On February 18th, 2025, a 14-year-old girl called Majlis*, stating she has been facing severe physical abuse by her mother, stepfather, and brother for a long time. Her body was covered in deep cuts and burn marks. Desperate and frightened, the girl had come to her friend’s home, where she was sobbing uncontrollably, pleading not to be sent back. She had approached the police twice prior but they turned her away.
We contacted Childline 1098 (a 24-hour emergency service for children in need of care and protection). We also informed the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Mumbai, but they both refused to help. In fact, the CWC dismissed the case, labelling it a “family matter” and advised us to settle the matter with the family. We requested that the child be admitted to a shelter but CWC refused saying it cannot be done without police intervention and kept shouting about following procedure. CWC insisted that the child should stay at her friend’s house, even though we clearly communicated that this posed a danger not only to the child but also to the family offering her refuge. We then reached out to the District Women and Child Officer, and hoped that with directions from a superior authority they would take the child to a shelter but no one turned up.
Around midnight the police, accompanied by the girl’s brother, arrived at her friend’s house and forcibly took her to the police station. Despite the friend’s mother’s plea to not return the child to her abusive family, they ignored the request and sent her back to the very environment where she had been harmed, without even recording her statement.
This harrowing incident highlights a grim reality. Even with numerous agencies in place to protect vulnerable children, we have failed this girl. It’s no surprise that so many children go missing in Maharashtra —this is the painful consequence of failing to address abuse within families. By forcibly sending children back to their abusers, we are putting them in even more perilous situations. The recent trend of District Collectors insisting on restoring children from shelters to their families, even when those families are the perpetrators of abuse, is deeply troubling.
What future are we providing our children if we continue down this path? The systems designed to protect children must be held accountable.
Follow Up 21st February, 2025: The Majlis team finally managed to meet the girl at the police station. She once again recounted the horrific physical abuse she had endured for an extended period, primarily at the hands of her mother and brother. Her body bore the visible scars of burns and cuts. She expressed a deep desire to leave her home but was filled with uncertainty. She didn’t know what to expect from a shelter, how she would occupy her time, or whether she would still be able to continue her education. In a moment of innocence, she asked, “Will I get to meet my friends?”
Despite our attempts to reassure her, the police and Childline team instilled fear, telling her that shelters were frightening places and that she was better off with her mother. Later the police took her for a medical examination, and produced her before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) to give her final statement.
The entire experience has been harrowing and leaves one to reflect on the future of young girls trapped in abusive homes. What hope do they have when the systems meant to protect them fail to offer solace, understanding, or even basic reassurance?
*Majlis’ team of women lawyers, social workers provide legal and social support to women and children facing sexual and domestic violence. For legal advice call 07506732641 Mon-Fri 11 am to 7 pm.