UAE psychologists fear many cases of child abuse still go unreported

Psychiatrist Kusay Hadi and psychologist David Lee say children fear discussing abuse that happens at home. Antonie Robertson / The National

DUBAI // Psychologists are left to pick up the pieces after a child has been abused, helping them to tackle issues in the hope of living a normal life.

The Camali Clinic in Dubai Healthcare City has about 900 young people on its books in need of counselling. Not all have suffered abuse, but doctors fear incidents may be going unreported.

Clinical psychologist Dr David Lee, formerly with the NHS in the UK, is helping to improve Dubai’s child-support services.

“When abuse is kept to the individual, there is shame,” he said. “They do not feel safe to discuss abuse happening in the home; that has a profound affect.

“It affects learning, and does major psychological damage as they become pre-occupied with trying to keep safe. Some children we are working with have not disclosed their abuse. That is a big issue.”

Sessions encouraging youngsters to open up can be challenging but are vital to take vulnerable children out of harm’s way.

The clinic’s psychiatrist, Dr Kusay Hadi, an Iraqi who has also worked in the UK, said there were probably more child abuse cases than are being disclosed, so figures could be distorted.

“Children will often not disclose, because they love their parents and don’t want to get them into trouble, split the family up or get into trouble themselves,” he said.

“We can have suspicion that the child may be withholding information, so we have to be ­patient and give them time. It is not an easy process.

“History shows us, if you were abused as a child, you are more likely to become an abuser.”