Dubai: Most cases handled by Dubai Police’s Child and Women Protection Department this year involved children who had been physically or emotionally abused, or neglected.
Major Shaheen Ishaq Al Mazmi, director of the Child and Women Protection Department, said that as of October 2014 the department received four cases of children being abused by their parents.
This compares to 13 cases of child abuse in 2013.
Between January and October 2014, the department handled 93 cases of domestic disputes, including child abuse.
The department has four divisions: to provide social support, case follow-up, aftercare, and awareness and education.
Maj Al Mazmi warned parents against beating children, pointing out that such behaviour can turn into emotional abuse even if it leaves no physical scars. “If a child is abused, it is more likely that he will be an abusive parent when he grows up or even a criminal,” he said.
Sometimes parents are made to sign an undertaking that they will not harm their child again.
Explaining how the department handles cases, Maj Al Mazmi said that on receiving a complaint or call about child abuse, a specialist social worker trained in questioning children and a police officer investigate the case. If the case does not involve serious injury to the child, the social worker tries to solve the problem amicably.
“The social worker sits with the parents and the child and talks to them, understands the problem and finds a solution and provides them with guidance,” Maj Al Mazmi said.
After the problem is solved, the aftercare division follows up with the family for 3-6 months and sometimes a year, depending on the case.
“There was a case earlier this year where a 15-year-old boy, who lived with his divorced mother was disobedient and would leave the house at late hours. When she tried to stop him, he would push her and leave,” Maj Al Mazmi said.
A social worker spoke to the mother and son, the department monitored the case for another six months, and the issue was sorted.
In cases of physically abused children, the initial investigation is followed by the child being checked by a doctor. If there are no wounds, broken bones or burns, then the social worker talks to the family and the child and works out a solution. If there is evidence of physical abuse, the case is immediately transferred to public prosecution. “We do not interfere in the prosecution decisions; we only provide them with evidence,” Maj Al Mazmi said.
Recently, the case of a six-year-old African girl whose mother burned her with a metal object, was transferred to prosecution.
Another case involving a 10-year-old child who had been slapped repeatedly was solved through counselling both parties.
Maj Al Mazmi stressed the department does not give children power to rebel against parents, nor does it give parents liberty to harm children. He said the department’s job is to educate both parties and do its best to keep the family intact and the child safe, without giving one party power over the other.
