Proposal for Sexual Abuse Prevention and Child Protection Team

Johnson, M.

Professor in Nursing, CMC Vellore

Dr. Johnson, M., Professor in Nursing, CMC Vellore.

Keywords: Child Protection; Abuse Team; Nurse

Abstract

Child sexual abuse is a growing public health problem. Children with sexual abuse experience fear, agony, pain, shame, helplessness and loss of dignity. The known magnitude of child sexual abuse is only like the tip of an ice berg and much of it is not reported. The management of abused children is challenging and evolving in the country.
The government has legalized and prohibited the violation of child’s rights. In 2012 the Indian government introduced the POCSO Act to bring to justice those who sexually abuse children and to bring awareness among people regarding sexual abuse of children and the legal implications for the perpetrators, punishable by Law. In 2013 Tamil Nadu state government has introduced the POCSO Act. In 2014, CMC established the services for managing children presenting with potential abuse by the integrated services of Child Health, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine departments. There have been 60 children with reported CSA at CMC. Mandatory reporting and management of the medicolegal aspects of these cases possess a huge challenge on the health system. Nurses have a major role in the management of children coming to CMC with suspected CSA and who need to be provided comprehensive services.

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