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

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QUESTION 3Have you experienced emotional violence?Emotional Violence:Any act or interaction in which the adultintentionally attacks children’s feelings, withholdsaffection from children, or undermines children’sopinions of themselves, and, as a result, adverselyaffects children’s self-confidence. 7Figure 2.4 Types of emotional violenceexperienced by children, as per sex ofrespondentsShoutingInsultingThreateningOf all the forms of violence reported, childrentalked most emphatically about the impact ofemotional violence. They talked about the rageand intense sense of injustice it provoked withinthem. Many children declared in indignation thatphysical pain would be preferable to a constantassault of threats, insults, and humiliation.GlaringEmbarassingIgnoringDenying love andaffectionOther0MaleFemale20 40 60 80% of respondentsIt is better that he gives me two canes, insteadof letting me sit in fear all the time and bylooking at me with fire in his eyes.12-year-old girl, WakisoOf the children consulted in this study, 98.2 percentreported having experienced emotional violence,such as shouting, insulting, threatening, glaring,or embarrassment. In regard to frequency, 36.5percent of the children reported experiencingemotional violence at least once a week, and 16.7percent said they experienced it “everyday.” 8 Asto where the violence occurred, 42.6 percent of thechildren said they experienced emotional violencemainly at home; 21.2 percent said mainly at school;and 35.5 percent said at home and at school.Acts of omission, such as withholding love andaffection or exclusion from discussions, wereaimed at children who were expected to respondto a subtle form of emotional punishment. Forexample, children with perceived higher status intheir families, such as boys or in-school children,reported being ignored or denied love with higherfrequency. On the other hand, humiliation or actsmeant to provoke intense emotional reactions,such as being publicly berated or locked out of thehouse, were aimed at children who were alreadyseen as a “disappointment.” Thus it appears thatadults choose the emotional punishment theyinflict on the child deliberately based on the levelof injury it was likely to cause to the specific child.Children who had a lower status in their families,such as girls or out-of-school children, reportedbeing shouted at and insulted with higherfrequency. They were also more vulnerable toincidental and random emotional violence andwere more likely to be a scapegoat for no apparent7See note 4.8See note 5.22 Part Two Children’s Experiences
action of their own. In focus group discussions andthrough narrative role plays, young girls and out-ofschoolchildren related stories of how they bore thebrunt of anger or frustration they felt had nothingto do with them.My stepmother abuses me with harsh wordswhen she is angry with my father. “Look at thisprostitute, she is just like her father, useless andlazy.”14-year-old girl, ApacFigure 2.5 Types of emotional violenceexperienced by in and out of schoolchildrenShoutingInsultingThreateningGlaringthe violence when it comes from the people theyexpect it from (i.e., parents or teachers).Emotional violence was closely linked withchildren’s assessment of their self-worth, and manychildren reported a sustained reaction to this formof violence. It severely damaged their sense ofbelonging within their families and their attachmentto the perpetrator of the violence. In discussionsand interviews, memories of emotional violenceevoked profound feelings of loss, and manychildren articulated bitterness and resignation atthe powerlessness of their situation.What is left for me here? No one cares aboutme. They torture me with words, and my heartis sick. It is better that I die than live this way.15-year-old girl, KaseseEmbarassingIgnoringDenying loveand affectionOtherOut of schoolIn school020 40 60 80% of respondentsThe level of injury experienced by children fromemotional violence seemed to depend on who wasinflicting the violence. For example, in focus groupdiscussions, children overwhelmingly identifiedthe stepmother as the main perpetrator, yet whenoptions were presented in questionnaires, the fatherwas reported as the most frequent perpetrator. Thisdiscrepancy suggests that children experience greaterinjury when they feel that the perpetrator has noright to inflict violence on them, and they minimizePart Two Children’s Experiences 23
Page 1 and 2: ViolenceAgainstChildrenThe Voices o
Page 3 and 4: ViolenceAgainstChildrenThe Voices o
Page 5 and 6: DedicationThis work is dedicated to
Page 7 and 8: TABLES1.1 Children consulted throug
Page 9 and 10: EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThis study examine
Page 11 and 12: a new dimension to the adult-child
Page 13 and 14: PART ONEResearch DesignPURPOSE OF S
Page 15 and 16: PARTICIPANTSA total of 1406 childre
Page 17 and 18: METHODOLOGYData CollectionThe resea
Page 19 and 20: Through this process, two interesti
Page 21 and 22: Children’s VoicesWhat do you unde
Page 23 and 24: esearch.Children’s Conception of
Page 25: It was recognized during the format
Page 28 and 29: QUESTION 1Have you experienced viol
Page 30 and 31: QUESTION 2Have you experienced phys
Page 32 and 33: Children’s VoicesHave you experie
Page 38 and 39: QUESTION 4Have you experienced sexu
Page 42 and 43: QUESTION 5Have you experienced econ
Page 46 and 47: QUESTION 6Who commits violence agai
Page 48 and 49: Children’s VoicesKey Informant In
Page 50 and 51: QUESTION 7How do you feel when viol
Page 52 and 53: Children’s VoicesHow do you feel
Page 54 and 55: Children’s VoicesYou feel ashamed
Page 56 and 57: QUESTION 8What do you do when viole
Page 58 and 59: Children’s VoicesWhat do you do w
Page 60 and 61: QUESTION 9What, if anything, should
Page 62 and 63: Children’s VoicesWhat, if anythin
Page 64 and 65: Children’s VoicesSensitize elders
Page 66 and 67: KEY FINDINGSMore than 90 percent of
Page 69 and 70: PART THREEAdults’ Rationale for V
Page 71 and 72: QUESTION 1Are children punished in
Page 73 and 74: Adults’ VoicesCulturally, we watc
Page 75 and 76: of being reported to higher authori
Page 77 and 78: QUESTION 3How often do you punish c
Page 79 and 80: Adults’ VoicesHow often do you pu
Page 81 and 82: In what ways do you punish children
Page 83 and 84: Adults’ VoicesIn what ways do you
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Adults’ VoicesIn what ways do you
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Adults’ VoicesIn what ways do you
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In interviews, many teachers admitt
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Adults’ Voicestimes, I feel happy
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I know beating her has not changed
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QUESTION 7Are there ways in which a
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Adults’ VoicesAre there ways in w
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QUESTION 8What should be done when
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Adults’ VoicesWhat should be done
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6. Adults believe in a hierarchy of
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PART FOURRecommendationsWHAT WOULD
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violence. The legislation should in
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3.6 RESEARCHCommission research tha
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5.9 COMMUNITY SENSITISATIONIntroduc
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Part Four Recommendations101
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Graphic Publishers Ltd, Plot 19A Na
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Violence against children, the voices of Ugandan ... - Raising Voices

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