Child Abuse in Natural Disasters and Conflicts: A Systematic Review
Date
2021
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Trauma, Violence, & Abuse
Abstract
Violence against children affects a significant portion of youth around the world. Emergencies and natural disasters escalate the
risk due to weakened child protection systems and disruption of preventative mechanisms. In this systematic review, 692 related
papers were searched in various databases in the initial search. After review, 11 papers were finally selected for full review. These
papers were selected based on publication date, relevance to emergencies, their geographical area type of violence, age of
subjects, and their gender. Most families affected by natural disasters, especially those in lower socioeconomic status, face greater
social and economic pressures. The families that are more vulnerable to loss of food and shelter commit violence against children
more frequently. On the other hand, while the rate of violence increases in emergencies, the reported rate of violence is less than
the actual rate due to lack of required infrastructure and reporting mechanisms. The emergency housing increased risk of some
types of child abuse. The history of exposure to violence, parental substance abuse, poverty, and child labor were predictors of
increased violence against children in emergency situations. Sexual violence against girls after conflicts and physical violence
against boys after emergencies are common forms of violence. Poverty as another predictor exposes children to more violence
due to limited family economic resources and support. Given the identified predictors of violence, humanitarian organizations can
come closer to providing appropriate plans to reduce the risk during and postdisaster.
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Keywords
child abuse, gender-based violence, poly-victimization, conflicts, research, International Resources, Iran
Citation
Seddighi, H., Salmani, I., Javadi, M. H., & Seddighi, S. (2021). Child abuse in natural disasters and conflicts: a systematic review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 22(1), 176-185.