Nov 13 2014 : The Times of India (Delhi)
Even 10-yr-olds abused in slums
Ambika Pandit
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New Delhi
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A Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights study on adolescent girls in the slums of Delhi has revealed that abuse--emotional, gender-based, physical and sexual--is not an uncommon experience for them. As many as 10% of the 528 girls surveyed in focused interviews, numbering 51, admitted to have been victims of some kind of abuse.Conducted across 55 slums in 11 districts of Delhi, the DCPCR study also included focus group discussions with 45 Gender Resource Centres in slums, 43 municipal ward councillors, 35 NGOs and 43 Anganwadi workers. The report analysed the socioeconomic status and education, health, nutrition and work data of the girls to establish problem areas. Dedicated sections of the report also offer an indepth look at child abuse and child marriage.
According to the report, girls over 16 are soft targets of abuse. Most who reported child abuse belonged to the age groups of 16-17 and 18-19 years (35% in each group). A total of 25% falls in the age group of 14-15 years. Even 10year-olds reported abuse.Two percent of girls in the age groups of 10-11 and 12-13 years had been subjected to abuse. Nearly 85% of vio lence victims described the nature of abuse as `emotional'. While 12 girls confessed to have been abused physically, two came forward to share they had suffered sexual abuse.
The study also assessed the socioeconomic factors that affect the life of adolescent girls. A total of 87% girls lived in joint families, 74% had mothers who were illiterate and 50% had fathers who had never gone to school. In 57% cases, mothers were found to be housewives while 465 fathers, seen as primary breadwinners, were daily wagers.
While 41% of the girls came from homes earning Rs 2,000-5,000 monthly, 40% belonged to households with an income of Rs 5,000-10,000.However, 40% of girls had over four siblings, followed by 33% who had four. Shockingly, even in the capital, young girls were still being given away in marriage. The number may be small but the evil is yet to be eradicated from society. Parents in nine slums believed that the ideal marriageable age for girls is 15 years. Also, 33% of 45 GRCs surveyed shared that child marriage existed in slums. While 59% girls said they consumed only seasonal vegetables, just about 17% girls had access to fruits while 11% consumed milk.Of those interviewed, 22% of respondents felt they were malnourished and 26% suffered from anaemia and weakness.
While awareness about menstrual hygiene is growing with 56% girls using sanitary napkins, there were still 30% who reused cloth. There were 6% girls who used both.A total of 47.38% said they got sanitary napkins from school. As many as 44% bought them from the market when they had money or else used cloth. About 8% girls got these from their area Gender Resource Centres.
DCPCR member Mamta Sahai, who supervised the study, reflected on how the respondents were keen to study even as most were forced by circumstances to leave school after upper primary education. Of the 104 dropouts, the majority (53.84%) left school after primary education (6th to 8th standard).
DCPCR chairperson Arun Mathur said that in the context of Delhi there were not enough studies focusing on the four important aspects in the life of an adolescent girl--health, nutrition, education and protection.“The present study aims to address this gap,“ he said.
According to the report, girls over 16 are soft targets of abuse. Most who reported child abuse belonged to the age groups of 16-17 and 18-19 years (35% in each group). A total of 25% falls in the age group of 14-15 years. Even 10year-olds reported abuse.Two percent of girls in the age groups of 10-11 and 12-13 years had been subjected to abuse. Nearly 85% of vio lence victims described the nature of abuse as `emotional'. While 12 girls confessed to have been abused physically, two came forward to share they had suffered sexual abuse.
The study also assessed the socioeconomic factors that affect the life of adolescent girls. A total of 87% girls lived in joint families, 74% had mothers who were illiterate and 50% had fathers who had never gone to school. In 57% cases, mothers were found to be housewives while 465 fathers, seen as primary breadwinners, were daily wagers.
While 41% of the girls came from homes earning Rs 2,000-5,000 monthly, 40% belonged to households with an income of Rs 5,000-10,000.However, 40% of girls had over four siblings, followed by 33% who had four. Shockingly, even in the capital, young girls were still being given away in marriage. The number may be small but the evil is yet to be eradicated from society. Parents in nine slums believed that the ideal marriageable age for girls is 15 years. Also, 33% of 45 GRCs surveyed shared that child marriage existed in slums. While 59% girls said they consumed only seasonal vegetables, just about 17% girls had access to fruits while 11% consumed milk.Of those interviewed, 22% of respondents felt they were malnourished and 26% suffered from anaemia and weakness.
While awareness about menstrual hygiene is growing with 56% girls using sanitary napkins, there were still 30% who reused cloth. There were 6% girls who used both.A total of 47.38% said they got sanitary napkins from school. As many as 44% bought them from the market when they had money or else used cloth. About 8% girls got these from their area Gender Resource Centres.
DCPCR member Mamta Sahai, who supervised the study, reflected on how the respondents were keen to study even as most were forced by circumstances to leave school after upper primary education. Of the 104 dropouts, the majority (53.84%) left school after primary education (6th to 8th standard).
DCPCR chairperson Arun Mathur said that in the context of Delhi there were not enough studies focusing on the four important aspects in the life of an adolescent girl--health, nutrition, education and protection.“The present study aims to address this gap,“ he said.
