View/Open - University of Zululand Institutional Repository

[72]
harsh, defective parental care during their own childhood.
(c) . Child abuse in the White population
Policansky, Barry and Dubb (1977 : 365-378) studied the social and cultural variables
relating to the families of abused White children. They defined abuse as physical
injuries inflicted by the caretaker.
They found inter alia:
*
*
*
*
The abusing parents were themselves the products of abusing
environments.
The standard of education of abusing mothers were low; 69,1% had a
Std 8 and less education.
Abusing parents tended to have a negative self-concept.
The abusing mothers (57,3%) were 21 years old, or younger at the time
of marriage. They also noted a higher proportion of abusing mothers in
their sample.
Financial problems existed among 43,6% of the abusing families. They
attached less importance to this aspect, however, being of the belief that
personality characteristics are more crucial to the commission of child
abuse.
From the above studies, it would appear that cultural attitudes and social conditions
are more fundamental precipitators of abuse in the Coloured and Black communities,
and must be considered in the explanation of abuse as it exists in this country. Poor
living conditions, in slum-like areas, with the associated factors of ill-health,
unemployment, alcoholism, marital discord to name but a few, are all interrelated