Topic name- CHILD ABUSE DURING THE COVID-19
Submitted by:
BHAVIKA DOGRA
MBA Finance 1st year
OBJECTIVE- To study the increasing risk of violence against children during the Covid-19 pandemic.
INTRODUCTION-
Pereda, N., & Díaz-Faes et al
The situation of crisis produced by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic poses major challenges to societies all over the world. While efforts to contain the virus are vital to protect global health, these same efforts are exposing children and adolescents to an increased risk of family violence. Various criminological theories explain the causes of this new danger. The social isolation required by the measures taken in the different countries, the impact on jobs, the economic instability, high levels of tension and fear of the virus, and new forms of relationships have all increased levels of stress in the most vulnerable families and, therefore, the risk of violence.
Increased risk of violence through the lens of criminological theories:
Criminological theories address the multiple variables that contribute to family violence and child abuse, and can also explain why there is a greater risk of violence in critical situations. Due to the complexity of the concept, our understanding of intergenerational transmission of violence is still limited. Environmental and situational theories help to understand children’s vulnerability and the contexts that are most conducive to violence against them. Social disorganization theory proposes that neighbourhood characteristics such as poverty, residential mobility, population density, overcrowding or urban blight hinder or prevent community cohesion, which lead to the increased levels of disadvantage and disorder associated with high rates of child abuse.
Epidemiology of Child Maltreatment during the COVID-19 Pandemic:
Child maltreatment, especially during health crises, is a major public health issue transcending cultural, social, and racial contexts. A secondary data analysis of a retrospective review was conducted to compare types and rates before and during the COVID-19 outbreak, utilizing descriptive and multivariate analyses on anonymized data from the NFSP. According to a predetermined list of relevant risk factors for child maltreatment outlined by the NFSP, these anonymized data were obtained and analyzed with no exclusion criteria (n = 1304). The findings showed that a child’s age correlated significantly and positively with their odds of being physically maltreated; as a child’s age increased by one year, on average, their corresponding predicted odds of being physically maltreatment tended to rise.
Physical Maltreatment Risk Factors:
As a child’s age rises by one year, the corresponding predicted odds of being physically maltreated increases by a factor of 7.6% on average. Moreover, evidence suggests that presence of chronic illnesses in children enhance the likelihood of physical abuse. This suggests that certain characteristics unify this group of children, regardless of disability type or severity degree. However, a combination of age with specific socioeconomic characteristics is important. On the contrary, results showed that children with chronic illness were significantly less likely to be physically maltreated compared to children who were not chronically ill. The study that identified the link between chronic illness in children and the increased risk of physical maltreatment involved a cross-sectional community survey, which is different from hospital-based sample. However, we observed that children who have a brother experienced significantly higher levels of sibling violence.
The Short- and Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Child Maltreatment:
Children are the most vulnerable population during disasters and emergencies. The COVID-19 pandemic, as a public health crisis, has brought a new threat to child health and safety. National lockdowns may fuel parental tension and then lead to an increase in child maltreatment, including child abuse and neglect, and domestic violence. Historically, all types of child abuse have soared following natural disasters and economic downturns, while limited access is available to the usual services that provide support. News reports of increased rates of hospital visits and hospitalizations for child abuse attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic have already surfaced. In this situation, scholars worldwide are worrying that children may be exposed to a significant risk for maltreatment. Indeed, research on COVID-19 was beginning to show lockdown restrictions increased the incidence of child abuse and neglect relative to pre-lockdown levels. Parents experiencing job losses, social isolation and negative parenting behaviours were at high risk to engage in psychological and physical abuse]. However, these cross-section studies examined the short-term impact of lockdown measures, and did not provide a longer period of observation after lockdown.
Schools That ‘Open Doors’ to Prevent Child Abuse in Confinement by COVID-19:
According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, more than 188 countries closed their educational centres at all levels during the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the measures to stop the spread of the virus. More than 1,500,000,000 learners were affected, which is more than 90% of all enrolled learners, and were confined in their homes. Faced with this global situation, on 20 March 2020, the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University highlighted the imperative need to reconcile two of the most relevant science-based messages for overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic, prolonged social distance and supportive relationships, to strengthen resilience in the face of adversity. The Center noted that responding from science to two apparently contradictory challenges requires rigorous scientific thinking, on-the-ground expertise and the lived experiences of a wide range of people and communities. Obviously, the impact of confinement conditions will not have the same short- and long-term effects on all people. It is a priority for social and educational research to contribute to the challenge of reducing the potential threats and consequences that the physical isolation of confinement can produce for those who are especially vulnerable, such as children at risk of abuse in their homes. This article provides knowledge to help minimise the negative consequences of confinement for all children, especially for those potentially at risk of abuse (physical, sexual, and emotional) at home.
School-Based Programs to Prevent Child Abuse:
In the last three decades, evidence has been collected on school-based abuse prevention programmes from early childhood, elementary and high schools; these programmes have been found to be effective in increasing children’s knowledge of child abuse concepts and self-protection skills. Schools are ideal settings for promoting child abuse prevention, providing knowledge and skills for children to recognise abuse and to reduce risk, creating a trusted environment in which children can disclose if they are being abused, and creating a safe context involving the entire community. The main messages in programmes that have proven to be effective are to tell a trusted adult, that it is never too late to tell, that the abuse is never their fault, and that the perpetrator is always responsible. Examples are provided to further define these concepts so that children understand what is meant by “trusted adult” and “unsafe or confusing touch”.
Other programmes focused on promoting healthy relationships and preventing domestic abuse emphasise friendships and peer relationships to discuss abuse in intimate relationships, how to build positive relationships, how children and youth can develop relationships free of fear and abuse, conflict resolution skills, and underlying attitudes that lead to abusive tendencies.
Family Violence, COVID-19 and Stress Among Minorities:
Children from historically disadvantaged groups (racial minorities, lower socioeconomic status [SES]) may be particularly susceptible to mental health consequences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stress and compromised parenting often place children at risk of abuse and neglect. Child maltreatment has generally been viewed as a highly individualistic problem by focusing on stressors and parenting behaviours that impact individual families. However, because of the global pandemic, families across the world are experiencing a new range of stressors that threaten their health, safety, and economic well-being.
Needed Policy Changes and Interventions Needed at All Levels:
The task at hand is both complex and daunting and will require changes and major institutional efforts. For example, from a government perspective, certain policy efforts are needed to offset the inequalities, which are more pronounced during a health care crisis, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing these inequities will require a government appointed race/inequity task force that is designed to implement pre-determined standards of care in minority communities at an early stage in a medical crisis.
Increased child labour:
Prior to the pandemic, children as young as 10 years are often sent to work or are married off as part of a family’s survival strategy.19 As many parents lost income, unable to feed their families and their households being pushed into extreme poverty and hunger, children are thus increasingly forced into hazardous and exploitative work to support their families. According to the Save the Children’s survey, 56% of respondents reported an increase in children working since lockdown began. In many parts of the country, children have been seen selling food items, alcohol, firewood, working in gold mines and grazing animals, among others, since the lockdown started.
Delayed detection of abuse:
Since a high number of child abuse cases are usually detected early and reported by educational personnel, the closure of schools increases the risks of late detection, increase in cases and under‐reporting of child maltreatment cases. The closure of schools and places of worship, which act as safe havens for many children meant limited access to reach trusted adult figures who often can detect early signs of abuse and help families to cope with the added stress. Given the fact that the reporting channels and referral pathways are severely affected by the lockdown, the pandemic has worsened the living conditions of children, putting children at an increased risk of different forms of child abuse.
CONCLUSION-
This paper has provided insight into the situation regarding child abuse during the Covid-19 pandemic where it has shown a significant increase in the cases of the same. In this regard, the study has noted an increase in child sexual and physical abuse, child labour, limited access to basic needs and lack of social support, especially since the national lockdown. In order to ensure the safety of children, the study highlights a need for the adoption of alternative child abuse detection measures, increased parental support and financial support for families at risk and improvement in case‐detection/referral services. Necessary measures should be taken to enable children and adolescents to develop and prosper in a society which is likely to be very different, but in which the defense of their rights and well-being must continue to be a priority.
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