Reports Say, 40% Children Leave Homes To See What They Like On Social Media

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Railway Childline Bhopal has come across many cases where reasons related to social media were responsible for children running away from their homes. According to Childline, nearly 40 % runaways cited reasons connected with social media platforms for their decision.

The reasons given by the rescued children during counselling included desire to meet social media influencers, the desire to visit a new place which they saw or read about on social media, to explore new places for making Insta reels, reality shows and desire to go to the metros to fulfill their dreams.

Other reasons include parents' expectations and the burden of fulfilling their dreams, fear of being scolded due to excessive use of mobile phones and losing money in mobile games.

Some left their homes as they had a low patience level and were unwilling to put up with scolding by the parents. Petty quarrels and adverse family circumstances were also among the reasons cited by the children.

In the last financial year, 342 children were rescued by Railway Childline. Of them, 331 children were rehabilitated.

Coordinator, Railway Childline, Sanjeev Joshi, said 97% of the children have been rehabilitated. “Every year, there is a change in reasons for children leaving home.

The presence of children on social platforms has increased after pandemic. Social media has emerged as the reason behind most children leaving home last year,” he added.

Came From UP

In December last year, a teenager from UP came to Bhopal to meet a social media friend who was older than him. He had come to Bhopal without informing her to surprise her. Similarly, a teenager was so impressed on seeing Mathura and Vrindavan on social media that he left for Mathura from Telangana. He was rescued in Bhopal. An eight-year-old child came from UP to Bhopal to meet teacher who taught online.

Rescued By Railway Childline:

FY 2018-19: 252 (Boys-199, girls-53)

FY 2019-20: 247 (Boys-195, girls-52)

FY 2020-21: 70 (Boys-49, girls-21)

FY 2021-22: 289 (Boys – 204, girls – 85)

FY 2022-23: 342 (Boys- 231, girls- 111)