DHARMAPURI: The District Social Welfare Office and District Child Protection Unit have stopped a total of 153 Child marriages in Dharmapuri so far this year. Among them, 43 FIRs have been registered.
The DSWO prevented 92 child marriages and DCPU stopped 61. Among the rescued children the DSWO has placed 74 children in Child Welfare Committee care and filed 20 FIR, while the DCPU has booked five cases under Child Marriage Act and 18 cases under the POCSO act.
However, activists say there could be more unreported cases. Speaking to TNIE, M Sankar, a member of ‘Thozhi’, a non-profit organization said, “Child marriage is a sociological issue plaguing the district for several generations. In most cases, it is not reported. While the DCPU, DSWO, Childline and other units avert reported crimes. There is little that can be done about unreported cases. This number could be several times higher than the reported cases.”
Sankar added, “In most villages animal husbandry is the prime source of income. In today’s situation, this revenue is insufficient to cater to a family’s needs. So in many homes, both the parents go to other districts or states for employment leaving the children under the care of relatives. When the child attains puberty they marry her off, this is done mostly out of fear.”
“The families fear that if a young woman is left alone at home she would be exploited. With digital media highlighting the crimes against women this increases the parents’ fears. Another factor is the low population density, even if a crime occurs the hilly terrain and the isolation from neighbours make it impossible to identify the crime unless reported,” he added.
According to data from the DSWO, in 2021, Dharmapuri district reported a total of 105 cases. But in 2022, in the first nine months alone 92 cases have been reported. So this year child marriage cases reported are higher than usual. Commenting on the matter, an official in the DSWO said, “There is 100% intervention if the crime is reported either in 181, 1098, or 1077.
In past nine months, as many as 74 children have been rescued from child marriage and placed in CWC care. In five cases the parents were provided counselling and they had abandoned the thought of child marriage, these children are going to school also. We have also filed around 21 FIRs under the Child Marriage act and 13 cases under POCSO act.”
M Selvam, District Child Protection Officer said, “While we have 61 cases reported, we have filed five cases under Child Marriage and 18 cases under POCSO. In most cases, before we even arrive at the scene all the evidence will be deleted. When we investigate the area, not one person would come forward and in most cases, groom and his kin would escape. Even the victim or her family will also try to suppress the matter. This also impedes cases. But we do make a report on the matter and ensure that the child is protected.”