violence against children WORLD REPORT ON - CRIN

“We are at a disadvantage because of our age. Adults don’t believe what we say when something like thishappens. That’s why we don’t say anything. I have a girlfriend whose stepfather touches her and she waseven punished when she told her mother about it”Boy, 15, Latin America3own organisations have developed and becomeactive during the past decade. These organisationshave enabled many of their members togain confidence, articulate their problems, andin solidarity with others, undertake actionsdesigned to reduce acts of violence that haveeither been threatened or carried out againstthemselves or other children. Some, such asthe Girls’ Advisory Committees in Ethiopia,target specific problems such as child marriage(see box on next page). Although there is evidencethat these school-based programmes canreduce the risk of childhood sexual victimisationin the community, it is not clear whetherthis embraces family-related sexual abuse. 189Child participation activities based on schoolsand community settings need to be supported,as peer groups can have a major role to play inhelping identify at-risk children and undertakingproactive initiatives.Breaking the silenceOne of the cornerstones of any strategicresponse must be to break down the silence inwhich most children endure episodes of physical,psychological or sexual violence at home.Consultations and reviews repeatedly demonstratethat children – however much theyfear and dislike the violence they experience– do not feel they have any place to make theirfeelings known, or they may even considerthat such feelings are ‘legitimate’. Many feelshame or blame themselves, while others staysilent for fear of provoking further violence,or insensitive interventions which could maketheir overall situation worse.Within the general trend to lay more emphasison child consultation as an integral componentof programme planning and interventions withchildren, child-friendly methodologies for consultationand action-research have been developed.These, coupled with counselling andcommunications skills, have also been usedto enable children to open up to adults theyregard as safe about their intimate and painfulexperiences. In some small-scale examples,notably in India and Brazil, children who havebeen trafficked by their families and have fewtrusting relationships with adults have organisedthemselves to provide mutual support andavoid further exposure. 191Child helplines are gradually becoming morecommon: as already noted, discussion in confidencewith a counsellor by phone allowssome children to report what is happening tothem and seek help. Helplines or hotlines havebeen set up by various NGOs in order to helpchildren escape from abusive situations; theyare used in the Philippines and Cambodia bychildren experiencing violence as domestichelpers in the homes of those who are not theirparents. 192 (See the chapter on violence againstchildren in the community.)Social policyStrong social policy is essential for supportingfamilies and enabling them to thrive despiteeconomic, social and psychological stress.Improvements in these areas address some ofthe major risk factors for family violence againstchildren and should therefore lead to reductionsin the rate of child maltreatment. Relevantpolicies include support for employment,minimum wages, rural livelihoods, equitableland reform, equitable compensation in case81Violence against children in the home and family