By Morkporkpor Anku
Accra, Aug. 10, GNA – Dr Hilda Boye, President of the Paediatric Society of Ghana, Monday called on healthcare professionals and communities to prevent behaviours that can expose children to abuse.
She said child protection required more than responding to abuse after it had occurred, stressing the need to create safe environments where children were listened to, respected and empowered to speak about experiences that made them uncomfortable.
Dr Boye made the call at a webinar on child protection organised by the Social Paediatrics Speciality Group of the Paediatric Society of Ghana, following public debate over comments made about a child by a Member of Parliament.
She said the debate, which generated differing views on whether the comments were acceptable, highlighted the need for public education on child protection and the distinction between culturally accepted behaviours and conduct that could endanger children.
Dr Boye said violence against children remained a major public health concern, with many cases hidden because children were afraid, manipulated, threatened or unaware of where to seek assistance.
She cited UNICEF estimates that about 90 million children (alive today) had experienced sexual violence, while more than 370 million girls and women worldwide had experienced rape or sexual assault before age 18.
She noted that child abuse was estimated to cost Ghana more than 200 million dollars annually through healthcare costs, lost productivity, educational disruption and social welfare interventions.
Dr Boye said healthcare professionals were often among the first trusted adults to encounter children experiencing abuse and, therefore, needed the skills to recognise signs, respond appropriately, document findings and collaborate with child protection agencies to enhance their welfare.
“Abuse does not always begin with obvious physical injuries or direct disclosures,” she said, adding that it could start through seemingly harmless behaviours that society had normalised.
She cited behaviours such as asking children to keep secrets from their parents, making inappropriate jokes about their bodies, encouraging unwanted physical affection and dismissing children’s personal boundaries as disrespectful.
Dr Adoma Odame, a Senior Paediatric Specialist, said identifying grooming behaviours early could provide an important opportunity to prevent children from progressing to more serious forms of sexual abuse.
She illustrated the point with the case of a 13-year-old girl who, during the nine months she stayed at home within the COVID-19 period, was sexually abused by four people, three of whom were known to her.
Dr Odame said perpetrators did not necessarily begin with sexual abuse but could first establish trust, give children money or make seemingly acceptable comments and gradually introduce inappropriate behaviour.
She said the process could influence a child’s understanding of what was normal, making the child more vulnerable to further abuse, and urged parents, caregivers and professionals to take early warning signs seriously.
Dr Odame cautioned against using culture or social practices to justify inappropriate conduct involving children, stressing that behaviours that exposed children to grooming or abuse should not be normalised.
She said healthcare workers had a critical role in safeguarding children by identifying risks, responding appropriately to disclosures and helping to interrupt the progression from grooming to sexual abuse.
The experts urged stakeholders to strengthen collaboration among families, schools, healthcare facilities and child protection agencies to create safer environments where children could grow, speak up and thrive.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporter: Morkporkpor Anku