NCJ Number
226404
Journal
Child Abuse Review Volume: 18 Issue: 1 Dated: January-February 2009 Pages: 60-71
Date Published
January 2009
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study examined public adult perceptions on the magnitude and typology of child abuse in Cyprus, the public’s definition of appropriate parental disciplinary methods, and the extent to which the adult public of Cyprus were content with the public education campaign about child abuse.
Abstract
Results of the study found that about 21 percent of the respondents reported having experienced some type of abuse in childhood. When compared to previous study findings, it was evident that far fewer cases of child abuse are investigated by social services than actually occur. The study corroborated previous findings suggesting that about 20 percent of children in Cyprus are physically abused and that boys are at much higher risk for this abuse. Child abuse was far more prevalent than was suggested by the number of cases dealt with by the Cyprus Department of Social Welfare (CDSW), and as of today, Cyprus continues to lack a national system of registrations and statistics on child abuse. Two previous empirical studies have assessed the problem of child abuse in Cyprus: Advisory Committee for the Prevention and Treatment of Family Violence (ACPTFV), 2004 and University of Nicosia Center for Research and Development (UNCRD), 2000 and showed inconsistency in the findings, particularly in regards to the overall magnitude of the problem and gender trends for victims. This study was conducted to corroborate the evidence. Specifically, it is unknown how informed the public is about appropriate disciplinary methods and how satisfied it is with the current child abuse prevention campaign in Cyprus. Tables and references