Ahmedabad: A 15-year-old girl’s surprising confession has brought fresh attention to a rising trend in parenting challenges in the city. The father of the young girl had reached out to the Abhayam 181 women helpline earlier this year after discovering that his daughter, who had been living with her grandparents while he was on a transferable job, was in possession of a mobile phone she wasn’t given. Questioned about the device, the girl admitted to stealing it from a neighbour and even confessed to lifting small amounts of money from her grandparents and others. “They did not give her a mobile phone as they did not want her education to suffer,” said a counsellor.
This incident highlighted a broader trend. An analysis of calls received by the helpline — primarily for women in distress — show a sharp rise year-on-year in ‘parenting issues’. Calls made by parents seeking help regarding their children have surged by 40% in Ahmedabad in 2024, compared to 2023 —more than double the state’s increase of 18%.
On average, the state recorded five calls every day for such issues in 2024.
Abhayam, which celebrated its 10th anniversary on March 8, has been a critical resource for addressing crises. Falguni Patel, the helpline coordinator in Ahmedabad, said that the cases primarily involve teens battling mobile phone addiction or issues including violent behaviour and leaving home.
“In several recent cases, the teens were found to be using phones for gaming, chatting with strangers or even gambling. In such cases, we generally work closely with parents and counsel them to spend more time and keep an eye on the children’s activities online. Some of the cases are related to teens from other states landing up at the railway stations and being spotted by good Samaritans. Recently, we sent two such teens – one each from Maharashtra and Bihar – who came to the city to meet their online friends,” she said. MSID:: 118898445 413 |