violence against children WORLD REPORT ON - CRIN

72Violence against children in the home and familyother humiliating forms of punishment are anecessary means of discipline. Several studieshave suggested that a culture in which childrenare expected to submit without questionto the injunctions of older family membersand adults in authority contribute to children’svulnerability. 154,155 Where parents believe they‘own’ children and have the right to do to themwhatever they think best, there is resistance toState involvement in child protection. Belief inthe sanctity of the family makes authorities,neighbours and members reluctant to speakup when they know children are being victimised.156,157,158,159,160 This should not be confusedwith authoritative parenting, which balanceswarmth and support with setting and enforcingclear limits on behaviour, and blends settinghigh standards with being responsive tothe child’s needs and developing capacities. 161Patriarchal attitudes: Patriarchal attitudes –particularly when they perpetrate the entrenchedinferior status of women in many cultures – arealso associated with increased risk of violence.In some societies, extremely violent acts may beinflicted by boys or men if the girls or women inquestion do not comply with their wishes. Seekinga girl’s consent in such matters as sexual relationsand marriage may not be considered necessary.Girls may also be blamed for male violenceagainst them. In these settings, male childrenmay be exposed to violence as punishment forbehaving in a manner inconsistent with stereotypicalroles for men and women.Membership in ethnic minority or indigenousgroups: Children in ethnic minoritygroups are often at high risk of violencebecause of a confluence of other risk factorsassociated with the social exclusion of thesegroups. These include high rates of substanceabuse and alcoholism, poverty, bad housing,and unemployment.Protective factors withinthe homeJust as certain factors increase the likelihoodof family violence against children, otherfactors can reduce its likelihood. Not everyfamily with the risk factors described abovebecomes a violent environment for children.Unfortunately, there has been little systematicresearch on protective factors and they arenot well understood. Where research has beenconducted, the focus is on identifying factorsthat mediate the impact of violence once it hasoccurred, for example those that might protecta victim from developing long-term mental disordersor that seem to be associated with breakingthe cycle of violence. Factors that appearthrough common sense and research to facilitateresilience include higher levels of paternalcare during childhood, 162 fewer associationswith substance-abusing peers, or peers engagedin criminal activity, 163 a warm and supportiverelationship with a non-offending parent, 164and lower levels of violence-related stress. 165Little is known about what prevents familiesfrom becoming violent. A few studies haveshown that communities with strong socialcohesion, thriving social networks and neighbourhoodconnections have a strong protectiveeffect and can even lessen the risk of violencewhen other family risk factors are pres-