Re: Justice for Zainab 7 year old , raped & killed in Qasoor
You are right, Hanibal. Nothing will ever be enough and there will always be cracks through which children will fall through.
I don’t think its possible to take measures where such culprits would “cease to exist”…because it’s very complex issue. People who abuse/kill children are often times products of dysfunctional upbringing. They may have been abused as kids themselves. Or perhaps they fell into the wrong sohbat as they grew older. I know that many people will disagree (and so be it)…but I do believe that the filth you watch on TV has an impact on your mind…(porn, etc). Law enforcement has to be stricter, more efficient.
It’s harder for us to control other people and their families and what they watch TV and who they hang out with and whether or not law enforcement and politicians are doing their jobs. But what we CAN do…is increase our own vigilance, right?
I know that in the US, kids are educated about “stranger danger” and what they should do when a stranger approaches them. They are educated about what an “inappropriate touch” looks like and that such touches are not acceptable from certain people. They are encouraged to talk to their parents. Kids should feel comfortable to tell their parents about things…they shouldn’t feel afraid. Even older kids (and especially girls) have to be educated about what possible warning sings or red flags they need to watch out for when the are out and about with peers. Kids are told in advance (or should be) that they should wait inside the building to be picked up…and not outside the building…and they are also told in advance which adults are allowed/expected to pick them up and which ones aren’t.
Don’t let kids walk alone from one place to another. My dadi’s home is connected to the masjid. And kids often go there for Quran recitals. It’s only 2-3 footsteps away. But unless a parent is watching the kid (from the door or window) …those 2-3 footsteps is enough time for a stranger to approach a child. I’ve seen it so many times that kids are being tutored in a basement or in the opposite side of the home and parents don’t even walk by once to check if everything is okay. Consider sending your child with another person/s for tuition, etc. In the case of a daughter, consider having a female tutor.
Some people argue that the other girls who were raped prior to Zainab…there parents had been in their homes…and so absence of parents is not the issue. I find this to be a weak argument. A sex offender’s job becomes only easier if they know that the child’s parents are absent or far away…or that the child is unaccompanied/unsupervised.
In smaller cities in Pak (and I come from one) everybody knows everybody’s business. Everyone knows who is going for umrah, who is going to Amreeka, who is coming from where, etc etc. So when parents are going to be out of town…then you either take your child with you, or if you are going to leave them behind with a relative…then you can suspend any activities that entail leaving the house…until you return. Or at least the parents can set the condition that the child must be accompanied by an adult to and from the Quran class. If the child is being picked up…then he/she should be taught that you must wait inside the building…and not outside on the street. Children have to be told in advance who is allowed to pick them up and who isn’t.
Sex offenders could even be among your relatives. Parents often send their little girls to play with older male cousins. You can maintain a respectful interaction with relatives …while also…keeping limits for your children. Keep an eye out on the games your children are playing. I know of cases where little girls are playing a seemingly innocent game of “hide and seek” with much older male cousins…and are led to hiding places …where inappropriate things happen…and meanwhile the parents are chatting away in another room..completely clueless. Keep an eye out for …whom your kids are playing with…keep an eye out for what games your kids are playing…also keep an eye out for which relatives/people are always around your child cuz that, too, can be a warning sign. Talk to your kid…ask them about what they were playing…and who they were with…what happened…how their day at school was…etc etc.