry of Education in this respect. Why do teachers not lecture younger students about suspicious motions and gestures of their teenaged colleagues in school, especially those with perverted tendencies?  Teachers should also stress the necessity of reporting any harassment or assault to the management and to their parents without being intimidated by the bullying of the molester. Parents should be made aware of the repercussions of refraining from or declining to report assault cases, or to waiver the right to litigate and take the case to court if the criminal is a family relative. Parents and teachers should display the 998 hotline designated for child protection, so that children can communicate with those concerned to help them out of this unspeakable ordeal. 

The post-incident behavior of the family towards the victim is vital and critical. They should kindly embrace the child victim, believe his/her version of the story after due verification, and psychologically aid him/her to overcome this profound crisis. The situation will worsen if the victim feels guilty and responsible or to blame for his/her own assault. We should mitigate his feeling of fear and anxiety, and help him/her get through this phase of difficult aftershocks.

With the increment in cases of sexual assault against children, based on Dr. Sharif Sawar’s information, it is our officials’ duty to increase the frequency of media warnings against this tragic phenomenon. The Ministry of Education should, jointly with the media, launch a campaign dedicated to eradicating the sexual assault of children from our society.  

I would like to conclude my article with a distressing story of a married woman who was a victim of sexual assault when she was young. Her story reflects the negative impact sexual assault has on the future of our children. She said, asking for assistance through a social magazine: “I married four years ago, and I have two children. I was sexually molested when I was young by one of my relatives whom I knew well. That psychological trauma still affects my behavior with my husband. I try to avoid sexual intercourse with my husband, and if we make love, I do not enjoy it. I love my husband and he loves me too. I feel guilty because I am being unfair to my husband and feel Allah will punish me because of how I am acting. I want to make my husband happy and enjoy our marriage, but I am deprived of that privilege because of the criminal who sexually assaulted me when I was young. I hope somebody can help me to protect my marriage bond.”

That tragedy can happen to any male or female who was a victim of sexual molestation during his/her childhood. I wonder when officials in the concerned ministries will work hard to make children and parents aware of the danger of child molestation, before it worsens and threatens the social structure of our country?