DUBAI // A mother has admitted inflicting burns on her daughter, 6, “to teach her a lesson”.
The child had burnt her younger sister and the mother told police she had to be punished in the same way.
The girl’s school reported the incident to police.
“The parents were summoned to the department and a criminal file was opened,” said Maj Shaheen Al Mazmi, director of Dubai Police’s women and children department.
“There is a huge difference between disciplining your kid and abusing your kid. Burning a child is unacceptable.”
In a second case reported by a school, a boy aged 10 was beaten by his parents because he was disobedient. Police visited the school and found marks on the boy’s face.
The parents signed an undertaking not to hit him again, Maj Al Mamzi said.
“We did not open a criminal case because the boy did not have severe injuries, such as burns or broken bones.”
Parents need to be taught how to discipline their children without negative consequences, said Dr Dolly Habbal, a clinical psychologist.
“In many of those cases of physical abuse, the parents are the ones that need to be dealt with because children do what the parents do and not what the parents say.
“If the parents continue such behaviour, their children will learn to be aggressive, whether towards their future children or even friends. They might ultimately end up hating their parents. It is important to note that a child’s personality is resistant to change as he grows older.
“It’s great that Dubai Police is aware of such issues and takes steps to deal with them, but what if those parents move to other countries but maintain the aggressive behaviour? There needs to be more awareness.”
Children should be taught good manners when they misbehave, said the doctor, but there was a limit.
“Verbally or physically abusing your child is crossing the line. A healthy way would be to forbid the child from doing something they enjoy and explaining to them that certain bad behaviour has consequences. Similarly, a child should also be rewarded when they show good behaviour.
“Also, it is advisable that social workers follow up with the family to make sure the environment remains safe for the child. It doesn’t have to be on a weekly basis, but to pop in and check on the family every once in while would be a good thing.
“There’s nothing wrong with parents admitting to a child that they did something wrong and apologising for the aggressive behavior.
“No child should have to live in an environment in which they feel threatened.”
In the first six months of the year, 31 children were sheltered by the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children after suffering physical and mental abuse and neglect. There were 29 cases during the same period last year.
Whenever abuse is suspected, Maj Al Mamzi said it is the responsibility of anyone in a position of authority to contact the police, or they themselves may face charges.
“If a person of authority is aware that a child is being abused and does not bring attention to it, they may face legal action,” he said.
dmoukhallati@thenational.ae