19/08/2022
Violence Against Children
Types of violence against children▶️
Most violence against children involves at least one of six main types of interpersonal violence that tend to occur at different stages in a child’s development.
Maltreatment (including violent punishment) involves physical, s*xual and psychological/emotional violence; and neglect of infants, children and adolescents by parents, caregivers and other authority figures, most often in the home but also in settings such as schools and orphanages.
Bullying (including cyber-bullying) is unwanted aggressive behaviour by another child or group of children who are neither siblings nor in a romantic relationship with the victim. It involves repeated physical, psychological or social harm, and often takes place in schools and other settings where children gather, and online.
Youth violence is concentrated among children and young adults aged 10–29 years, occurs most often in community settings between acquaintances and strangers, includes bullying and physical assault with or without weapons (such as guns and knives), and may involve gang violence.
Intimate partner violence (or domestic violence) involves physical, s*xual and emotional violence by an intimate partner or ex-partner. Although males can also be victims, intimate partner violence disproportionately affects females. It commonly occurs against girls within child marriages and early/forced marriages. Among romantically involved but unmarried adolescents it is sometimes called “dating violence”.
Sexual violence includes non-consensual completed or attempted s*xual contact and acts of a s*xual nature not involving contact (such as voyeurism or s*xual harassment); acts of s*xual trafficking committed against someone who is unable to consent or refuse; and online exploitation.
Emotional or psychological violence includes restricting a child’s movements, denigration, ridicule, threats and intimidation, discrimination, rejection and other non-physical forms of hostile treatment.
When directed against girls or boys because of their biological s*x or gender identity, any of these types of violence can also constitute gender-based violence.
Impact of violence
Violence against children has lifelong impacts on health and well-being of children, families, communities, and nations. Violence against children can:
Ø Result in death. Homicide, which often involves weapons such as knives and fi****ms, is among the top four causes of death in adolescents, with boys comprising over 80% of victims and perpetrators.
Ø Lead to severe injuries. For every homicide, there are hundreds of predominantly male victims of youth violence who sustain injuries because of physical fighting and assault.
Ø Impair brain and nervous system development. Exposure to violence at an early age can impair brain development and damage other parts of the nervous system, as well as the endocrine, circulatory, musculoskeletal, reproductive, respiratory and immune systems, with lifelong consequences. As such, violence against children can negatively affect cognitive development and results in educational and vocational under-achievement.
Ø Result in negative coping and health risk behaviours. Children exposed to violence and other adversities are substantially more likely to smoke, misuse alcohol and drugs, and engage in high-risk s*xual behaviour. They also have higher rates of anxiety, depression, other mental health problems and su***de.
Ø Lead to unintended pregnancies, induced abortions, gynaecological problems, and s*xually transmitted infections, including HIV.
Ø Contribute to a wide range of non-communicable diseases as children grow older. The increased risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and other health conditions is largely due to the negative coping and health risk behaviours associated with violence.
Ø Impact opportunities and future generations. Children exposed to violence and other adversities are more likely to drop out of school, have difficulty finding and keeping a job, and are at heightened risk for later victimization and/or perpetration of interpersonal and self-directed violence, by which violence against children can affect the next generation.
Risk factors
Violence against children is a multifaceted problem with causes at the individual, close relationship, community and societal levels. Important risk factors are:
Individual level:
§ biological and personal aspects such as s*x and age
§ lower levels of education
§ low income
§ having a disability or mental health problems
§ identifying as or being identified as le***an, gay, bis*xual or transgender
§ harmful use of alcohol and drugs
§ a history of exposure to violence.
Close-relationship level:
v lack of emotional bonding between children and parents or caregivers
v poor parenting practices
v family dysfunction and separation
v being associated with delinquent peers
v witnessing violence between parents or caregivers
v early or forced marriage.
Community level:
▶️poverty
▶️high population density
▶️low social cohesion and transient populations
▶️easy access to alcohol and fi****ms
▶️high concentrations of gangs and illicit drug dealing.
Society level:
✅social and gender norms that create a climate in which violence is normalized
✅health, economic, educational and social policies that maintain economic, gender and social inequalities
✅absent or inadequate social protection
✅post-conflict situations or natural disaster
✅settings with weak governance and poor law enforcement.
Prevention and response
Violence against children can be prevented. Preventing and responding to violence against children requires that efforts systematically address risk and protective factors at all four interrelated levels of risk (individual, relationship, community, society).
Under the leadership of WHO, a group of 10 international agencies have developed and endorsed an evidence-based technical package called INSPIRE: Seven strategies for ending violence against children. The package aims to help countries and communities achieve SDG Target 16.2 on ending violence against children.
Each letter of the word INSPIRE stands for one of the strategies, and most have been shown to have preventive effects across several different types of violence, as well as benefits in areas such as mental health, education and crime reduction.
✍🏽Comrade Muhammad Adam
