Attitudes Justifying Domestic Violence Predict Endorsement of Corporal Punishment and Physical and Psychological Aggression towards Children: A Study in 25 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Abstract

Objective The Convention on the Rights of the Child has prompted countries to protect children from abuse and exploitation. Exposure to domestic violence and corporal punishment are risk factors in children’s development. This study investigated how women’s attitudes about domestic violence are related to attitudes about corporal punishment, and harsh behaviors toward children, and whether country-wide norms regarding domestic violence and corporal punishment are related to psychological aggression and physical violence toward children. Study design Data were drawn from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, a nationally representative and internationally comparable household survey developed by UNICEF. Measures of domestic violence and discipline were completed by 85,999 female caregivers of children between the ages of 2 and 14 years from families in 25 low- and middle-income countries. Results Mothers who believed that husbands were justified in hitting their wives were more likely to believe that corporal punishment is necessary to rear children, and, in turn, were justified in hitting their wives and that corporal punishment is necessary to rear children were more likely to report that their child had experienced psychological aggression and physical violence. Countrywide norms regarding the acceptability of husbands hitting wives and advisability of corporal punishment moderated the links between mothers’ attitudes and their behaviors toward children. Conclusions Pediatricians can address parents’ psychological aggression and physical violence toward children by discussing parents’ attitudes and behaviors within a framework that incorporates social norms regarding the acceptability of domestic violence and corporal punishment.

Gender Inequity Associated with Increased Child Physical Abuse and Neglect: a Cross-Country Analysis of Population-Based Surveys and Country-Level Statistics

“…To our knowledge, only three cross-national studies have examined a societal-level risk factor using child maltreatment data collected from surveys. Two studies used Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) data from 25 middle and lower income countries and found that past-month caregiver reported child physical and psychological abuse was higher in countries where violence in families was more of a cultural norm (i.e., they reported greater acceptance of corporal punishment and intimate partner violence; Lansford et al 2014) and in countries with lower levels of education (Lansford and Deater-Deckard 2012). The third study utilized data from 28 countries reporting childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ) scores, which asks children 12 and over to rate the frequency that events related to child abuse and neglect occurred when they “were growing up” (Viola et al 2016).…”

Bir Sanayi Kompleksinde Çalışan Çocukların Aile İçi Şiddete Maruziyetleri ve İlgili Faktörler: Niteliksel Bir Araştırma

“…al. 14 In our study unfortunately some of the children admitted that their mothers were also the victims of domestic violence. In a study carried out in some middle and low-income countries, mothers who justify partner violence towards themselves were more likely to believe that corporal punishment is necessary to discipline children 15 .…”

Because She Has a Younger Husband: Critically Examining the Facebookers’ Comments Responding to Domestic Violence against a Famous Cambodian Actress

“…These findings revealed that patriarchal ideology still tightly controls Cambodian society. Both men and women still think violence can be justified because women should respect men [36] [38] [39]. The women were silent because they were afraid to break the social norms [44] [45].…”

“…For instance, study in Pakistan found that a majority of women remained silent because they think they are weak, and out of respect for husbands and the elderly in the family [38]. Another survey study in 25 low and middle income countries indicated wives believed that domestic violence against women was appropriate and necessary in some circumstances [39]. Such justification does not only allow domestic violence against women to occur, but also on children, which teach them to absurd violence as a mean to have the upper hand on any decision in life.…”