CHILD ABUSE IN NEW ZEALAND - A REPORT ON A NATIONWIDE SURVEY OF THE PHYSICAL ILL-TREATMENT OF CHILDREN IN NEW ZEALAND

• NCJ Number: 26847
• Author(s): D M FERGUSSON; J FLEMING; D P O'NEILL
• Date Published: 1972
• Length: 342 pages
• Sale Source: New Zealand Dept of Social Welfare; National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: New Zealand

Annotation

RESULTS OF A SURVEY DESIGNED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF INCIDENTS OF CHILD ABUSE, THE NATURE OF THE FAMILY SITUATION, AND CHARACTERISTICS OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS INVOLVED IN THESE INCIDENTS.

Abstract

THE SAMPLE FOR THIS SURVEY CONSISTED OF ALL CASES OF SUSPECTED OR ALLEGED CHILD ABUSE COMING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE NEW ZEALAND CHILD WELFARE DIVISION DURING THE YEAR 1967. A REVIEW OF PREVIOUS RESEARCH INTO CHILD ABUSE IS PRESENTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE BASIC PROBLEMS AND FINDINGS THAT HAVE EMERGED. A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SURVEY METHOD AND DESIGN AND AN INITIAL AND DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE SURVEY FINDINGS ARE THEN PROVIDED. IT WAS FOUND THAT IN COMPARISON WITH OTHER SOURCES OF CHILDHOOD INJURY, CHILD ABUSE IS A NOT A PROBLEM OF MAJOR SOCIAL IMPORTANCE IN NEW ZEALAND. OTHER FINDINGS WERE THAT CHILD ABUSE OCCURS MOST OFTEN WITH CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS OF AGE, THAT MARKED DIFFERENCES EXISTED IN RATES OF ABUSE FOR VARIOUS RACIAL GROUPS, THAT CHILD ABUSE WAS FOUND MOST OFTEN IN LOSER SOCIO-ECONOMIC FAMILIES, AND THAT FAMILY INSTABILITY WAS ASSOCIATED WITH CHILD ABUSE. CHARACTERISTICS OF ABUSIVE PARENTS INCLUDED ADVERSE OR CONSTABLE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, TENDENCY TOWARD AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR, AND RIGIDITY OF BEHAVIOR.