Children Released from Bridewell

Written by: Mir Aqa Atabar

Children are vulnerable due to limited capabilities. In Afghanistan, some children might commit a crime and related organs send them to bridewell. After releasing from bridewell, they face some problem in the community.

Physical and psychological violence is a factor in the destruction of children’s personality.

A child in the bridewell in Kabul city, says to the writer/producer AEPO:

I was here in the bridewell for sometimes. When they released me, I went back to my home. At the first days after I was released, my family members and some of my friends were staying away from me. they said me that I am a guilty and a gangster because I was in the bridewell. I joined some bad friends again, and at the result, I came back to the bridewell.

Yasin Qurbani, general director of psychology department in the bridewell says:

Some parents do not pay attention to their children released from the bridewell. They pay less pocket money to them than before and say that you are committed a crime and we could not pay you more money.

Besides parents, inhabitants also condemn them for the violation. These stances have a negative impact on children. They lose their self-confidence and might join bad boys in the community.

Some parents have a good attitude to such children.

Romal is a resident of Kabul city, who is recently released from the bridewell. His father says:

 We never remind him the bridewell time to Romal because the crime he had committed was not intentionally. I talked to his principal in the school not to condemn Romal for that he was in bridewell.

Romal says: when I released from the bridewell, I was very calm and lived in peace.

Ramin is another boy released from bridewell. He says: when I released from the bridewell, my parents treat me with a very good manner and I am very happy. 

Yasin Qurbani also says that parent should avoid reminding the time of bridewell to their children and they should lead them to the right way.