Prevalence of Child Abuse and neglect as Perceived by Students at University Level

Abstract

Present study aimed to explore students’ perceptions about child abuse. Abusing and neglecting in childhood leaves impact not only on individuals, families it in turn effects communities too, specifically all phases of children’s
development—physical, social relations, emotionally, cognitive, behavioral which are often interrelated. Under graduate science students’ level were the participants of the study. Four hundred students were selected from six universities as sample. The students belonged to first two years of their degree program and were in the age rage 19-22. Students of 19+, 20+, and 21+ age groups were 30.3 %, 35.3, and 34.5 respectively. Family type of 75 % students was nuclear family and 25 % was joint family. Two instruments were used as tool. The first instrument comprises 18 structured questions regarding physical, emotional, and sexual abuses and child neglect. Each question has three choices and respondents have to mark one. Results of the study show that most of the participants believe that child abuse is the physical and emotional abuse or neglect of the child (79.5 %). Some view accidental injury (16.75 %) and child labor (5.75 %) also as child abuse.