Types and Determinants of Child Abuse in Sri Lanka

Abstract

This study examines types and determinants of child abuse in Sri Lanka. Further, the study provides the demographic and social characteristics of victims who are aged below 18 years as well as their family background in Sri Lanka. There is an increasing trend of different types of child abuses globally as well as nationally. In Sri Lankan context, child sexual abuse reveals study mainly based on the secondary data and the main source of data was the National Child Protection Authority of Sri Lanka. Sample size includes all the complaints on child abuse from 2015-2020 to the NCPA Sri Lanka. The analysis of determinants of child abuse in Sri Lanka reveals as to who are the most vulnerable group for child abuse in Sri Lanka and what are the associated factors to be a child victim. Reporting child abuses have highly determined with the school vacation period and seasonal variation has affected by Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Migration of parents has a negative impact on a child victim for abuse. Especially, the family background is a primarily determined factor to be a child victim. The nearest relatives to the family have been the major abuser of the children. Types of child abuse have analyzed based on the Penal Code and other child right related acts and regulations in Sri Lanka. Majority of the child abuses reported are related with the Penal Code and its amendments.  Child right violation is at the highest level and the trend has shown a slightly declining pattern of child abuse but, still the number of abuses is at a higher level. However, the awareness programmes should be improved from school level and the knowledge on sexual and reproductive health also have to be improved to prevent child abuse in Sri Lanka.