Publication date: September 2019
Source: Child Abuse & Neglect, Volume 95
Author(s): Vera Clemens, Ulrike Hoffmann, Elisa König, Cedric Sachser, Elmar Brähler, Jörg M. Fegert
Abstract
Background
Child maltreatment by caregivers seem to make a significant contribution to general maltreatment rates. Interestingly, research assessing prevalence rates of maltreatment mainly focuses on individual components either in relation to different types of maltreatment or in relation to different types of institutions.
Objective
The current study assesses prevalence rates for child maltreatment by caregivers in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, facilities for the disabled, schools, Kindergartens, and after-school care or residential care.
Participants and setting: In a cross-sectional survey, a representative sample of the German population above the age of 14 (N = 2,516) was selected in a random route approach. Participants were questioned retrospectively for the experience of physical, emotional and sexual abuse and neglect by caregivers in institutions.
Results
The results demonstrate a relatively high rate of child maltreatment in German institutions. In detail, during inpatient stays in medical institutions, 19.0% of the participants reported to have experienced at least one type of maltreatment by nursing staff. Furthermore, 30.3% reported to have experienced at least one type of maltreatment by teachers during school life and 11.6% reported maltreatment by caregivers in care facilities. A significant number of participants reported multiple forms of maltreatment in all assessed institutions. Younger age of the respondents was associated with lower prevalence rates, which could be attributed to higher awareness for maltreatment in institutions nowadays.
Conclusions
Our results demonstrate that child maltreatment by caregivers in institutions is a prevalent problem. A higher awareness for caregivers as potential perpetrators of maltreatment in institutions, including schools, medical institutions and care facilities, is needed in order to improve this alarming situation.