Juvenile crimes linked to lack of guidance: Activists

Andrew Sesuraj M, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Loyola College and Convener, Tamil Nadu Child Rights Observatory (TNCRO), said that the NCRB data analysis has revealed that violence by children and against children is on the rise for the last three years. 

“While we talk about protecting the children, it is a cause for concern that children themselves are becoming perpetrators. One of the main reasons is the easy access to pornography content online or through Smartphones. In addition, there is no proper orientation to adolescence. There is nobody to speak to the children on how to handle the tough situations during this critical period. This is one of the key reasons why we are seeing a spike in such crimes,” said the child rights activist. 

Vidya Reddy of Tulir said that little is being done to address this issue. “All interventions are directed towards the girl children, which are important. But, on the other hand, there is nobody to address the needs of the boys, who are equally vulnerable during their adolescence, in a world that is highly sexualised. There are not enough male role models, who can help them through their phase. It is a disaster waiting to happen, with so many young boys navigating adolescence without help. In addition, the availability of technology makes it easier to access inappropriate content. We need more male volunteers, to be role models to assist adolescent boys, during this trying time of their life,” she concluded.