Ivana Kolčić
WHO definition of violence
“The intentional use of physical force
or power, threatened or actual,
against oneself, another person, or
against a group or community, that
either results in or has a high
likelihood of resulting in injury, death,
psychological harm, maldevelopment
or deprivation.”
Child maltreatment - prevalence
UN Secretary-General’s Report on Violence against
Children (2006)
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WHO estimated that almost 53,000 children were
murdered worldwide in 2002
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A survey from a wide range of countries found that 2065% of school-aged children reported having been
bullied, verbally or physically
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WHO estimated that 150 million girls and 73 million
boys under 18 were forced to have sex or
experienced other forms of sexual violence during
2002
http://www.unviolencestudy.org/
Child maltreatment - prevalence
UN Secretary-General’s Report on Violence against
Children (2006)

Between 100 and 140 million girls and women in the world
underwent some form of female genital mutilation/cutting. In
Sub-Saharan Africa, Egypt and Sudan, 3 million girls and
women are subjected to this practice every year

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimated that in
2004, 218 million children were involved in child labour, 126
million of whom were doing work that was dangerous.
The ILO also estimated that 5.7 million children were forced
to work (forced and bonded labour), that 1.8 million children
worked in prostitution and pornography, and that 1.2 million
children were victims of trafficking
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http://www.unviolencestudy.org/
Child maltreatment - prevalence
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UK - a survey by the National Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
(NSPCC; 2,275 children aged 11-17 and
1,761 adults aged 18-24, 2009)

Severe maltreatment during
childhood :
 25.3% of children aged 18–24y
 18.6 % of children aged 11–17y
 5.9% of children under 11s
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/findings/child_abuse_neglect_research_PDF
_wdf84181.pdf
NSPCC

A decline in some forms of childhood abuse reported
by young adults from 1998–9 to 2009:
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Childhood experiences of being beaten up or hit over
and over again at home, in school or in the
community declined from 6.6% to 4.3% in 2009
Being slapped on the face, head or ears declined
from 21.3% to 13.4%
Regular physical treatment/discipline declined from
10% to 2.8% in 2009
Coerced sexual acts under age 16 declined from
6.8% to 5%
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Neglect - no significant change
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/findings/child_abuse_neglect_research_PDF
_wdf84181.pdf
Croatia

HBSC - Health Behaviour in School-aged Children project
(WHO) – latest survey in 2009/10 in 43 countries

Children who communicate well with their mothers were
less likely bullyed, and less violent to other children in age
11 and 13

Children of 13 ys who communicate well with their fathers
were less likely to bully others

Children of 11 ys who communicate well with both parents
were less likely to experience psychosomatic symptoms,
were more satisfied with life, had greater success in
school, felt that they were better accepted by peers
http://hzjz.hr/skolska/hbsc_hr_10.pdf
HBSC
http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/163857/Social-determinants-of-health-and-well-being-among-young-people.pdf
HBSC
http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/163857/Social-determinants-of-health-and-well-being-among-young-people.pdf
HBSC
http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/163857/Social-determinants-of-health-and-well-being-among-young-people.pdf
HBSC
http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/163857/Social-determinants-of-health-and-well-being-among-young-people.pdf
Where does violence take place?

The UN Violence Study found that
children experience violence in five
different settings or places:
 at home
 in school or other educational settings
 in institutions such as orphanages, children’s
homes; in prisons or other detention centres
 in the workplace
 in the community
Child maltreatment - consequences

Mistreatment of children can ruin children's lives, and
there is clear evidence that its effects do not always
end when a child becomes an adult

Child maltreatment can lead to:
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Physical health problems (injuries,bruises and fractures)
Learning problems
Anxiety
Depression
Substance misuse
Self destructive or antisocial behaviour (aggression or suicide
attempt, more likely to do dangerous things like having sex at
a very young age)
 Difficulties in forming or sustaining close relationships
 Difficulty sustaining employment
 Diminished parenting capacity
Child maltreatment

Try to identify:
 Risk factors
 Recognising (diagnosing) the problem
 Dealing with the problem of violence
 Preventive measures
Child maltreatment risk factors
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parental or carer drug or alcohol abuse
parental or carer mental health
parental or carer socieconomic status
intra-familial violence or history of violent
offending
previous child maltreatment in members of the
family
known maltreatment of animals by the parent
or carer
vulnerable and unsupported parents or carers
pre-existing disability in the child
The Council of Europe: Eliminating violence
against children

Protection from violence should
incorporate:

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The legal framework
The policy framework
The institutional framework
Building a culture of respect for the rights of
the child
 Child-friendly services and mechanisms
 Research and data collection
 International co-operation
http://www.coe.int/t/dg3/children/news/vienna/Guide-guidelines_en.pdf
UN Secretary-General’s Report on Violence against
Children (2006)
Overarching recommendations:
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1. Strengthen national and local commitment and action
2. Prohibit all violence against children
3. Prioritize prevention
4. Promote non-violent values and awareness-raising
5. Enhance the capacity of all who work with and for children
6. Provide recovery and social reintegration services
7. Ensure participation of children
8. Create accessible and child-friendly reporting systems and
services
9. Ensure accountability and end impunity
10. Address the gender dimension of violence against children
11. Develop and implement systematic national data collection and
research
12. Strengthen international commitment
http://www.unicef.org/violencestudy/reports/SG_violencestudy_en.pdf

NICE guidelines: What to do if you're
worried a child is being abused (CG89),
2009
(http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/1
2183/44954/44954.pdf)