Child maltreatment perpetration in Sarawak: predictors from the perpetrators’ perspective

Abstract

ABSTRACT Child maltreatment, which encompasses harmful behaviour such as physical, sexual, psychological, and neglect, remains a global concern. In global efforts to prevent violence against women and girls, a strategic shift has emerged to actively engage men as key stakeholders. There is a growing recognition that men must be placed at the centre of these efforts. This study aimed to determine the predictors of child maltreatment perpetration in Sarawak based on retrospective recall of men’s childhood adversities, men’s gender roles, men’s attitudes, and men’s attachment styles. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Sarawak, Malaysia, from August 2022 to January 2023. The research used multistage cluster sampling to recruit 800 married men. The study findings showed 33.6% of the men admitted to having perpetrated one or more different forms of maltreatment on their children. Neglectful behaviours were the most prevalent with 27.3%, followed by physical and psychological perpetration. Through hierarchical logistic regression, men’s childhood adversities were a critical predictor (AOR = 1.0, 95% CI: .1.0, 1.1, p < .001). Men with avoidant attachment styles were less likely to admit to perpetration (AOR = 0.5, 95% CI:0.3, 0,8, p = .002). In conclusion, this study emphasises the need for prevention activities like childhood adversities screening among men to improve their well-being and help them heal from past trauma.