Rebel Voice has repeatedly broached the subject of child abuse across the planet. It is our position on this site that there is nothing more abhorrent than the deliberate harming of a child, whether such abuse is physical, emotional, psychological or sexual. The newspapers and TV screens are filled with horrific stories of how the young are mistreated. Sometimes the harm is subtle and sometimes it’s not.
Currently, there is no effective global approach to preventing child abuse and exploitation. There are elements within law enforcement in various nations that do try, but globally it is not enough. One sector that highlights the failings of global government in this regard is that of migrants.
There is a substantial migrant crisis today. From Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Myanmar (to name but a few), millions have sought safety and a better life elsewhere. These adults make tough decisions. Many of them are parents and take their young with them. Too many don’t make it.
Young children don’t usually make the decision to leave their homes and flee to foreign lands. They are, instead, at the mercy of their parent’s judgments and circumstances. Yet it is the children who suffer the most during these trials. There are times when these children die during the journey. Rebel Voice is reminded of the heartbreaking case of Alan Kurdi, the young boy washed up on a Turkish beach. It is an image and story that will haunt for ever. At other times, children are abducted and forced into slavery, sexual or otherwise. Of those who perish, some die from hunger or disease. There is also the emotional and psychological trauma that those who survive will suffer, which will stay with them for most of their lives.
None of this has to happen. An effective global response would see an end to the brutal conflicts that cause forced migration. The international community has it within its gift to protect those that do take that scary leap into the unknown. The World has the ability and responsibility to protect all of our young. The reason that they fail is that the will to act decisively is not there. We are all guilty to one extent or another of this.
The following presentation is a reminder of just how dangerous life can be for some children. We can but pray that our own may never find themselves in this place.
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River to Sea
Uprooted Palestinian 
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Blog!
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