Adults Beware! Angelina Jolie Raises Scary Consequence of Coronavirus On Children
Angelina Jolie is not sitting idly by at home while waiting for the coronavirus crisis to be over. Even though her son Maddox has come home from South Korea and they could take the isolation period as family bonding time, Jolie still takes time to help out in this dark time - by emphasizing the plight of vulnerable children, who can be easily forgotten and abused as the world focuses on the pandemic.
As millions of people are told to just stay at home so that they can help flatten the curve and personally stay safe as the pandemic reason, the actress penned an op-ed for Time magazine to warn society of the many dangers that children can experience on this harrowing time.
Yes, children may be less susceptible to the virus, the actress says, but they are at risk of being harmed and hurt by the secondary impacts of the pandemic on society, she explained.
Specifically, she worries about children being hurt by their own relatives or friends during the quarantine period. Unfortunately, many children are victims of abuse right within their own homes. Instead of being protected by their parents, they can be suffering from all sorts of abuse and violence.
Tragically, because the world's attention is on the coronavirus and on their own family's safety while they stay at home, these children might lose the opportunity to be saved or rescued. She highlighted that trauma could be a very probable consequence.
Isolating a victim from family and friends is a well-known tactic of control by abusers, meaning that the social distancing that is necessary to stop COVID-19 is one that will inadvertently fuel a direct rise in trauma and suffering for vulnerable children," Jolie wrote.
The Oscar winner claimed that the coronavirus pandemic could limit all the avenues of help and escape that abused children normally have. The support networks that are helping them cope in the past are now cut off. They no longer have trusted friends to seek help or distraction from, as well as teachers to talk to. They cannot even access after-school sports activities that keep them sane in the past for the lack of a better term.
Some students may find themselves rejoicing over this overextended vacation they have from massive school work and responsibilities, but there are many who are experiencing worse states because they cannot get to school. Not because they are bored at home, but because schools for some kids act as "a lifeline of opportunity as well as a shield" for protection, Jolie pointed out.
She also wrote that apart from the support networks that children lost, the situation also means fewer adult eyes are focused on these cases. Usually, past child abuse cases are initially reported baby most third party adults - teachers, guidance counselors, after school program coordinators, and even coaches.
But this is essentially harder now.
She's not saying these cases are going to be helpful to prevent now, though. Instead, she urges adults to take responsibility still. She encourages family and friends to call each other, especially if they deem something worthy of concern. It is often said that it takes a village to raise a child," Jolie wrote. "It will take an effort by the whole of our country to give children the protection and care they deserve.
Causes related to children and young people have always been dear to the actress' heart. In March, when the crisis was starting to become intensified, she donated $1 million to No KId Hungry, so that children - billions of them - relying on schools for food in the past, will not go hungry as schools shut down.
