The earliest years of a person’s life are supposed to be a time of carefree exploration, growth and support. For millions of girls around the world the reality is quite different. Violence against the girl child includes physical, psychological and sexual abuse, commercial sexual exploitation in pornography and prostitution, and harmful practices such as son preference and female genital mutilation.

Sexual abuse of children

Child sexual abuse is an abuse of power that encompasses many forms of sexual activity between a child or adolescent (most often a girl) and an older person, most often a man or older boy known to the victim. The activity may be physically forced, or accomplished through coercive tactics such as offers of money for school fees or threats of exposure. At times, it may take the form of breach of trust in which an individual, such as a religious leader, teacher or doctor, who has the confidence of the child, uses that trust to secure sexual favours.

Studies have shown that between 36% and 62% of all sexual assault victims are aged 15 or less. Research suggests that the rape and sexual abuse of children is commonplace.

Incest, sexual abuse occurring within the family, although most often perpetrated by a father, stepfather, grandfather, uncle, brother or other male in a position of family trust, may also come form a female relative. As with sexual abuse, incest is accomplished by physical force or by coercion. Incest takes on the added psychological dimension of betrayal by a family member who is supposed to care for and protect the child.

Research in Kingston, Jamaica, reported that 17% of a random sample of 452 primary school girls, ages 13-14, had experienced attempted or completed rape, half before the age of 12 (Walker and others 1994).

In a study of 1193 randomly selected ninth grade students in Geneva, Switzerland, 20% of girls and 3% of boys reported experiencing at least one incident of sexual abuse involving physical contact (Halperin and others 1996).

A general unwillingness to acknowledge the extent of child sexual abuse exists in many societies. Attempts to downplay the prevalence and nature of child abuse often blame the victim or the victim’s mother for the violence. Accusations against the child include the idea that the child invites the abuse or that she imagines it. The mother may be blamed for "causing" the abuse by refusing to have sex with the abuser, or for "colluding" by not realising or reporting what was going on.

Attention is often focused on commercialized paedophilia, which while important, distracts attention from the more widespread problem of incest and sexual abuse.

Commercial exploitation

The commercial exploitation of children occurs in many settings. The problem includes child prostitution and pornography, the trafficking of children for sexual purposes, and bonded labour.

Many factors can conspire to push children into exploitative and abusive situations. Well documented cases show that families are often deceived by the promise of job opportunities for their children. Sometimes, girls are sent away from home to work and become subject to physical and sexual abuse.

Street children may be at particular risk. With no means of economic or social support, they may be forced to rely on prostitution for survival. They also lack the basic protection that a home and family can offer, thus making them more vulnerable to violent attack on the street.

Female genital mutilation (FGM)

Today, the number of girls and women who have been subjected to FGM is estimated at more than 130 million individuals worldwide, and a further two million girls are at risk of this practice.

FGM, a form of violence against the girl child that affects her life as an adult woman, is a traditional cultural practice. In those societies where it is practised, it is believed that FGM is necessary to ensure the self-respect of the girl and her family and increases her marriage opportunities.

FGM constitutes all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs whether for cultural or any other non-therapeutic reasons.

Son preference

In most societies, a higher value is placed on sons. In extreme cases, the reduced status of daughters may result in violence. Prenatal sex selection can result in a disproportionate number of abortions of female, as compared with male, foetuses. After birth, in families where the demand for sons is the highest, infanticide of female infants may be practised.

Other forms of discrimination

Son preference may manifest in other practices which are discriminatory against girls. These practices include:

• neglect of girls, more so than boys, when they are sick
• differential feeding of girls and boys
• a disproportionate burden of housework for girls, from a very young age
• less access to education for girl than their brothers

References:

1. Halperin, D. and others. 1996. "Prevalence of child sexual abuse among adolescents in Geneva: results of a cross-sectional survey." British Medical Journal, 312: 1326-9.
1. Ravindran, S. 1986. Health implications of sex discrimination in childhood. World Health Organization, UNICEF.
1. Walker, S. and others. 1994. National and health determinants of school failure and dropout adolescent girl in Kingston, Jamaica. Nutrition of Adolescent Girl’ Program, No. 1. Washington, D.C.: International Center for Research on Women.
1. World Health Organization. 1996a. Female Genital Mutilation: report of a WHO Technical Working Group, Geneva, 17-19th July 1995. Report no. WHO/FRH/WHD/96.10. Geneva: World Health Organization.
1. World Health Organization. 1996b. Commercial sexual exploitation of children: the health and psychosocial dimensions. Paper presented at the World Congress Against Sexual Exploitation of Children, 27-31 August, 1996. Stockholm.

[Extract from Violence Against Women, Information package, World Health Organization, July 1997.]