"Nothing Changed Even When the Police Came"... Testimony of a Victim [Recurring Child Abuse] ①

After the First Intervention Failed, Abuse Became More Cunning
Family's Indifference Deepened the Sense of Isolation
Lingering Aftereffects, Life Goes On

Editor's NoteEven after children return home, abuse does not stop. Loopholes in the system push children back into danger, and tragedy repeats itself. Asia Economy presents an in-depth three-part series examining the reality, causes, and solutions to repeated child abuse.

"The moment the police came to my house, my world collapsed once again."

Kwon Mo (37), a victim of child abuse, still cannot forget the moment when the police visited his home after a neighbor's report during his first year of middle school. At that time, he felt hope, thinking, "Now, someone might finally protect me." However, the police officers only asked his parents a few questions and left after hearing that "nothing was wrong." There was no procedure to directly confirm the abuse with Kwon himself. The brief hope soon turned into despair, and from that moment, a wall was built that made it impossible to trust anyone.

When met near his home in Seo-gu, Incheon, Kwon said, "The police did not listen to my story. They only wrapped up the case with a few perfunctory questions and made no effort to ensure the child's safety." He added, "In the end, the victim had to remain in the same home, and the abuse continued." Because the protection system only intervened once, the child's situation became even more vulnerable.

After the external intervention, Kwon's parents made their violence more secretive and cunning. He recalled, "I realized that if someone heard my screams and reported it, things would only get worse, so I couldn't make a sound." Even now, when he touches something hot, he instinctively flinches but cannot cry out-a habit that remains with him.

Although there were multiple reports, nothing changed. His parents appeared affectionate in public, but inside the home, even a small mistake created intense tension. Kwon said, "Even if I was smiling outside, the moment I entered the house, my heart would pound as if it would burst."

Child abuse victim Kwon Mo (37) is being interviewed by Asia Economy near his home in Seo-gu, Incheon on the 22nd.

For him, abuse felt like an "unbreakable addiction." Kwon confessed, "It seemed to stop for a while, but it always got worse. When a report was made, the abuse would pause only for that moment, then start again." The intensity of the abuse increased day by day. Emotional violence escalated to physical violence, and threatening objects were sometimes used. The abuse, which continued every night until dawn, eventually drove Kwon out of the house.

Winter nights were especially brutal. Forced out of his home in thin clothes, Kwon had to curl up under newspapers inside a playground slide or warm his hands and feet with hot water in public restrooms to endure the cold. He recalled, "My ears and fingers hurt with numbness. Only after my parents fell asleep in the early morning could I sneak back into the house." The traces of abuse, thoroughly hidden, never surfaced to the outside world, and the child had to endure that long winter alone.

He had no one to rely on, not even family. Even after a long walk to his grandparents' house, all he heard was, "You have to solve it yourself." Kwon said, "Even within my family, I felt like a criminal. There was nowhere to run, and I just felt like I had no place anywhere."

Faced with the reality that no help was coming, Kwon began to justify the abuse to himself. He admitted, "I convinced myself, 'My parents act this way because we're poor, or this is happening because I did something wrong,' just to endure the pain." As hope and despair crossed paths, the child fell into even deeper isolation.

Traces still remain on Kwon's body and mind. The wounds caused by his parents' abuse have become scars, and the memories ingrained in his body from that time still affect him today. He said, "Even now, if I touch something hot, I can't scream. I just flinch. The reactions imprinted on my body as a child have not disappeared."

Kwon still struggles with panic disorder and social phobia, but he is trying to overcome them. "I couldn't even ride the subway for one stop, but by practicing one car at a time every day, now I can go anywhere with my eyes closed," he said.

The hardest question for him even now is, "What would you like to say to children in similar situations?" After a long silence, Kwon shook his head cautiously. He said, "Abuse happens in the home where a child is supposed to live, and there is nowhere for the child to go. Saying 'endure it' or 'hang in there' is irresponsible and cruel. That's why I can't offer any words of comfort."

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's "2024 Key Statistics on Child Abuse," there were 3,896 cases of repeated abuse and 2,962 child victims. This accounts for 15.9% of all child abuse cases (24,492 cases). Among the victims, 1,737 children (8.7%) were abused again within one year.

※ Under the revised Civil Act, even parents have no right to physically punish a child. Anyone who commits physical, emotional, or sexual abuse against a child can be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. If you suspect child abuse, call 112. If you are experiencing difficulties with child care or support, seek counseling at 129 (Health and Welfare Counseling Center).