Data and numbers
- Almost 3 out of 4 children between 2 and 4 years old (about 300 million) regularly suffer corporal punishment or psychological violence at the hands of parents or caregivers.
- One in 5 women and one in 13 men report having suffered sexual abuse when they were between 0 and 17 years old.
- 120 million girls and young women, under 20 years old, have suffered some form of forced sexual relations.
- Child abuse engenders, among other things, physical and mental health problems that last a lifetime, without forgetting that its social and labor consequences can, in the long run, slow down the economic and social development of a country.
- Child abuse is often hidden. Only a portion of children who are victims of abuse ever receive support from health professionals.
- A child who has been abused is more likely to abuse others as an adult, so that violence is transmitted from one generation to the next. It is therefore crucial to interrupt this cycle of violence and, in doing so, generate positive effects that span generations.
- It is possible to prevent child abuse before it begins, for which it must be addressed from multisectoral approaches.
- Effective prevention involves, among other formulas, supporting parents and training them in raising children and reinforcing laws that outlaw violent punishments.
- Providing ongoing care for children and families can reduce the risk of recurrence of abuse and mitigate its consequences as much as possible.
Child abuse, which is defined as any form of abuse or neglect affecting a minor under 18 years of age, encompasses all types of physical or emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, neglect and commercial or other exploitation that is or may be detrimental to the health, development or dignity of the minor or endanger their survival in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power.
Prevention
To prevent and respond to child abuse, it must be addressed from multisectoral approaches.
The earlier this intervention is done in the child’s life, the greater the benefits will be for him (in terms of cognitive development, social and behavioral skills and educational level, for example) and for society (reduced delinquency and criminality, for example). example).
The following are effective and promising interventions:
- support for parents and caregivers: information and training sessions to promote loving and non-violent parenting, delivered at home or in the community setting by appropriately trained nurses, social workers or laypeople;
- training and life preparation devices:
- higher levels of enrollment in quality education, which provides children with knowledge, practical skills and experiences that strengthen resilience and reduce risk factors for violence;
- sexual abuse prevention programs that serve to raise awareness among children and adolescents and provide them with knowledge and practical skills that help them integrate the notion of consent, avoid and prevent sexual abuse and exploitation, and ask for help and support;
- interventions aimed at generating a positive school climate and an environment without violence and at strengthening relationships between students, teachers and administration.
- work on norms and values: programs aimed at transforming restrictive and harmful social and gender norms that apply to parenting, child discipline and gender equality and promoting the nurturing role of fathers;
- Law enforcement and enforcement: legislation that prohibits violent punishment and protects children from sexual abuse and exploitation.
- response and support services: early detection of cases, combined with continuous care for children who suffer abuse and their families to prevent the abuse from recurring as much as possible and alleviate its consequences.
For prevention and care activities to have maximum effect, the WHO recommends that interventions be included in a public health approach that is divided into four steps:
- define the problem
- determine the causes and risk factors.
- design and test interventions aimed at minimizing risk factors.
- disseminate information about the effectiveness of interventions and implement on a larger scale those that are proven effective.