Tackling Child Abuse: Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

Child abuse manifests itself in several forms and dimensions - physical exploitation (child labour), emotional trauma (child prostitution) and marital harassment (child marriage). In MP the last two abuses are more rampant than the first one although the effect of exploitation is more debilitating to the child than the latter two. Passing through the national highway from Mandsaur to Neemuch in MP, we see in the months of January-February lush poppy crop and young Bachada girls smiling and gesturing at you and welcoming you at their ‘dhaba’s. Poppy crop brings wealth to the district of Mandsaur and the smuggling of opium is a big business in the district. The official price of opium is Rs. 300 per kg but the black-market price of Rs.10,000 per kg.