A children’s perspective on child abuse

Abstract

Discourses about child abuse are usually adult centred. In the research described in this paper young people were asked to give their perspectives on abuse. They described abusive behaviour as that perpetrated by persons who use their power to control those they consider as lesser.The young people described two forms of abuse. One was feeling let down by those with whom they are in an emotional relationship. The other was feeling discounted because of their age. The children and young people considered the right to negotiate or to have ‘two-way compromise’ as essential to the prevention of abuse. The power to disclose or not to disclose abuse was described as an important issue for children in enabling them to maintain some control over their situation.The research process and findings highlighted the way in which the institutionalisation of adult power over children as legitimate, excludes children’s knowledge on issues concerning them by preventing their participation in knowledge creating forums, and by discounting their competency as children to contribute.

Det våldsbevittnande barnets ontologi

“…Konsekvensen är att viktiga aspekter av barns levda erfarenheter riskerar att osynliggöras. Tidigare forskning har exempelvis pekat på barns behov av att diskutera och själva definiera vad våld innebär (Mason och Falloon 1999). Rätten att definiera ämnen och dess relevans för ens eget liv, samt att definiera sin egen erfarenhet, är minst lika viktigt för barn ur ett ståndpunktsperspektiv, som det är för kvinnor och andra marginaliserade samhällsgrupper (Smith 1979).…”