Violence against children, the voices of Ugandan ... - Raising Voices

FRAME OF REFERENCEForms of ViolenceFor the purposes of this study, the acts of violenceagainst children are organized under four broadforms; physical, emotional, sexual and economic.While this may oversimplify the reality of children’sexperience (most acts of violence are multifaceted),it does facilitate a meaningful discussion and allowsresponses to become more specific. However,the study will not propose a false hierarchy ofimportance within the four forms.Causes of ViolenceThis study assumes that most violence againstchildren, within the domestic realm, is theconsequence of children’s low status in the socialhierarchy of power. In other words, violence isinflicted on children mainly because they arechildren, and less so because of their actions. Forexample, an adult male who commits the samemistake as a child would not be beaten, but thechild would. Thus, this study analyses violencewithin the context of this power-based adult-childrelationship. It avoids simple cause-and-effectlinkages, such as alcohol, jealousy, misbehaviour,and poverty as the causes of violence, althoughit recognises that they can act as triggers forviolence.Violence as ContextThis study conceptualises the violence thatchildren experience as a context of the adultchildrelationship rather than an event within thatrelationship. The experience of violence goes wellbeyond the slap or the insult. The adult uses theslap or the insult to instigate and reinforce a beliefsystem in children regarding their abilities, theirworth as individuals, and their possibilities for thefuture. Thus, within this study, the attention centerson the nature of the adult-child relationship, andthe analysis focuses on children’s experiences ofnavigating that relationship.Children FirstIn this study, children’s best interests takeprecedence. Children’s participation is perceivedas a crucial source of information, interviewers usechild-centric consultation methods, and children’sinput carries as much weight as that of adults. Thisstudy makes every effort to ensure that children’svoices are heard.Identifying Common ThemesThe study will be vigilant against homogenizingthe interests of children as one large category.However, the analysis will synthesize commonthemes and identify priorities of children as agroup.4Part One Research Design