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New Indian Express
16 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar: Social media a reason for rising teen pregnancies in Karnataka
BENGALURU: Karnataka Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar on Wednesday blamed social media for increasing number of teenage pregnancies in the state. Replying to a question in the Assembly, she said in the last three years, the state has reported 1,799 underage pregnancies, and one of the reasons is social media. In all, 405 cases were reported in 2022-23, 709 in 2023-24 and 685 in 2024-25. The increase is because of children's excessive use of social media and their tendency to fall in love at a tender age. Changing family dynamics and child marriages too are to be blamed, she said. JDS MLA Suresh Babu demanded that the state government have some control over social media. 'Many a time, unsavoury advertisements pop up while children are using social media. Children should be provided proper sex education,' he said. When he said over 26,000 minor girls have become pregnant in the last 10 months, Hebbalkar said the number looks alarming, but she did not know whether it is correct. But the MLA said many cases go unreported. He alleged that in the last four months, over 900 girls have been raped. Women's safety: Akka Pade from Aug 15 Vasudeva Sharma NV, Executive Director, Child Rights Trust, agreed that social media is one of the main reasons for increasing teen pregnancies. He said the internet has penetrated every village and regulating the use of social media is challenging. Some suicides too are linked to the use of social media, he said. He said there is something called self-generated porn, where a boy or man would ask a girl to send her nude photos which he might leak to his friends. The girl would then be blackmailed into giving sexual favours. This horrific trend is not limited to urban areas, but also rural parts. 'Young girls should be provided life skills training that includes safe use of the internet,'' he added. Meanwhle, Laxmi Hebbalkar said to ensure women's safety, the government will launch Akka Pade (Akka task force) in major cities where a vehicle with women police will patrol near colleges, markets and other places. From August 15, these Pades will be started in Mysuru, Belagavi and Mangaluru. The vehicle will have women police officials and NCC cadets.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Karnataka recorded 1,799 child marriages in 3 years: Minister
As many as 1,799 child marriages took place in the last three years in the State, informed Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar, in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. Child marriages in Karnataka Year No. of child marriages 2022-23 405 2023-24 709 2024-25 685 In a reply to JD(S) floor leader Suresh Babu during the question hour, the Minister said 405 children in 2022-23, 709 in 2023-24 and 685 children in 2024-25 were married off and that child marriages were the major reason for the increasing number of underage pregnancies in the State, she added. Social mores She said social customs practised in some communities and tribal societies were a significant factor in the continued practice of child marriages. The Child Protection Committees (CWCs) were functioning in each district under the jurisdiction of the department, and there were four such committees in Bengaluru city. Ms. Hebbalkar said there was a necessity for coordination among several departments to prevent child marriages and underage pregnancies. The helpline number 1098 has been functioning to ensure the safety of children. 'Akka pade' Ms. Hebbalkar said watch committees need to be formed from the gram panchayat level to the district level to ensure the safety of the children. Based on the 'Akka Pade' comprising women police officers and NCC cadets formed in Bidar district, the department has decided to form the same in Mysuru, Belagavi and Mangaluru by providing vehicles and other facilities for the safety of school and college students, and, women. The 'Akka Pade' has become a successful model in the Bidar district, the Minister said. Mr. Babu, however, provided his own data and claimed that 26,000 underage pregnancies were recorded in the State. The number of underage pregnancies was highest in Belagavi (2,622), followed by Bagalkot (897), Ballari (850) and Koppal (617).
