Introduction
Child abuse and neglect are broadly accepted as serious socioeconomic issues involving far-reaching repercussions for the children and parents involved and the community as a whole. A general understanding of the problem identification and its extent is a vital step in developing successful countermeasures. Obtaining precision and concrete statistics in the sphere of child abuse and neglect, on the other hand, has been a continuing struggle. The main challenge when it comes to the given issue is the inability to determine the accurate prevalence and incidence rates. Moreover, significant barriers impede studying children’s experiences, particularly those younger ages who have undergone abuse or neglect.
While many developed countries have a good foundation for policies and programs considering child protection, developing countries struggle with the proper protection of minorities. For example, while Ukraine’s authorities are concerned about child abuse, the violence rate in this country, like in many eastern European countries, is high. Consequently, neglect and abuse lead to severe ramifications in adulthood for the child. Among the implications discussed later are the increasing suicide and violence rates. As a result, the given issue is vital to each nation. This research focuses on child abuse and neglect in Ukraine. Concentrating on statistics and comparing the situation in this developing country to other regions will make it clear how widespread the given issue is.
Definition of Child Abuse and Neglect
Childhood, particularly the first six years of a child, provides the basis for a human being’s life. Mistreatment that takes the form of mental, physical, and sexual abuse has long-term consequences. Nowadays, more young children and adolescents are victims of abuse and neglect. According to the Red Cross, child abuse can be defined as physical, or psychological mistreatment or sexual harassment or neglect that leads to either physical or mental harm (Definitions of child abuse and neglect, n.d.). Thus, any violation of power or trust toward children or adolescents can be considered child abuse or neglect.
As has been mentioned, there are several types of abuse. Mental abuse, exposure to domestic conflicts, physical and sexual abuse, and neglect are all examples of child abuse. Mental abuse is a persistent attack on a child’s or adolescent’s self-esteem by someone in a position of power (Definitions of child abuse and neglect, n.d.). This type of abuse includes demeaning, alienating, intimidating, manipulating, and avoiding.
When children or adolescents see violent actions committed by one family member toward another person in the household, the children are considered to be exposed to domestic violence. Physical abuse occurs when someone in a position of power intentionally mistreats or attempts to harm a child or adolescent (Definitions of child abuse and neglect, n.d.). Neglect is commonly characterized as a parent’s or another individual’s inability to give required nourishment, clothes, housing, medical treatment, or attention to the extent that the child’s health, security, and well-being are jeopardized.
Child Abuse as a Public Health Issue
Child abuse and neglect are considered public health issues due to the consequences of mistreatment. Child abuse damages victims’ mental and physical health when they are minors and has long-term effects far into their adulthood (Lansford et al., 2021). In addition to the particular anguish experienced by every victim of abuse, such repercussions impose an enormous public health burden.
Furthermore, according to the study conducted by Lansford et al. (2021), One in every four children has a history of abuse, and one in every seven has been abused in the recent year. The study indicated that physical violence has occurred in around 18% of abused children (Lansford et al., 2021). What is especially noteworthy is that physical abuse is frequently unreported, especially if it does not result in evident damages that are serious enough to demand medical care. Lansford et al. (2021) discovered that individuals who have experienced physical violence at an early age are more likely to require special education, to repeat a year at school, and to have lower 4-year graduation rates. Furthermore, the researchers discovered a substantial decrease in overall well-being and increased psychological problems in the same group.
Burlaka et al. (2017) discovered that violent parenting practices could lead to the initial stage of hostile and aggressive attitudes in children, which can persist into adulthood and cause mental disorders and substance addiction. According to the researchers, only consistent parenting, implying articulated conduct standards accompanied by reasonable and logical repercussions when children make errors or disobey rules, develops children’s intelligent decision-making and accountability (Burlaka et al., 2017).
Improper parenting is linked to child maltreatment with the absence of consistency. Such parents do not offer sufficient attention, do not promote education, offer minimal or no emotional support, and do not establish best practices (Burlaka et al., 2017). An absence of parental supervision raises the chance of behavioral issues, rule violations, and hostility (Burlaka et al., 2017). Furthermore, using corporal discipline as a logical outcome of disobedience can end in physical child abuse, defined as nonaccidental harm inflicted on a child.
The magnitude of maltreatment in society has been substantiated by studies of cross-sectional studies from Europe and throughout the world. The studies reveal a 9.6 percent incidence rate for sexual violence (13.4 percent in females and 5.7 percent in males), and a 22.9 percent incidence rate for physical violence (Sethi et al., 2013). Moreover, there is a 29.1 percent incidence rate for psychological abuse, with no discernible gender differences (Sethi et al., 2013). While there is a shortage of studies on neglect, assessments of international research suggest that the prevalence is likewise high (Sethi et al., 2013). Meanwhile, 16.3 percent of children are victims of physical neglect, and 18.4 percent of victims of emotional neglect (Sethi et al., 2013).
When these numbers are applied to the European child population, it is estimated that approximately 20 million children experience sexual abuse, almost 45 million experience physical abuse, and 55 million children suffer from psychological abuse (Sethi et al., 2013). As indicated by the WHO, child abuse is more prevalent in Eastern European nations, as well as in those with high levels of inequality and inadequate social measures to protect families from economic distress (Sethi et al., 2013). According to the WHO, these children could be at a higher risk of abuse (Sethi et al., 2013). As a result, crime levels in Eastern Europe are almost three times higher.
Prevalence of Child Abuse in Ukraine
Parenting, the process of supporting and nurturing children, has been extensively researched in nations with advanced economies. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, a developing country, little research has been conducted to explore this region’s parenting and related issues. According to the latest studies, the risk of antisocial behavior in Ukrainian children is significantly higher if their caregivers do not employ proper parental involvement (Burlaka et al., 2017). This involved either failure to provide enough supervision or to lean toward physical punishment (Burlaka et al., 2017).
Physical violence has also been connected to a rise in externalizing psychopathology in Ukraine and worldwide. According to Burlaka et al. (2017), the United Nations Committee on the Child’s Rights has encouraged member countries to eliminate any degree of authorized violence toward children. Even though Ukraine has adopted the Convention on the Child’s Rights, its execution has been abysmal. According to recent research, 75% of Ukrainian parents spanked, slapped, or struck their children with items.
Aside from a scarcity of studies, Ukraine has little statistical evidence on child abuse and other adverse events that may cause harm to minorities. Child abuse is a sort of disguised assault, and official data frequently fail to address the issue adequately. In 2016, the federal police of Ukraine recorded 127,478 reports of domestic violence, 982 cases, or 0.8 percent, pertained to abuse of minors; these statistics are highly likely to be underrepresented (Zakhozha et al., 2018). The reason for the statistics being underrepresented is that not every victim reports such incidents to the authorities.
Additionally, the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology researched child abuse and neglect in this region in 2015. The Council requested the survey conducted by the university of Europe, a project whom could contribute to reinforcing and defending the rights of minorities in Ukraine (Zakhozha et al., 2018). The study found that 65 percent of minorities at the age of 12–17 had been subjected to a specific type of abuse. In this respect, 45 percent had been subjected to psychological violence, 27 percent had been subjected to physical violence, 25 percent had been subjected to economic neglect, and 21 percent had been subjected to sexual abuse (Zakhozha et al., 2018). According to the same study, the overwhelming percentage of abuse victims did not seek help from anybody (Zakhozha et al., 2018). When it comes to those who did seek help, the victims turned to their caregivers or peers and rarely to teachers, relatives, authorities, or social services.
However, it is essential to compare the statistics of Ukraine to other countries in eastern Europe. For example, In 2017, in Romania, 17,000 abuses were reported, with over 9,000 of them confirmed (Radu, 2020). The city of Galați has the most considerable number of recorded child maltreatment, with almost 3,500 cases, while the town of Olt has the fewest cases, nearly 40 (Radu, 2020). Thus, Ukraine has fewer incidents compared to other eastern European countries of almost similar size.
Risk Factors of Child Abuse
According to the WHO, there are various risk factors that involve child abuse and neglect. Child abuse might be influenced by “biological, social, cultural, economic and environmental factors” (Sethi et al., 2013, p.4). In this respect, the best way to discuss the risk factors of child abuse is vital to look at it from the point of established scientific models. While there are many theories and models concerning child abuse and its prevalence in many families, the ecological model is the primary model that explains this phenomenon.
According to the ecological model, the main risk factors of child abuse can be divided into four primary levels. The given levels represent the scope of the factor, involving individual, relationship, community, and societal levels. According to the WHO, when illuminating the individual level, the triggers of child abuse might involve the gender of a child, their age, and their special characteristics (Krug et al., 2002). The most distinctive factors of the relationship level involve the characteristics of the caregivers, their personalities, and their prior history of abuse (Krug et al., 2002). As for the community level, the key factors are poverty, lack of unity, and the prevalence of stress (Krug et al., 2002). Lastly, societal risk factors include social inequality, established norms, and the strength and support of the social welfare system.
When delving deeper into the ecological model levels, it is noteworthy that younger, unmarried, and low-income parents with poor schooling are more prone to abuse their children. Moreover, parental mental illnesses, such as alcohol and drug misuse, parental stress, and lack of proper are highly linked to child abuse and neglect (Sethi et al., 2013). Among other factors, it is noteworthy that abuse is more widespread in disadvantaged populations’ households (Sethi et al., 2013). According to the WHO, in 2000, Ukraine was on the list of European regions with the lowest income levels (Krug et al., 2002). Thus, the risk factors of child abuse are connected with multiple levels.
Existing Child Abuse Prevention Programs
Abuse and neglect of children are avoidable and can be prevented with specific initiatives that tackle all risk factors of the ecological model. Such initiatives should target risk and protective variables at all four interconnected levels, including individual, relationship, community, and society (Violence against children, 2020). For example, u Under the guidance of the World Health Organization, a coalition of ten international organizations created and adopted INSPIRE approach, which constitutes seven strategies that help tackle child abuse (Violence against children, 2020). The program is intended to assist governments and communities in meeting targets on eliminating violence against children. In this respect, each letter of the term INSPIRE represents one of the methods. The majority of them have been found to have preventative impacts across multiple forms of violence, along with advantages in categories such as psychological well-being, schooling, and crime control.
The seven tactics include enacting and implementing regulations, such as prohibiting corporal punishment and limiting access to alcohol and weapons. Another strategy involves changes in standards and beliefs, such as changing attitudes that tolerate sexual assault of females or violent behavior between males (Violence against children, 2020). Moreover, a safe environment strategy is vital since it encourages recognizing neighborhoods with violence and addressing the underlying issues through police and other initiatives (Violence against children, 2020). Another strategy implies support from caregivers, such as offering parent counseling to inexperienced parents (Violence against children, 2020). Additionally, economic development, including financial literacy and gender equality, should initiate changes as well. The last strategies involve service provision and education that encourage proper schooling for children and psychosocial support.
Another initiative toward eliminating neglect and child abuse was undertaken in 2019 at the End Violence Against Children conference in Kyiv. As a stage of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, officials worldwide pledged to stop abuse against children by 2030 (Underreported violence against children in Ukraine requires joint action, n.d.). The summit brought together all of Ukraine’s essential stakeholders to work toward a common objective. According to the authorities, it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to rally all efforts behind a national campaign and defend Ukraine’s most valuable resource, its children.
The “End Violence Against Children” meeting focused on the Ukrainian government’s determination to confront the issue in several aspects. Significant deficiencies in the capability to detect and eradicate incidents of violence may only be addressed successfully by enhancing inter-sectoral collaboration (Underreported violence against children in Ukraine requires joint action, n.d.). Early detection, mitigation, and reaction to abuse and neglect against children were set to be the goal of collaborative initiatives.
Thus, Ukraine is dedicated to putting an end to abuse and neglect against children. In order to shed light on such a tremendous issue and safeguard children, comprehensive nationwide data collecting and research activities are required. In this respect, the authorities have to make more efforts to gather and use statistics on child maltreatment to create national policies and initiatives. Enhanced cooperation and interaction at all stages will be required for such endeavors.
Obstacles to Violence Prevention
Because of the devastation caused by child abuse and the scarcity of funds available to address its repercussions, the need for preventative interventions is obvious. The programs that were mentioned are primarily aimed at high-risk households, and they target potential risks at varying degrees of intervention, including children, parents, or the community. Nonetheless, there are obstacles to reducing child abuse, such as inaccurate identification of high-risk households, a lack of engagement of low-income parents, and impediments to successful program communication and execution. In this case, if the given criteria will not be met, the programs will meet serious threats.
Conclusion
Hence, child abuse and neglect can be defined as a series of physical or mental harm inflicted on underage individuals. While a series of research has been conducted in developed countries regarding child abuse, the statistics from the developing regions remain mostly obscure. Nevertheless, a few studies indicate that in Ukraine, 127,478 reports of domestic violence were recorded, 982 cases of which pertained to child abuse. In comparison, in Romania, an eastern European country, 17,000 abuse cases were reported. Consequently, numerous measures must be taken to mitigate such high rates. For example, the WHO offers a seven-step program, INSPIRE, that involves solutions at the social, economic, and interpersonal levels. Meanwhile, it is noteworthy to understand that there are certain obstacles, such as the wrong identification of high-risk families or the refusal of parents to participate in such programs.
References
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Krug, E. G., Dahlberg, L. L., Mercy, J. A., Zwi, A. B., Lozano, R., & World Health Organization. (2002). World report on violence and health. World Health Organization.
Lansford, J. E., Godwin, J., McMahon, R. J., Crowley, M., Pettit, G. S., Bates, J. E., Coie, J. D., & Dodge, K. A. (2021). Early physical abuse and adult outcomes. American Academy of Pediatrics. Web.
Radu, A. (2020). Child abuse in Romania. Parlamentar România. Web.
Sethi, D., Bellis, M., Hughes, K., Gilbert, R., Mitis, F., & Galea, G. (2013). European report on preventing child maltreatment. World Health Organization.
Underreported violence against children in Ukraine requires joint action. (n.d.). UNICEF. Web.
Violence against children. (2020). World Health Organization. Web.
Zakhozha, V., Sakhno, Y., Sethi, D., & Korol, N. (2018). Adverse childhood experiences and health-harming behaviours among students in Ukraine: Report on survey results. World Health Organization.