Child abuse and neglect in the family: a scientific definition and public opinion about the problem

About the authors:

Maria M. Akulich,
Olga A. Besedina, 1^st Category Expert, Administration of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug’s Governor (Salekhard); 4589ob@mail.ru

Abstract:

In this article the authors' approach to understanding the terms "child abuse" and "violence against children" is revealed. The key approaches to this problem and possible definitions of terms are specified. The scientific understanding of the term "child abuse" and its perception by common people are not identical, and it is accentuated in the article. Those examples of parents' behavior which scientists consider to be child abuse, because of their destructive influence on the development of a child's personality, are considered by parents to be ordinary forms of educational influence or a usual way of punishment for offence or bad behavior. This supposition is confirmed by the results of the authors' research, which is presented in the article. In spite of the fact that the majority of respondents consider the problem of child abuse critical, many of them have quite a loyal attitude to many forms of psychological and physical violence and do not consider them as facts of child abuse.

References:

1. Kempe, C.H., Silverman, F., Steele, B., Droegenmueller, W., Silver, H. The battered child syndrome. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1962. Vol. 181. Pp. 17-24.

2. Hannigan, P. Molodezh', ispytyvaiushchaia trudnosti [The Youth, Undergoing Difficulties]. Moscow, 1999. 213 p. (in Russian).

3. Sizov, D.G. Amenability for child abuse. Direktor shkoly — School Headmaster. 2010. № 6. URL: http://www.centrobrrostov.ru/index.php?option = com k2&view=item&id=401:norm doc8&Itemid=82 (accessed date: 14.06.14). (in Russian).

4. Nasilie i ego vliianie na zdorov'e. Doklad o situatsii v mire [Violence And Its

Influence On Health. A Report About The Situation In The World]. Moscow, 2003. 376 p. (in Russian).

5. Shalimova, T.G. Nasilie i nenasilie v usloviiakh poliarizatsii gendernykh idealov (avtoref. diss. kand.) [Violence And Non-Violence In Conditions Of Polarization Of Gender Ideals (Extended Abstract of Cand. Sci. Diss.)]. Saransk, 2004. 23 p. (in Russian).

6. Tsymbal, E.I. Zhestokoe obrashchenie s det'mi: prichiny, proiavleniia, posledstviia [Child Abuse: Reasons, Manifestations, Consequences]. Moscow, 2007. 166 p. (in Russian).

7. Smyk, Iu.V. Zhestokost' roditel'skogo vozdeistviia kak faktor agressivnogo

povedeniia podrostkov (avtoref. diss. kand.) [Cruelty of parents' influence as a factor of aggressive behavior of teenagers (Extended Abstract of Cand. Sci. Diss.)]. Irkutsk, 2004. 18 p. (in Russian).

8. Smagina, M.V. Zashchita detei ot semeinogo nasiliia v sovremennom rossiiskom obshchestve: monografiia [Protection Of Children From Family Violence In The Modern Russian Society. A monograph]. Stavropol, 2009. 124 p. (in Russian).

9. Limanskaia, K.A. Teoreticheskie i metodologicheskie osnovy issledovaniia

sotsial'noi problemy zhestokogo obrashcheniia s det'mi v sem'e (avtoref. diss. kand.) [Theoretical And Methodological Research Grounds For The Social Problem Of Child Abuse In A Family (Extended Abstract of Cand. Sci. Diss.)]. St-Petersburg, 2005. 23 p. (in Russian).

10. Ochirova, A.V. Problema zhestokogo obrashcheniia s det'mi v sovremennoi sem'e (Sotsiologicheskii analiz) (avtoref. diss. kand.) [The problem of child abuse in the modern family (a sociological analysis) (Extended Abstract of Cand. Sci. Diss.). St-Petersburg, 2005. 28 p. (in Russian).