Browsing by Author "Bruwer, Jeanne-Lu (Jeanne Catherine Louise)"

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    Fisiese, seksuele en emosionele kindermishandeling en- verwaarlosing : 'n argiefstudie
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2007-03) Bruwer, Jeanne-Lu (Jeanne Catherine Louise); Steel, H. R.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of the study was to identify, describe and explain the differences between boys and girls regarding the different variables of child abuse and neglect. A review of the literature concerning child abuse and neglect was undertaken. Emphasis was placed on the different variables that correlate with child abuse and neglect: gender, age, type of abuse, general wellbeing and type of injuries, social relationships and circumstances, economical circumstances and the different variables that are related to the perpetrator of child abuse and neglect. Archive material of 256 children (124 boys and 132 girls) from Tygerbear Children's Hospital, at Tygerberg Hospital, were researched. All the subjects were eighteen years or younger and reported at the Hospital between 01 April 2004 and 31 March 2005. Comprehensive reports drawn up by social workers were used to capture data from which the different variables and statistics of child abuse and neglect were identified, descnbed and explained. Findings from the data indicate that sexual abuse was the most common form of abuse for the whole group of subjects. Boys are neglected more often than girls and they experienced more physical injuries than girls. Girls, on the other hand, are more prone to sexual abuse and experience more injuries of a sexual nature, while in total the whole group presented with injuries of a more sexual nature than any other type of injury. The findings also indicate that boys are abused or neglected more often in the evenings compared to girls who are abused or neglected more often during the mornings, but for the whole group, abuse takes place more often during the afternoon. Mothers tend to abuse or neglect boys more often than girls, while fathers do not usually abuse one gender more than the other. Boys compared to girls are more often abused by perpetrators between the ages of 13 and 21, but for both genders in total the perp~trators of abuse are between 22 and 34 years of age. Further analysis of the type of abuse and age of the perpetrator indicated that the perpetrators of sexual abuse against boys, was significantly different from the age of the perpetrators of the other types of abuse and neglect against boys. Most of the cases of child abuse and neglect happened at home and it was the girls who reported the offences to the police more often than the boys. The last finding indicated that the fathers and the mothers of the whole group abused alcohol significantly more often than any other substance. And that the fathers of boys who are abused or neglected, are significantly more likely to abuse alcohol than the fathers of girls who are abused or neglected. This study is mainly descriptive, while some of the findings were explained. A number of the reports were not fully completed, but were still included in the study to develop an understanding of the amount of information regarding child abuse and neglect that were not available. To improve the quality of future research on child abuse and neglect, especially in the Western Cape, efforts should be made by organizations to capture data of child abuse and neglect more carefully and completely.