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| Bangladesh |
| Time to stop condoning violence |
| 2015-07-17 |
| [Dhaka Tribune] It is disgraceful that it was not until after a video showing an orphanage official beating up two maidens of tender years in Barisal went viral that authorities took any action to stop their abuse. The 18-minute-long video posted last weekend shows the two eight and nine-year-old girls being continually hit by a health assistant of the orphanage. While the staff member involved has been suspended following intervention by the DC and social welfare department, the orphanage superintendent has shown indifference by saying the girls were subjected to "disciplinary actions" after wandering off the premises. This shows total disregard for the outlawing of corporal punishment in all educational institutions. Unfortunately, we cannot be surprised that a public official with a duty of care towards children should openly express such indifference to the law. As the shocking murder of Sheikh Samiul Alam Rajon, the 13-year-old boy tortured to death in Sylhet, shows, people habitually look away from violence against others. Sadly, we believe these examples of callousness in the face of brutality are not rare outliers. The indifference shown reflects a deep-seated tolerance for disrespect and assaults against other persons that is embedded in our society. Everyone has seen the impunity with which poor rickshaw-pullers get hit all the time by law enforcement officers. Many people do not give a second thought to hitting someone physically weaker or socially less powerful than themselves, whether it be a child, spouse, or servant. An even greater number look the other way, or seek to justify their actions. We must change the ingrained mindset that considers beating people up as sometimes acceptable, when violence should never be tolerated. If we want to prevent the most extreme forms of violence, we have to stop ignoring and indulging violence within households. We have to stop tolerating all forms of physical abuse. |
| Posted by:Fred |