Child abuse in conflicts and disasters caused by natural hazards
Citation: Seddighi H, Salmani I, Javadi MH, et al. Child abuse in natural disasters and conflicts: a systematic review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. 2021;22(1):176–85.
Language: Abstract and full text available in EN.
Free to view: Yes.
Funding sources: The authors of the review reported that they had no external funding for this review.
What is this? In this systematic review, the authors searched for articles about intentional violence against children aged 18 years or younger after conflict or disasters caused by natural hazards. They included physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, as well as neglect. The authors restricted their searches to articles published in English. They found 11 peer-reviewed studies.
What was found: Children aged 18 years or younger were more commonly exposed to abuse in times of disaster. Sexual violence was more prevalent after conflicts, particularly against girls, and when in emergency housing. Physical violence was more prevalent after disasters caused by natural hazards, especially against boys. The majority of offenders in these studies were parents or relatives. Risk factors for abuse included adverse social circumstances, substance misuse, child labour, and previous exposure to violence.
Implications: The authors of the review stated that the increased risk of child abuse after conflicts or disasters caused by natural hazards showed the need to train emergency response workers in child protection. Aid distribution should focus on families with lower socioeconomic status. Child protection policies should be strengthened at the national level and ensure minimum standards for emergency relief sectors like food, health, and shelter. The authors also stated that future research could focus on violence against children based on factors such as race, ethnicity, religion, and physical abilities.
Other considerations: The authors of the review discussed their findings in the context of age, place of residence, socioeconomic status, and gender.
This summary was prepared by Grace Meng, checked by Briann Mensour, and finalized by William Summerskill.
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