Mariam Mohamed Abd Elmaboud

Can a series about child abuse teach children to stay safe? Last Ramadan, Lam Shamsiya-the first Egyptian series of its kind to spotlight child sexual abuse- was broadcast, showcasing the story of “Youssef”, a young boy who has faced sexual harassment by his father’s best friend “Wissam”. The series discusses very crucial and complicated social issues including child abuse, bullying, emotional neglect and trauma, which raises a very important debate among the Egyptian society: should our children watch the series to teach them valuable lessons, or is its content too heavy for them to handle? 

For older children and teenagers, Lam Shamsiya’s portrayal of harassment and bullying can be a crucial tool for raising awareness about abuse and how to recognize and report it, but when watched with parental guidance. Especially since the series is crafted with the help of child psychologist Sara Aziz, founder of Safe Organization and the Children’s Scientific & Psychological Content Reviewer of the show, to ensure the mental well-being of the younger viewers and the child who was acting Youssef’s role (Ali El Bialy). By watching with parental supervision, teenagers might learn how to stand up for themselves and understand how to report abuse with its different types to their parents without fear.

Guided viewing is critical to gain these benefits while managing the risks that might happen. Since the series contains some intense scenes which could put the viewers without context under stress; however, with parental mediation, the series can open important discussions around trust, and emotional safety, helping children and teenagers process the series’ complicated events in a healthy and safe way.  For example, parents can help children understand why Youssef in the series despite Wissam’s repeated abuse remained silent as a response that happens among many children who experience trauma, often due to their fear or the manipulation by the trusted abuser. As proven in a study done in 2015 by The Journal of Child and Family showing that active parental mediation helps children process media safely and enhance their learning outcomes. 

On the other hand, some media experts argue that it is inappropriate to expose children to such heavy scenes no matter how important the message of the series is as it can lead to fear, confusion, or distress. They suggest that children might reflect the trauma on themselves leading to negative psychological impacts and lasting effects. They prefer sharing basic facts with kids without showing them graphic details. In fact, not all children respond to the media in the same way or to the same degree. According to the differential susceptibility to media effects model, individual factors like age, personality, and social environment influence how heavy media is processed. Consequently, while some children might learn from Lam shamsiya, others could experience negative signs.

Therefore, it mainly depends on the child’s age, maturity stage, and how the child copes with heavy content. For older and more mature children or teenagers, Lam Shamsiya carries an important message about recognizing and preventing abuse, co-viewing and discussion of the content can make it a powerful educational tool for social awareness. However, younger children should be protected as their maturity stage can make them more vulnerable to the series’ traumatizing content. Hence, it is essential that children, regardless of their age, should never be left to handle such content alone, they should always be monitored and guided by their parents.

In conclusion, Lam Shamsiya as described by many is the voice of the voiceless bravely representing an important often overlooked issue: child sexual abuse. Its message is heavy but that is why it matters. Whether children should watch it or not is not a simple yes or no question. It is a matter of support, stage of development and timing. With the right discussions and guidance, the series doesn`t have to be harmful, it can be a shield that protects children from the dark.