Tight schedule of working parents is taking toll on the development of the kids, according to a survey. The report ‘Rising Youth Intolerance’ prepared by the ASSOCHAM ladies league (All) says that 65 per cent of students between the age group of 8-24 years surveyed were found to be spending less than an hour with their parents as a result they tend to become aloof, introvert, impatient and intolerant. The report was released on Tuesday at a function here.
All Global Chairperson Harbeen Arora said, “Since violence and abuse emerge from complex causes, we require participation of multiple stakeholders in addressing the issue. The practices of responding to complaints and victims must become more sensitive and supportive, and civil society is ready to help in such endeavours.”
The study highlighted the fact that the majority of youth spend less time in and with their families resulting in estranged relationships. Most of the respondents rarely shared any problems with their parents. Thus, problems of communication, inadequate expression and lack of parental support have been identified as factors associated with behavioural problems in children and adolescents.
Member of Parliament Supriya Sule said, “People should form child protection groups at the community level to keep vigil over the neighbourhood and tabs on suspicious activities.” She also added, “NGOs should reach out to slum areas and schools and provide awareness to our young boys and girls on various issues of abuse and how to prevent and handle it.”
Member of Parliament Yashodhara Raje Scindia opined that the police should involve NGOs, civil society, experts in medicine, and psychiatrist at the complaint stage to provide physical, emotional and financial support to victims. She said, “Civil society can come forward and support the police by volunteering expert services like that of doctors, psychiatrists and counselors for a more caring involvement with community.”
This amounts to reaching home much late in the evening and leaving home much earlier for office and its consequences have reflection only on children as with growing number of nuclear families, there is none to look after the children in their absence, adds the study.
Urvashi Butalia from Kali for Women said, “Rape and sexual assault are not merely ‘women’s issues,’ they are a symbol of the deep-seated violence that women and other marginalised people experience every day in our society. So a mindset change is required and there’s a need for inculcating values for respecting women in our education and culture.”