This is shocking beyond words, and really shameful. We really hope that this girl will not have to endure such atrocities in future.
Chinese teenager molests adopted sister
Recently, images of a teenager, identified as Duan, molesting his adopted sister in broad daylight, had shocked China.
According to AsiaOne, the images started circulating on August 12, 2017, and the incident happened at the Nanjing South Railway Station in China. As per witnesses, a family of 3 members - parents and a teenager - were sitting down in the waiting room, while a young girl, around 12-13 years of age, stood beside them.
Later, the 18-year-old teenager let the girl sit on his lap. To everyone's horror, he slipped his hand inside the girl's dress and started groping her breast in public. Worse still, the girl continued to be cool and calm, and showed no signs of struggle. Even the parents didn't seem to object.
Apparently, she even addressed him as "brother". It has since then been confirmed that the girl was the boy's adoptive sister, and was adopted by the family in 2009.
A witness named Chen, took pictures of the incident and she has been quoted by AsiaOne as saying, "First I heard the girl sitting opposite to me giggling on the man's lap and I thought he was tickling her. I was astonished when I noticed that his hands were not on her waist but on her breast."
Boy gets arrested
"During the whole process, the girl just played with a cell phone and didn't struggle at all. The man's father finally noticed that people around were watching them and asked his son to stand up and leave the place."
Chen was so worried for the little girl's safety, she immediately alerted Chen Lan, a writer and NGO worker, who works with abused children. The writer posted the pictures online and alerted the police about the incident.
The boy has been arrested, and if convicted, can face up to 5 years in prison. Chen Lan however was worried that he would get away. She has been quoted as saying, "The monitors may find many excuses and deny that it was molestation. They may even insist that it was normal touching among family members."
"Abused children should be isolated from family members immediately and be helped by professionals, including medical workers, psychological experts and social workers," she said.
Authorities are currently investigating the incident.
Sibling sexual abuse
It is sad, but true, that most child sex abuse cases are committed by acquaintances of the victims. In case of sibling abuse, the victim might find it harder to disclose the truth because she:
- Is unaware that it is abuse
Abuse does not always have to be painful, so the victim may have been gently coerced into the act.
And in the disturbing scenario that the abuse has been happening for a long time, ever since the victim was young, she may even have been led to believe that the abuse was part of normal interaction and love between siblings.
- Enjoyed it
How can you say that you were abused when you enjoyed it?" Again, the lack of pain may be misleading, and the pleasure, too shameful to reveal.
- Fears the abuser
It may be loyalty towards her sibling and the fact that the revelation would get him into trouble.
Or she may even have been threatened by her sibling, with dire consequences.
- Is worried about her parents
Many victims worry that the painful revelation would be too much for their parents to handle. Also, the assumption that things that happen within a family should be kept "private" often deters victims from disclosing the truth.
Also READ: Child sexual abuse awareness
(Source: AsiaOne, CGTN, Image: Weibo)