Prevalence of physical abuse of children in their homes in Ilorin Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction Child abuse has deleterious consequences on its victims. Its occurrence is poorly documented in Nigeria. Objectives To determine prevalence and pattern of physical abuse at home among children in Ilorin Nigeria. Methods Cross sectional survey of secondary school students aged 11-18 years in Ilorin Nigeria using multistage random sampling technique with proportional allocation was done. Respondents completed the ICAST-CH questionnaire which covers child abuse in its several forms. Prevalence of child abuse was computed. Results Table1: Pattern of physical abuse at home in the last 12 months Form of abuse Frequency Percentage Physical Abuse* (n=1554) Hold heavy load as punishment/positional fixity) 1492 96.0 Hit with object 1473 94.8 Hit, beat, spanked with hand 1203 77.4 Pushed, grabbed, kicked 850 54.7 Pulled hair, pinched, twisted ear 631 40.6 Locked in small place 182 11.7 Burned or scalded 85 5.5 Tried to choke, smother, or drown 81 5.2 Threatened with knife or gun 30 1.9 Conclusions Conclusion Physical abuse of children is extremely common in Ilorin Nigeria. There are no specific demographic determinants of occurrence; hence every growing child is at risk. The prevailing cultural norms and state laws appear to be chief drivers of this phenomenon. The current findings expand the available pool of knowledge about CPA in Nigeria and calls for more research. It also supports existing calls for the abolition of corporal punishment of children. Disclosure No significant relationships.