Fayazuddin Ahmad writes for DOT :
Adolescence is already a confusing period for young people. Quick modernization, change of values due to urban and global influence may make this confusion more complex for rural and traditional youths. The widespread propagation of virtual socialization using cellphone, digital footprint and social media escalates the dynamics. These quick changes of social values and norms may push an adolescent to the edge in mental stability. If the adolescent is a girl she becomes more vulnerable as the traditional social safeguards do not exist in the cyber world.
Already adolescents have characters like irritability, conflict with authority, improper decision making and risk taking. They themselves become victims of other teens and they also become victimize more. One of the key reasons for this is the lack of understanding that what they experienced was a crime. Despite being victimized more often than other age groups, teens are the least likely to report their victimization.
In any crisis, internal or external, an adolescent girl seeks advice from her friend or sibling community either by passive engagement or by direct conversation especially from the older and experienced ones. But often the willing elders can’t suggest any solution for the new issues like social media and virtual interaction. The girls living in the urban setup are more connected to modern socio cultural wave and to the global trend. They get safeguarding advice and build shields as they are more connected to the mature community. But the girls living in rural or semi urban settings, often isolated, connected just using a smartphone can take her into the free glorious wonderland called cyberspace like magic. But does she know about the alluring traps and tricks abusers planted there for her? It is still unknown how rural adolescent girls interact and behave in cyberspace interaction. How they get involved in virtual social emotional relationships. How those already indecisive adolescent minds decide and act and get the treatment. How bully and abuse affect the solitary vulnerable mind. How peer pressure, self-image and ego push her to present herself attractively. How sexual harassment and emotional abuse affect her. These need to be acknowledged and understood.
It is not easy getting info about secret and personal habit of the adolescents in conventional methods of research. Every girl’s life is different and challenging in unique way and her personal and family status quo, especially psychologically has to be considered. Girls living in an abusive and unhealthy mental environment will seek for virtual emotional connection in a more risky way than a girl living in a healthy environment. That’s why this process of query should understand the ecosystem using systems thinking. It has to recognize challenges teen girls’ face, the strategy she takes to face the challenges. The mental stress she faces and how she counters the stress in her ecosystem. How the virtual world involved and how she uses it.
It is vital to create awareness about abuse and danger which will indicate rights of girls and ways to avoid and fight, virtual, social and legal way. It will suggest additional safeguards against abuse and risks. Mental wellbeing and social emotional development for teens living in rural and semi urban livelihood should be acknowledged. Parents should not avoid monitoring their teen’s behavior and suggested intervention if any indication shows danger.
The writers is an Advocate.