NCJ Number
163673
Date Published
1996
Length
17 pages
Annotation
The overwhelming problems of poverty, illiteracy, malnutrition, and disease being experienced by India as a developing country, together with the country's values and family structure, make is highly unlikely that juvenile witnesses will be used in child abuse cases in the near future.
Abstract
The main focus of the services in India is the health, education, and welfare of the population and on meeting the survival needs of children. The abuse of children by caregivers has only begun receiving some attention in the past 5 years, but efforts have focused mostly on relieving societal abuses that allow children to be involved in child prostitution, child labor, child beggary, and child marriage. The abused child's having a home and a caregiver is often considered a blessing in a country with so many destitute and street children. Nevertheless, children lack a voice in India. The country's norms, values, and perceptions of role relationships and the rigidly hierarchical structure of the family make it doubtful that child witnesses will be used soon. It is also too early to address the status of research on child witnesses in India. Societal globalization and increasing sensitization of practitioners, educators, and researchers may eventually change the situation. 43 references