Child abuse has always been a topic I’ve been passionate about. Being an island girl, I did witness my fair share of abuse of children which has somehow been accepted by many as ‘parenting’.

Whether it is due to the lack of education or the mere nature of the environment they live in, not much has changed since then. We still see cases of people beating up children under the disgusting disguise of ‘disciplining’ their children. It seems like the fact that the children are their own, gives them the right to raise them however they want, which I believe is not 100% acceptable. There is such a thing called ‘the rights of a child’.

I recently came across this video posted by a Maldivian (Sparexenith ) on CNN iReport and I couldn’t help feeling shameful that I belong to a country where such acts of inhumanity go undetected and unnoticed.

If this is how our parents think they are teaching children to grow up to be sensible human beings, responsible citizens who’d shape the future of their country, our parents can’t be more wrong! This is what causes our children to become rebels, lost souls without direction and purpose of life, who turn to alternative even dangerous means to make up for the special parts missing in their lives, like parental love & care.

When the old generations just cannot believe how the new generation has lost their values, respect for others and resort to violence, one should give a little thought to the ways and means which have been used to shape the personalities of the new generation. If you used violence to discipline a child, what you get back perhaps is violence as well!

It is a serious issue, which needs to be addressed in the Maldives & perhaps elsewhere in the world too. We need to educate families, teach people alternative ways to discipline their children, create conducive environments for children to learn the ways of life without enduring physical pain, whether it is inside their homes or outside.

Next time you hitting your child, please DON’T!

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