Fahd Al-Manaee Saudi Gazette MAKKAH — The Ministry of Social Affairs' social protection committee in Makkah has seized custody of 11 children from three families, the ministry said on Wednesday. Muna Al-Ahmadi, a social worker at the ministry in Makkah who was a former member of the protection committee, said the decision was made following an incident where a baby girl identified as Ghisoon was assaulted by her father and stepmother. She said: “It was not possible before this incident for the committee to remove custody of children from violent families.” Al-Ahmadi said one family lost custody of seven children, another family lost custody of its three daughters while the custody of a girl was withdrawn from her father. She said statistics about violence against children were often not accurate and differ from one region to another. “However, children are the only age group who are mostly subjected to violence simply because they cannot defend themselves.” Al-Ahmadi said protection homes established all over the Kingdom to provide shelter to physically abused children and women were not enough to accommodate the rising number of victims. “The homes are not so far qualified for the entire process of rehabilitation. “They only provide accommodation and food.” Al-Ahmadi believes that poverty, low education and culture, the differences in the educational levels between couples and the use of drugs were the main causes of family violence. “There are other auxiliary causes for family violence including mental diseases and improper upbringing.” She asked for empowering social protection homes by giving them the authority not only to improve the condition of victims but to enable them continue their lives without fear. “The homes should be attached to the Ministry of Interior, which is more capable of protecting the victims and punishing the perpetrators.” Human rights activist Anam Al-Asfour warned that the physical and verbal abuse, torture and humiliation of children by their families would have adverse effects on their health, intellectual, physical and emotional conditions later in life. “The family should provide utmost care and concern to its children. “It should help them grow up to be useful members of society.” Al-Asfour warned that family violence would only result in children who suffer from social problems later on in life. She said abuse might take various forms including physical, verbal, sexual, psychological and economic abuse. According to her, family violence may often result from differences and conflicts between husband and wife for various reasons such as deteriorating financial conditions, drugs and alcohol, among others.
