KUCHING: Fear of being blamed or judged may prevent children from reporting abuse, leaving them vulnerable to further harm.
UNICEF child protection specialist Selvi Supramaniam said children who experience harm may hesitate to speak up when they believe they will be blamed for being in a particular situation or fear their parents or other adults will react angrily.
“Sometimes, they feel judged or blamed, thinking that if they had not been there, it would not have happened and therefore it is their fault.
“That fear can prevent them from speaking up. When incidents are not reported, the harm remains and could potentially affect another child,” she said during a media roundtable with UNICEF held here today (Aug 19).
Selvi said it is therefore important to ensure children have safe and accessible channels to disclose their experiences without fear of judgment or blame.
She said children should be encouraged to approach trusted adults, including parents and teachers, while also being given clear information on where and how they can make a report independently.
“We want to make sure they have a safe space to report, to talk to their parents, to talk to their teachers, and if they want to report by themselves, they know where to go and that it is easy to understand,” she said.
She asserted that such an approach is important in creating a protective environment where children feel safe to seek help and report incidents of harm.
