Child Abuse and Development of Children in Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, Western Region of Uganda

ABSTRACT 

The purpose of the study was to examine and document child abuse and development of children in Kiryandongo refugee settlement, western region of Uganda. The study objectives were to examine the types of child abuse, to identify the causes of child abuse and to examine the consequences of child abuse on children in Kiryandongo refugee settlement. The study adopted a descriptive research design that was both quantitative and qualitative. Quantitatively the data was collected using questionnaires from 298 respondents who were victims of abuse, parents and community leaders, while qualitative data was collected from 20 respondents through interviews with NGO officials. The data was analyzed based on frequency and percentages in tables, pie charts and bar graphs. The study results indicated that majority of respondents experienced neglect from their parents as a major form of child abuse, followed by sexual abuse, physical abuse and finally emotional abuses. It was established that the major cause of child abuse in Kiryandongo settlement was poverty among the people, parents taking alcohol, unemployed parents, parents who have history of abuse are highly related to child abuse and finally child abuse had negative consequences on child development. The study concludes that there are different types of child abuse existing in Kiryandongo refugee settlement, implying the prevalence of child abuse. The study conclude that majorly poverty, drug abuse, history of abuse and lack of commitment in proper nurturing of the children caused child abuse and finally child abuse had a negative effect on children, implying that child abuse has a negative effect on child development. The study recommend that child abuse in form of neglect, emotional, physical abuses exist, there is need for counseling the parents on the proper ways of handling the children in order to reduce their ways of harming the children, the alternative ways of punishments can therefore substitute the corporal punishments of abuse, this will lead to the abolition of the forms of child abuse that are disastrous to the children. On the second objective, there is further need for the provision of counseling and guidance to the parents to reduce taking of drugs as means of improving their lively hood and reduce their bearing on the children. The study finally study recommends for a policy intervention into handling the culprits of child abuse and ensures that these don’t report the abuses on children. There is need for arraigning the child abusers to the legal systems as means of improving the children state of life as many would be child abusers will be scared in doing the same.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ........................................................................................................................................... i

APPROVAL ................................................................................................................................................. ii

DEDICATION............................................................................................................................................. iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......................................................................................................................... iv

LIST OF TABLES....................................................................................................................................... ix

ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................................................. x

CHAPTER ONE...........................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................1

1.0 Introduction.......................................................................................................................................1

1.1. Background of the Study .......................................................................................................................1

1.1.1 Historical Perspective ..........................................................................................................................1

1.1.2 Theoretical Perspective ........................................................................................................................4

1.1.3 Conceptual Perspective ........................................................................................................................5

1.1.4. Contextual perspective........................................................................................................................5

1.2. Statement of the Problem.......................................................................................................................6

1.3. Purpose of the Study ..............................................................................................................................7

1.4. Objectives of the Study..........................................................................................................................7

1.5. Research Questions................................................................................................................................7

1.6. Scope of the Study .................................................................................................................................8

1.6.1. Content Scope .....................................................................................................................................8

1.6.2. Geographical scope.............................................................................................................................8

1.6.3 Time Scope ..........................................................................................................................................8

1.7. Significance of the Study .......................................................................................................................8

1.8. Operational definition of key terms .......................................................................................................9

CHAPTER TWO ........................................................................................................................................11

LITERATURE REVIEW ...........................................................................................................................11

2.0 Introduction...........................................................................................................................................11

2.1. Theoretical Review..............................................................................................................................11

2.2 Conceptual Framework.........................................................................................................................15

2.3 Related Literature..................................................................................................................................17

2.3.1. Types of Child Abuse .......................................................................................................................17

2.3.1.1 Physical Abuse................................................................................................................................17

2.3.1.2 Emotional Abuse.............................................................................................................................17

2.3.1.3 Sexual Abuse ..................................................................................................................................18

2.3.1.4 Neglect............................................................................................................................................18

2.3.2. Causes of child abuse........................................................................................................................19

2.3.2.1. Parent /Caregiver Factors...............................................................................................................19

2.3.2.2 Family Factor..................................................................................................................................21

2.3.2.3. Victim risk factors..........................................................................................................................22

2.3.2.4 Social Factors..................................................................................................................................23

2.3.3. Consequences of Child Abuse ..........................................................................................................24

2.3.3.1. Psychological Health Consequences..............................................................................................25

2.3.3.2 Psychological Consequences ..........................................................................................................25

2.3.3.3. Behavioral Consequences..............................................................................................................26

2.4 Gaps in Literature .................................................................................................................................28

CHAPTER THREE ....................................................................................................................................29

METHODOLOGY .....................................................................................................................................29

3.0 Introduction...........................................................................................................................................29

3.1 Study Design.........................................................................................................................................29

3.2 Study Area ............................................................................................................................................29

3.3 Population of the study .........................................................................................................................29

3.4 Sample size ...........................................................................................................................................29

3.3.2 Response Rate....................................................................................................................................30

3.5 Sampling Procedure and Selection .......................................................................................................31

3.6 Data Source...........................................................................................................................................31

3.6.1 Primary data .......................................................................................................................................31

3.6.2 Secondary data ...................................................................................................................................31

3.7. Data Collection Instruments.................................................................................................................31

3.7.1 Questionnaires....................................................................................................................................31

3.7.2 Key informant Interview Guide .........................................................................................................32

3.8 Validity and Reliability of Research Instruments.................................................................................32

3.8.1 Validity ..............................................................................................................................................32

3.8.2 Reliability...........................................................................................................................................32

3.9. Data Collection Procedure ...................................................................................................................33

3.9.1 Before the administration of the questionnaires and interview guide................................................33

3.9.2 During the administration of the questionnaires and interview guide. ..............................................33

3.9.3 After the administration of the questionnaires...................................................................................33

3.10 Data Analysis......................................................................................................................................34

3.10.1 Qualitative Data Analysis ................................................................................................................34

3.10.2 Quantitative Data Analysis ..............................................................................................................34

3.11 Ethical Considerations........................................................................................................................34

3.12 Limitation of the study........................................................................................................................34

CHAPTER FOUR.......................................................................................................................................36

PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS...........................................36

4.0 Introduction...........................................................................................................................................36

4.1 Demographic characteristic of respondents..........................................................................................36

4.2 Types of child abuse in Kiryandongo refugee settlement.....................................................................39

4.2.1 Child abuse is social problem ............................................................................................................39

4.2.2 Sexual abuse is the most common type of child abuse at the settlement...........................................40

4.2.3 Whether abusers touch or made you to touch his / her private body parts ........................................42

4.2.4 Whether Child victims should report their abuse cases.....................................................................42

4.2.4 Type of abuse experienced by children..............................................................................................43

4.2.6 Who abuse children?..........................................................................................................................45

4.2.7 Where the child abuse happened........................................................................................................46

4.2.8 Reporting authority ............................................................................................................................47

4.2.9 What happened after reporting child abuse?......................................................................................47

4.3 Causes of child abuse in Kiryandongo refugee settlement ...................................................................49

4.3.1 Reasons for coming to the refugee settlement ...................................................................................49

4.3.2 Whom children live with....................................................................................................................50

4.3.3 Multiplicity of family members can cause child abuse......................................................................51

4.3.4 Unemployed parents abuse their child ...............................................................................................52

4.3.5 Parents who take alcohol and drugs abuse children...........................................................................53

4.3.6 Parents who have history of abuse are highly related to child abuse.................................................54

4.3.7 Children live in violent areas are exposed to child abuse ..................................................................56

4.3.8 Poverty is a major cause of child abuse .............................................................................................56

4.3.9 Whether disabled children are at risk of child abuse than others.......................................................58

4.4 Consequences of child abuse on children in Kiryandongo refugee settlement.....................................59

4.4.1 Abused child remember the person who committed the abuse to him or her ....................................59

4.4.2 Child abuse can result brain fail to grow properly.............................................................................60

4.4.3: Whether children develop violent behaviors after being abused ......................................................62

4.4.4 Child abuse leads the use of alcohol or other drugs...........................................................................63

4.4.5 Drugs that cause child abuse..............................................................................................................64

4.4.6 Kind physical consequences caused by drugs....................................................................................66

4.4.7 Support have you received from the NGOs, CSOs or Government...................................................67

4.4.8 Which signs emotional consequences have you experienced ............................................................68

CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................................................70

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATION......................................70

5.0 Introduction...........................................................................................................................................70

5.1 Discussion of Findings..........................................................................................................................70

5.1.1 Types of child abuse in Kiryandongo refugee settlement..................................................................70

5.1.2 Causes of child abuse in Kiryandongo refugee settlement ................................................................71

5.1.3 Consequences of child abuse on children in Kiryandongo refugee settlement..................................71

5.2 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................72

5.3 Recommendations.................................................................................................................................73

5.3.1 Types of child abuse in Kiryandongo refugee settlement..................................................................73

5.3.2 Causes of child abuse in Kiryandongo refugee settlement. ...............................................................73

5.3.3 Consequences of child abuse on children in Kiryandongo refugee settlement..................................73

5.4 Contributions to Knowledge .................................................................................................................74

5.4 Areas for Further Research ...................................................................................................................74

APPENDIX I: CONSENT LETTER..........................................................................................................82

APPENDIX II: QUESTIONNAIRE FOR VICTIMS OF CHILD ABUS, PARENTS/ CARE GIVERS

AND COMMUNITY LEADERS...............................................................................................................83

APPENDIX III: KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEW GIDE .......................................................................89