Violence experienced by orphans in institutionalized care and family settings in Nigeria

Abstract

ABSTRACT Orphans are vulnerable to abuse and violence due to the precarious situation they find themselves in. Some of these abuses could differ based on where the orphans live. This study was therefore designed to compare the violence experienced by orphans in institutionalized and family settings. It also determined the influence of residential placement on violence experienced by orphans in orphanages and family settings in Nigeria. The study employed a concurrent mixed-methods research design. The sample comprised 3893 orphans (2418 living in family settings and 1475 living in orphanages) who were between the age ranges of 10–17 years. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select the sample for the study. A self-developed instrument titled “Orphans Needs and Vulnerability Questionnaire” was administered on the respondents. Data collected were analyzed using frequency count, percentages and chi-square. The results indicated that orphans experienced varying forms of violence in both family and institutional settings. The result further showed a prevalence of 1.6% for physical violence in the family setting and 0.2% in the orphanages. The results also revealed that flogging (1st), fetching water from a far distance (2nd) and verbal abuses (3rd) were the most ranked violence experienced by orphans in the family settings while, flogging (1st), severe/corporal punishment (2nd) and verbal abuses (3rd) were the most ranked violence experienced by orphans in the orphanages. Furthermore, the results showed that there was a significant influence of residential placement on violence experienced by orphans in Nigeria (χ2 = 57.104, p < 0.05) with the family settings more engaged in violence against the orphans. The study concluded that orphans in family settings experienced more violence than orphans in orphanages. It is recommended that special intervention programmes to protect orphaned children from physical, psychological and sexual abuse in family settings should be put in place.