Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of children in the Nilgiris who have been sexually abused increased by more than 50 %, according to figures provided by the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU).
According to officials, 37 instances of sexual abuse of minors were recorded in 2019, prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. But, the number rose to 56 in 2020. And, the first four months of 2021 have already seen 22 cases being recorded. During the pandemic-related lockdown, children left alone at home have been at risk of sexual abuse, especially by persons known to the family.
Officials said that with schools remaining closed for more than a year, many parents of teenage minor girls believe that it was “safer” to get their children married. “Many of these girls are from disenfranchised communities, with parents having to go to work, leaving the child unattended at home. They fear that their children could be abused at home by a relative, or become sexually active,” said an official from the DCPU.
Officials said that 17 child marriages were stopped across the Nilgiris since 2020. The safety and security of minors has come into sharp focus after five child marriages were stopped across the district over the last one week.
Nilgiris District Collector J. Innocent Divya said that with children staying at home during the pandemic, the number of child marriages was increasing. “We will take strict action against any people encouraging such marriages, with criminal cases being registered,” she said. District Child Protection Officer J. Prabhu has been asked to look into the reasons for the increase in child marriages in the district, the Collector said.
“We will have a brainstorming session with the police, NGOs and social welfare staff in the coming week to find solutions to the problem and how best to tackle the issue,” she said.
