Toward a World Free from Violence: Global Survey on Violence Against Children
Date
2013
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United Nations Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children
Abstract
All children are at risk of violence, but the Global Survey confirms that today, as in 2006, the most vulnerable children are those at greatest risk of violence: those with disabilities, those who migrate, those who are confined to institutions, and those whose poverty and social exclusion expose them to deprivation, neglect and, at times, to the inherent dangers of life on the streets. The Survey emphasizes that specific age groups face particular risks. Many of the greatest dangers are associated with the earliest years, when incidents of violence can have an irreversible impact on children’s development and well-being, and may even put their life at risk. There are also specific dangers for adolescents, who face risks in their transition to adulthood and may be drawn into, or targeted by, particular forms of violence, including community and street violence, sexual abuse and exploitation and bullying and abuse through information and communication technologies. Furthermore, many types of violence have a gender dimension, with girls particularly at risk of sexual violence and boys of more severe physical punishment and gang-related violence. The Survey also confirms that, children and young people continue to be at risk of violence in all five of the settings where they spend much of their lives: the home and family; school and educational settings; care and justice institutions; the work place; and the community. It emphasizes that violence is rarely contained in any one of these settings, but tends to spill over from one context to another. The Survey also draws attention to the interlinked and cumulative nature of violence. A child who is exposed to violence in one particular context or setting is more likely to experience violence in other settings, and vulnerable children risk becoming ‘polyvicitms’. (From Executive Summary)
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Keywords
child abuse, prevalence, research, International Resources, incidence, data, adolescents, victimization, teens, corporal punishment, family violence, domestic violence
Citation
United Nations Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children. (2013). Toward a World Free from Violence: Global Survey on Violence Against Children. New York: UN.