| Abstract: | This study was the first large scale national study on the issue of physical and emotional punishment
as well as sexual abuse of children in the Maldives. Through a phased approach (desk
research of existing studies, qualitative interviews and quantitative interviews), a solid and up
to date knowledge base on the issue could be obtained.
The survey found that violence against children exists at home, at school and in the community.
At home the main educational measure taken by caregivers is to explain the child, what it
did wrong, followed, however, by emotional punishment, such as threatening the child to hit
or scolding. The majority of children below the age of 18 have not been neither physically nor
emotionally punished (53%). However, on the other side this also means that 47% of Maldivian
children, who have undergone at least one or both kinds of punishment in their lives.
The use of emotional punishment is considerably wide-spread and is also supported by the
parents’ beliefs that this is an effective way of teaching children the proper behaviour. This
form of punishment plays an important role for a sizeable potion of the children from age 3
onwards.
Overall, the population of the Maldives is divided over the issue of physical punishment: notions
that physical punishment is not particularly efficient could be found throughout the
study, leading to an overall lower acceptance of such behaviour. However, it was also found
that even opponents of physical punishment have used such measures on their children and
that supporters do not use it significantly more, so that this overall mindset can be considered
weak. This, and the fact that also students do not see negative effects of this kind of behaviour
can be considered to be an indicator for a deeply rooted cultural belief that neither emotional
or physical violence is not harmful for children. Although not necessarily leading to the actual
use of physical punishment, this mindset can certainly lower the threshold of its application.
Generally, boys appear to be more vulnerable to physical punishment than girls, while at
home girls attending secondary school reported to have suffered to a large extent from emotional
punishment.
Although prohibited by law, students reported cases of physical punishment at school perpetrated
by the teacher. Generally conflicts are being solved by talking calmly to the child. On
the other side, 8% of the students attending secondary school, mostly boys, stated to have
been hit on at least one occasion by their teacher. The majority of students, who enter an argument
with their teacher, also declared that they would talk back to the teacher, a minority
even to threaten to hit the teacher or throw something at him or her. Especially the last two
forms of behaviour have the potential to initiate a vicious circle of hostility between the students
and the teachers.
Nearly 20% of students attending secondary school indicated to be afraid of a gang or other
children in the community. For a significant part, girls attending secondary school in Male’
feel more insecure in their communities: almost half of them indicated that they are afraid of a
gang. Being asked of what children and adults would do to children in the community, at least
one in four students (25%) attending secondary school in the Atolls revealed that they have
been hit by other children or adults in the last year on at least one occasion, as opposed to
every seventh (14%) in Male’.
When being victimized either physically by another child or sexually by an adult, the children
signalled that they would inform their parents or their friends. When asked, what the parents
would do when aware of a case of abuse in the community, the majority did choose to not
inform the authorities, not cause any trouble and/or due to limited belief in the efficiency of
the system. As parents are the main go to persons for the children their reactions are critical
for the follow up of the case.
Nationwide, 15% of children attending secondary school, reported that they have been sexually
abused at least once in their life. Indeed the prevalence rates of girls are double as high as
the ones of as boys (20% vs. 11%, respectively). Specifically Male’ turned out to be a place
where an increased risk for girls to become victims of sexual abuse exist.
Overall, the Protective Environment was found to suffer gaps in most of the eight elements.
The majority of gaps seem to have their foundation in the cultural background of the Maldivian
society, which does not particularly prohibit emotional or physical punishment of children.
While there is a high awareness of the community on the issue, the evolving open discussion
is hampered by the notion that such events should be solved in the home and not discussed
publically.
In the area of sexual abuse another large obstacle is the legal system: the victim itself might
turn out to be made liable for such an event and might be subjected itself to penal proceedings
if the perpetrator does not plead guilty or four witnesses for the prosecution cannot be found.
Therefore, it is recommended to start improving the Protective Environment by educating
caregivers (preferably at childbirth and through a nationwide campaign) and teachers about
effective non-violent educational practices to build up basic protective mindsets and a minimal
cultural consensus. As attitudes themselves might become corrupted without a sound
foundation, such educational measures should also provide the target groups with facts about
the negative effects of violence in children. |
