Heartbreaking stories

Let's pay more attention to abused children, elderly

In Korea, May is known as family month. Koreans celebrate Children's Day on May 5, and then comes Parents' Day on May 8.

For many working families, however, family month is not always happy. Some parents with young children feel burdened by the additional costs that go into buying gifts, in addition to planning events for their own elderly parents. Despite this, most people feel blessed for being able to show thanks to their loved ones. But for some people, family is the root of all kinds of troubles. This family month has been marred by some heartbreaking news stories involving abuse among family members.

Sadly, a lot of the abuse involving children is mainly at the hands of their parents. A recent survey showed that 70 percent of perpetrators of child abuse are the parents. Recently, a teenage girl in Gwangju was murdered by her stepfather. What was even more shocking was that the girl's mother was also involved. The circumstances leading to the girl's death show the lack of assistance for domestic abuse victims. It was later reported that the girl had to move in with her mother in elementary school because she was abused by her biological father. It is hard to believe that a young girl, abused by her own father and then killed by her stepfather, was unable to find protection or guidance early enough in her community or her school.

Sometimes, children are forced to die with their parents who decide to end their own lives due to financial and other troubles. on May 5, Children's Day, when many children are on family outings or go shopping for special gifts, a family of four was found dead in a rented car in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province. During the police investigation, some family members of the couple, who were in their mid-30s, testified that the parents of two pre-school age children were struggling with extreme debt. Household debt is a common issue for many families in Korea and it is a very sad thing to see innocent children becoming victims in such tragedies.

It is also frustrating for many to see the increasing number of abuse stories coming not just from inside the homes but also from schools or caretakers. For a long time, Korean youths have suffered physical or mental abuse from some of their teachers. And lately, the lax state of babysitting services with unprofessional and abusive carers has also aroused public indignation.

The education ministry is planning measures for next month to strengthen the protection of children from various abuses. It is important to teach children how and where to reach out for help when they face dangerous situations in their homes, schools and communities. It is equally important to strengthen the punishment for perpetrators of child abuse.

During family month, it is also timely to pay more attention to the abuse suffered by the elderly in their homes. Surveys have shown that elderly abuse, much like child abuse, is often caused by family members and the number of cases is rising consistently. Elderly abuse will become a more serious social issue as Korea swiftly becomes an aged society.

Children and the elderly are two of the weakest components of Korean society. They need to be taken better care of with tailored-made polices that will promote their wellbeing and safety.