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

Adults’ VoicesKey Informant InterviewFemale Community LeaderQ: What is commonly done when people punishchildren in your community?A: Beating is commonly used, glaring, quarrellingwith children, shouting, insulting, neglecting,refusing to take children to school even whenparents are able.Q: Are many children punished in your community?A: Yes, most children are punished regularly, bothboys and girls.Q: Do you punish your children or other children youcome in contact with?A: I punish all children, whether mine or not,who are doing wrong and they are within mycommunity, because it is our responsibility aselders to guide our children. I don’t discriminatebetween boys and girls. It only depends on whohas done wrong.Q: How do you punish them?A: I always use a stick for boys. I also take them toschool and ask teachers to beat them so hard,because me as their mother, even if I beat, theyonly cry and repeat the same mistakes. But whena stranger beats them, they fear and change. Isometimes shout at them, but I so much believein the stick. For girls, I send them to fetch waterbecause girls have to be protected againstgetting scars, so that in future many cattlecan be paid for bride price.Q: In your opinion, does punishing children inthis way help them learn what they have donewrong?A: Yes, because when you beat a child, sherarely does the same mistake or takes longto repeat it, because they fear the pain of thestick or feel ashamed.Q: How does punishing children make them feel?A: They feel very scared of the parent anddon’t do any wrong in the parent’s presence.They don’t feel happy, some feel sorry forthe wrongs they have done and come andapologize. Even though the child feels hatedand always avoids the mother or the personwho punishes them, the good ones in theirheart know that they are being punished fortheir own good.Q: Can you share with us how you feel or what youare thinking when you are punishing children?A: I feel pain and sometimes cry after beatingmy children, but I do it for their own good.Sometimes I am not happy and regret whenI realize that I have beaten the child so hardand she is swollen or has small wounds. At78 Part Three Adults’ Rationale