(MENAFN - Arab News)Addiction to drugs and alcohol tops the causes of violence against children, the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) has said. It called for an immediate remedy to this unhealthy and inhuman behavior.
In a report released Wednesday, aimed at increasing awareness against child abuse, the society quoted figures of the World Health Organization that 97 percent of violence against children in families was committed by drugs and alcohol addicts.
It said other factors of child abuse included the weak economic positions of the family. "Poverty leads to more crises within the family instigating the old to pour their anger on the children," it added.
The society said unemployment was another reason behind violence against children. "When the head or the other elderly members of the family are not employed, they come under mounting social and financial pressures, which in turn drive them to vent their depression on their children," it said.
According to the society, low level or lack of education was one of the causes of violence against children. It noted that uneducated people might more often resort to physical violence to solve their problems.
"Societies that give much power and supremacy to men tend to undermine the role of both women and children. They do not often believe in balance of power between men and women, and child violence is not an uncommon practice among them," the NSHR said.
It noted a quantum link between the social status of the family and the violence against children. "Whenever a family is under social pressures, it might resort to beat up its children," it said.
The society also noted that the absence or inactivation of laws condemning those who use physical violence against their children is another reason for the growing trend. It said persons growing up among violent families on their turn tend to be violent against powerless children.
According to the society, physical violence against children often takes place at homes, schools, work places and children social care centers.
It said the violence would appear very clearly on the children in the form of bruises in various parts of their bodies. "Children who are subjected to violence are always depressed and morose. They have nightmares and weep even during their sleep. They are scared of going to the places where they were beaten and may become vindictive," it explained.
