Nature of Victimization and Deviant Behavior among Homeless Adolescents: A Study in Gazipur

Abstract

Homeless adolescents are at great risk for both victimization and perpetration. The key objectives of the study is to know the nature and causes of victimization and deviant behavior among homeless adolescents in Bangladesh, identify the pattern of victimization particularly in employment sector and in social life and the issues that encourage the homeless adolescents to be involved in deviant behavior. This study is based on descriptive research which found significant information on socio-demographic characteristics of homeless adolescents, involvement in work for earning livelihood at early age, scenery of victimization in working environment, and finally participating in deviant behavior. Homeless adolescents become socially victimized as in most of cases, they have no regular contact with their family, and many adolescent even did not complete their primary education, deprived from basic rights of medical, sports and recreational facility. Furthermore, maximum homeless adolescents are day laborers and are involved in risky employment for long time, getting negligible salary and majority of them are become victim of physical torture and sexual harassment. Besides, most of the homeless adolescents get very harsh behavior from public and large numbers of them are arrested by the police during working. Thus, underprivileged homeless adolescents are become precariously victimized in society. Consequently, most of homeless adolescents are involved in pity offences, became drug abuser and gradually involved with various criminal gangs. So the study finally finds that homeless adolescent are being victimized in different perspective and also being involved with delinquency and serious crimes.