Children are asset for any society. They usually are not capable of protecting themselves efficiently due to lack of experience and skills. They look at the world as innocent as they are themselves. Children at all ages and gender are vulnerable to child abduction and other risky situations.

Over 50% children are taken by the non family person from the street and/or from the wooded/abandon areas. While in family abduction the children can be taken from own home or another home/backyard etc.

Parents/Guardian should discuss with Children safety tips and rehearsing safety tips is always helpful so that it become their second nature and can be used when needed.

Parent should Knows their child, their habits, routine, their likes and dislikes. Communicate with them assure them their safety is most important.

Assess their mental age and ask fears and concerns and address those issues openly.

Have them memorize the Phone numbers, address and important landmark of the area they are in.

When child is away an Adult should be available to respond in case of emergency (like telephone call, messages’ etc).

Safety Tips at Home:

When employing baby sitter Get detailed information about baby sitter references, from neighbor, old employer, where about, habits and training etc.

When you come back home talk to child observe anything new, ask the children how was their experience with baby sitter and Listen carefully what the child is saying.

Teaching the Child:

Smart Thinking: If adult approach to help be careful don’t get help from strangers. If you feel something unusual immediately inform the parent or guardian.

Staying together: When outside home stay with the group, avoid going alone in isolated places area and ally’s.  During school trip always stay visible to the teacher or care taker.

Strong Character: Know your boundaries and if anybody is going beyond that, don’t’ hesitate to tell the parents or teachers.

Younger children should know: (Every Child has the right to be safe)

Child should know their name, telephone number street address and how to use phone and who to call in case of emergency.

It’s ok to say NO if somebody is touching them inappropriately and they feel scared/nervous or confuse.

Check with parents/care taker before accepting anything to eat even if you know that person.

Check with parents/care taker before getting into the car with someone even you know from before.

Parent should go with child on the bus stop and help them clearly understand which bus they should take.

If they walk to school make a map or drawing to show them route and land marks and safe place in case somebody is following them, Avoid short cuts isolated areas and abandon places.

Parent should teach the child that adult should not approach child for help or directions they should approach another adult.

Parent teach the child if someone tries to force you in the car or take away yell “He/She is not my father/Mother and taking me away” There is always someone who can help. Always tell parents what happened and where.

Always tell the child to be with friends and in group while going to school or coming back.

For Teens:

Always go with trusted friends.

Tell where about where you are going and keep informed parents and guardian where they can find you in case emergency happens.

Don’t let anybody force you and be strong say no if you feel uncomfortable, it can be touching, offering drugs or any other activity which you feel is wrong.

Tips when you are home alone:

Before entering home make sure it is safe and no one is there.

Once you are inside and safe call parents and let them know.

Don’t open door if you don’t know the person at the door.

When answering phone calls don’t tell parents are not home instead say they cannot come to the phone right now and take the message. 

To be on the safe side take following necessary measures:

Keep full description of your child

Take color photograph of the child every 6 month

Keep copy of the finger print sample

Keep samples of your child’s DNA

Know where child’s medical record is including Dental record.

In case of Missing Child

Immediately inform the Law enforcement agencies

Check with your family friends and acquaintances if they have seen the child.

Limit access to home to preserve evidence

Provide all the documentary details about your child including picture finger print, and other necessary information they ask.

Connect with Missing Child Hot line If available in Your area.

Self help support groups of missing children

Check with Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice

Early intervention to prevent Children Delinquencies

http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/social-workers-aim-for-early-intervention-to-tackle-dubai-youth-crime

http://gulfnews.com/news/world/other-world/special-report-decoding-the-mind-of-a-rapist-1.1124611

“Rape and the Rapist some understandings about the crime.”

1.How can we simplify the psychology of rape? What or how can we define the mind of a rapist?

Answer:     Although Psychology of Rapist is very complex because different mechanisms involve which is poorly understood, however there are two broad views about Rape.

According to psychology theory Rapist has some psychological unresolved conflicts from the child hood ranging from sexual abuse to deprivation and poor relational concept with (female) women, Rapist might have impulse control issue, or sex addictions or having antisocial motives and/or have underlying mental illness.

While according to sociology theory explains the sexual permissiveness in the society is the cause and/or male dominance is somehow expressed through this heinous crime following rejection by a woman. (5% of women and 0.4 % of men experience rape)  (Cross Government Action Plan on Sexual Violence and Abuse www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/ Sexual-violence-action-plan)

Often time the Rape victim is to be blamed of not appropriately dressing and making unsafe choices to give the opportunity to the rapist to commit crime ( which is debate able)

2. Could you list tell-tale signs on how to identify a rapist? Do they have a pattern? Can rape be impulsive? Sexual abuse amounting rape in majority of cases is not the strnger.

Answer:      Rapist could be Known (family friend, acquaintances, neighbor and worst case scenario father or brother or strangers could be any one and very difficult to identify).

However commonly Rapist has lots of social problems, full of anger and hattered and may have been victim of sexual abuse during childhood.  Drug addict and sudden angry out bursts put someone at higher risk.

Rapist can have Impulse control issues combined with antisocial element and cannot resist sexual impulses.

Sexual abuse amounting to rape majority of time is by the known person who knows the victim.  Someone might have unresolved psychological conflict relating the female, sexual satisfaction non availability, anger and frustration of being abused at some point in life, revenge feeling toward the society or the victim and family etc.

3. Can rapists be categorized? Are there many kinds of rapists (based on differing degrees of violence or torture involved)?

Answer: It is very hard to categorize the Rapist. Old myth that Rapist will look certain way or will have big scar on the cheek is not true. Rapist can be a person sitting next to you in the class, or Cinema Theater or mopping in the corridor quietly.

Different rape categories are   Date Rape, Marital Rape, Drug Rape, incest rape, rape by pedophile. Rape at isolated places, Rape by serial rapist.

4. Can a common man be triggered to rape? What are the potential triggers? Is being angry at a woman and being unable to express the anger a trigger?

Answer:     As study shows it is very difficult to segregate the rapist from the law abiding citizen. However psychologically disturbed person loner or having few/none friends having under lying mental illness, being sexually abused put someone at higher risk to be the perpetrator. Revenge rapes have been reported in the media but are unpredictable and is usually associated with antisocial behavior.

5. How would you explain the psyche of a man who has no criminal record, is a normal person and has no violent streak and yet rapes a relative?

Answer:  Isolated introverted usually single male who usually fantasize sexual act with the known victim reach to the point where cannot resist the impulses to act on.

6. While a common man/woman may see rape as an act of brutality or sheer terror, how would a rapist see rape?

Rapist are different types as mentioned above they probably view the rape victim as sex object ( as rapist may have been abused by himself and see this an opportunity to reenact his impulses), as weak member of the society who cannot defend themselves, isolated psychologically disturbed men act impulsively to satisfy his sexual frustration in heinous way.

Rape is significantly under reported even in the very open societies. Nobody is immune to it and general safety precautions and helpful hints to avoid this, should be learned and practiced.

Few tips to help avoiding Rape:

Rapist is usually introverted and use isolated places.

Avoid passing through unfamiliar less crowded place at late hours alone, if you happen  to be in the situation wait until crowed of people come and then go through, like empty bus stands, train stations or other public places late hours.

Never answer  the door bell if alone at home and stranger is at the door, don’t be brave call the police.

In case of outside and being trapped in isolated place and feels threatened or intimidated by stranger lock yourself in the car and turn the car alarm, it will bring people’s attention.

In case of date rape or incest Rape kick the perpetrator hard in the groin will give you some time to escape and run to the crowded area for help.

If you are trapped with perpetrator in an isolated place scream as hard as you can to bring some bodies attention for help and frustrate the rapist.

Rape has huge impact on the victims mind and lasting effect. Rape victim can suffer from PTSD ( Post traumatic stress disorder) Panic Disorder and/or other anxiety disorders, Victim can feel every men as rapist or becomes emotionally numb and lose confidence in all important areas of life. If it start interfering with occupational, educational and social or other important areas of life seek Professional help immediately.

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/general/tamweel-tower-inferno-leaves-children-traumatised-1.1110329

It is a condition of dysfunction or structural damage in bodily organs through inappropriate activation of the involuntary (Autonomic) nervous system and glands of internal secretion.

Psychosomatic Illness

A disorder that involves both mind and body is called a psychosomatic illness. In other words, the illness may be emotional or mental in origin but have physical symptoms. Psychosomatic illnesses are not imaginary. They are physical disorders in which both emotions and thought patterns are believed to play a central role, and usually develop when a person’s disease-fighting ability is weakened due to stress. After a particularly stressful event, like the loss of a loved one, for example, an individual might develop high blood pressure shortly afterward or even have a heart attack. In another person, the same situation might lead to a peptic ulcer or a series of asthma attacks. A third individual, equally as grief-stricken, might not get sick at all. For a psychosomatic illness to occur, a person must first be vulnerable in a particular body system. It’s important for these illnesses to be recognized and treated as soon as they occur.

Mental conditions either can cause or can make the physical illness worse.

Psycho- Physiological disorders.

• Skin disorders  ( Eczema, skin pigmentation, etc)
• Musculoskeletal disorders ( Aches and pains, etc)
• Respiratory disorders ( Asthma, Atopy, Etc)
• Cardiovascular disorders (Heart condition, etc)
• Genitourinary disorders ( frequency, urgency, etc)
• Endocrine disorders ( Thyroid, Diabetes, etc)
• Disorders of organ of special sense – Chronic conjunctivitis
• Disorder of other types – Disturbances in the nervous system in which emotional factors play a significant role, such as multiple sclerosis

Hypochondriasis

It is  “Unrealistic preoccupation with a fear or believe (non delusional) of having a serious disease based on the individual interpretation of physical signs or sensations as evidenced by the physical illness. In addition appropriate physical evaluation does not support the diagnosis of any physical disorder which can account for the physical signs or sensations or for the individual’s unrealistic interpretation of them. The fear of having, or belief that one has a disease, persists despite sufficient explanation and medical reassurance.”

It Occurs between age 20-30 and affect both sex equally and Diagnostic Criteria require it should last for  6 months

Somatoform Disorders.

Classification of Somatoform disorder and dissociative disorders

Differentiating points between Somatizations disorder and Physical illness

1-    Involvement of multiple organ systems

2-    Early onset and chronic course without development of physical signs and structural abnormalities.

3-    Absence of Characteristic Laboratory abnormalities of the suggested physical disorder.

• Describe symptoms in dramatic and emotional terms
• Seek care from more than one physician at the same time
• Describe symptoms in vague terms
• Lack signs of defined medical illness
• Have complaints that medical tests fail to support

People with somatization disorder do get diagnosable medical illness too It is very important to  R/O Actual physical disorder.

To measure stress according to the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale, the number of “Life Change Units” that apply to events in the past year of an individual’s life are added and the final score will give a rough estimate of how stress affects health.

Score of 300+: At risk of illness.

Score of 150-299+: Risk of illness is moderate (reduced by 30% from the above risk).

Score of 150-: Only have a slight risk of illness.

• By Janice Ponce de Leon, Staff Reporter
• Published: 21:09 August 11, 2012
• 

• Image Credit: Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News
• The child was said to be hyperactive and his school expelled him.

The National: Suicidal Students in the Middle East Need More Help: Psychologist

September 13th, 2011

Please E-Mail your CV to stahirmd@yahoo.com

The survey in Sharjah asked 193 Emirati pupils aged 11 and 12 what they thought was their exposure to various types of abuse.

The most significant finding was that more than 40 per cent said that they felt neglected, said the researcher Ahmad Alomosh, professor of applied sociology at the University of Sharjah.

But Dr Muhammad Tahir, the head of psychiatry at Health Call Clinic in Dubai, said it was important to remember that the survey gathered children’s impressions.

To read this complete article, follow this link:

http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/emirati-children-say-they-feel-neglected