Child abuse is rife and on the increase in South Africa. The review of five theories of child abuse shows that each theory is unitary, limited and isolated and proposes an incomplete understanding of and solution to child abuse. The ineffectiveness of prevention, intervention actions against child abuse and the poor management and control of child abuse cases are the consequence of unfocussed and disintegrated policies and programmes biased towards overestimated poor economic conditions. This research argues that poor economic conditions are not the sole important variables contributing to child abuse. This hypothesis is confirmed by the observation of the Memorial Institute‟s child abuse database. The purpose of this research is therefore to facilitate a clear understanding of child abuse in order to assist decision making for the prevention of, interventions against and management of child abuse cases. The research proposes the Integrated Modelled Theory that combines variables from different theories to facilitate a clear understanding of child abuse and consequently inform prevention, intervention and management actions through integrated and focused policies and programmes.

Thesis (M.M. (Security))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Graduate School of Public and Development Management, 2013. / South Africa has the highest levels of violent crime in the world and is home to high levels of violence against women and children. In response to the challenge imposed by the high level of crime and violence, the South African Government initiated the development of the National Crime Prevention Strategy(NCPS). One of the goals of the NCPS is to identify and implement programmes to prevent crime and to support, protect and empower victims of crime and violence, with special focus on women and children. Responding to the international call to prevent and act against women and child abuse and within the ambit of the NCPS, the 16 Days of No Violence against Women and Children Campaign (referred to as the 16 Days Campaign in this research) was established in1999. The main aim of the 16 Days Campaign is to generate an increased awareness of the negative impact of crime and violence on women and children thus contributing to the prevention of crime and violence against women and children. The first impact assessment of the 16 Days Campaign was undertaken by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in 2009. The CSIR report states that the 16 Days Campaign has not yet showed a positive impact due to the lack of proper planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system tofacilitate the assessment of its impact. The majority of Government departments and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that participated in this research (99%) do not know the tools used to monitor and evaluate the 16 Days Campaign. Each department or participating NGO works in silos and does not share good practice on M&E of the 16 Days Campaign, rendering planning, implementation inadequate and subsequently M&E inconsistent. This research demonstrates that the GCIS Tracker Survey and Exit Reports are not effective M&E Tools for the 16 Days Campaign. It proposes a iii comprehensive M&E Framework based on the insight from the literature review, good practice and inputs from participants. The M&E Framework facilitates the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation and impact assessment of the 16 Days Campaign.

Thesis advisor: Ann Burgess / Child abuse and neglect in the United States is a highly sensitive issue. According to federal statistics, 1,640 children died from child abuse and neglect in the United States during the fiscal year 2012 (U.S. DHHS et al., 2013). There are multiple theories on how to prevent abuse and protect children from maltreatment. Experts in the field of child welfare believe a critical element in the prevention of child abuse and neglect is parenting education and support services for at-risk populations.The twofold purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a parenting education program offered at Saint Joseph Parenting Center (SJPC) in Stamford, CT in promoting positive parenting behaviors through parenting education and to assess the level of client satisfaction with the teachers, staff, and overall experience at SJPC. The study analyzed data from surveys given to SJPC clients between April 19, 2010 and February 13, 2013. The sample consisted of 63 registered clients who completed at least ten classes before February 13, 2013. All 63 clients completed the client survey after completing ten classes and 42 clients completed the same survey a second time after completing twenty classes. Results from frequency analysis of the data indicated a reported increase in positive parenting behaviors since beginning the program and a reported decrease in negative parenting behaviors. An analysis of variance failed to reveal a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the 10-class and 20-class surveys. Frequency analysis of the surveys indicated a positive review of the teachers, staff, and overall experience at SJPC by clients. Limitations of the study and suggestions for further research are discussed. / Thesis (BS) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Connell School of Nursing. / Discipline: College Honors Program. / Discipline: Nursing.

This research examines the childhood abuse and maltreatment experiences of adolescent mothers (age 14 to 17; N = 80) to investigate if these experiences have hindered their socioemotional development and consequently, their parenting behaviors and attitudes. Data were gathered using four standardized self-report instruments: the Child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC), the BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory-Youth Version (EQi-YV), and the Adult Adolescent Parenting Inventory (AAPI-2). Two additional questionnaires were developed to gather demographic and social service information to add to the knowledge base of the field, and to examine what (if any) developmentally focused services young mothers may need. Interitem and interscale correlations, simple regressions, and hierarchical regressions were produced and examined to determine the strength and types of relationships between the variables. The explanatory capabilities of sets of predictor variables were tested as well. Overall 76.3% of participants reported experiencing childhood abuse and/or neglect above minimal levels. Predictor variables high levels of emotional neglect and depression significantly predicted lower socioemotional development (p < .001 and p < .05); higher levels of socioemotional development significantly predicted more positive parenting attitudes regarding corporal punishment (p < .05); and socioeconomic status predicted more positive empathy and role reversal parental attitudes (p < .05). The results of the research also supported alternative hypotheses regarding the need for appropriate and specific developmental and clinical services for teenage mothers who have suffered childhood trauma and neglect. In spite of the high maltreatment rate reported by participants, only 24% of participants had received any family therapy and only 41% had received any individual therapy. Other developmental and/or clinical service provision proportions were quite low as well (range 24-54% not received). Accordingly, demographic and services data are provided, descriptively analyzed, and discussed in detail. Study limitations and practice considerations, and a new assessment and service delivery model are offered, as are suggestions for future research.

Children are the cornerstone of the community as well as the future of society. Child abuse and suicide among the young population is a serious and prevalent problem. Through a number of survey studies undertaken in other countries including Canada, United States, and Australia, researchers demonstrated that child abuse was related to suicidal behavior. However, this association had not been examined in Hong Kong. However, the number of hospital admissions for child abuse in Hong Kong had increased from 15.6 to 61.9 per 100,000 between 1995 and 2015 and 3.7% of child abuse cases had previously recorded suicide attempts. This study aimed to identify the association between child abuse and suicide attempts compared with influenza infection using electronic hospital admission records. From January 1, 1995 to July 31, 2016, patients with admission age < 18 years with the diagnosis of child abuse or influenza infection were included in this study (n = 54,256). The study also retrieved data on suicide attempt hospital admissions after the first hospital admission from the database. The study results demonstrate that the adjusted hazard ratio indicated that at any given point of time, child abuse subjects had 4.79 times higher risk (95% CI 3.88 to 5.92) of attempting suicide compared with influenza infected subjects. The hazard ratio for sexual abuse and physical abuse compared with the influenza infected group was 6.48 (95% CI 4.56 to 9.19) and 4.83 (95% CI 3.67 to 6.34). Study results indicated that there was a significant association between child abuse and suicide attempts in Hong Kong. If confirmed, the study results may inform policy and interventions to reduce child abuse and consequently child suicide attempts.

The overarching goal of the present research was to identify the interface between research and practice in the area of child-abuse investigation. The specific aims of the research were to explore how abused children present to investigators, to identify the characteristics of the children�s disclosures and the role of disclosure in the investigation, to establish the factors that influenced child-abuse investigators� decisions to interview children, and to make comparisons between sexually- and physically-abused children. Three hundred substantiated cases of child abuse (150 sexual-abuse and 150 physical-abuse investigations) investigated by the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services of New Zealand, prior to July 2001, were analysed. Children were most often physically-abused by their biological parents, and mothers were marginally more often the abusers than were fathers. The most common indicators of physical abuse were children�s disclosures and physical injuries. Risk factors for physical abuse included living in two-parent households and being of Maori or Pacific Island ethnicity. Gender or age provided no protection from physical abuse. The families of the physically-abused children were characterised by family violence, substance abuse, neglect, and poor mental health. Adverse family circumstances restrained children from telling others about their physical abuse. Physically-abused children aged more than 7 were found to present with a range of problem behaviours and fears. Child-abuse investigators often tolerated physical assaults on children, particularly by mothers. Moreover, child-abuse investigators did not routinely interview physically-abused children or treat the abuse as a criminal matter, especially if there were complicating family dynamics. Sexually-abused children were usually victimised by unrelated, known males, less often by male relatives, and infrequently by strangers, fathers, or step-fathers. One-third of the sexual abusers were aged less than 17, and over 40% of the young offenders were aged less than 12. As with adult sexual offenders, the child and teenage sexual offenders were predominantly male. Child-abuse investigators usually did not refer the young sexual offenders to the authorities for follow-up. Risk factors for sexual abuse included being female and living with a single parent. Social workers often did not meet with sexually-abused children, but instead usually referred them for a forensic interview. Social workers may not have explored issues related to the sexually-abused children�s behaviour or their families in the manner that they did for the physically-abused children. In both physical- and sexual-abuse cases, social workers were more likely to take action if children had made clear disclosures of abuse. However, despite disclosure being an important factor in decision-making, child-abuse investigators still did not meet with or interview every child, particularly preschool children and physically-abused children. The majority of factors that influenced child-abuse investigators� decisions to interview children were related to practice issues, in sexual-abuse cases, or tolerance of parental violence towards children, in physical-abuse cases. Preschool children, whether physically- or sexually-abused, did not present differently from 5- or 6-year-olds in their behaviour or style of disclosure. However, compared to older children, child-abuse investigators were unlikely to interview preschoolers. To conclude the thesis, I will highlight lessons to be learned from the present study and will make recommendations for child-abuse investigators, any professionals working with children and families, and the government of New Zealand.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2004. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 178-215). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNQ99191

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Open University. BLDSC no. DX188599. / 2 volumes.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI/Dissertation Abstracts International.

Thesis (M.A.)--Marshall University, 2002. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains ii, 42 p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 19-23).