Violence Against Children Research Articles

The status of violence against children in China, 2013-2021

Objective: This study aims to obtain the prevalence and features associated with Violence Against Children (VAC) in China and, thus, formulate a prevention strategy. Methods: The mortality-related data of VAC was sourced from the National Disease Surveillance Points System (DSP) during 2013-2021. We analyzed the DSP data regarding children aged 0-17 years old who died from violence. The hospital cases of VAC was sourced from the National Injury Surveillance System (NISS), 2013-2021. We analyzed the data from NISS with the parameter of "intentional injury" caused by VAC in children aged between 0-17 years. Using robust linear regression, we analyze the time trend in the proportion of violence incidence. To understand the variations in the incidence of different types of violence across genders, we apply the chi-square test and adjusted Pearson residuals. Results: The overall trend of death caused by VAC has declined; it was reduced to 0.14/100 000 in 2021 from 0.33/100 000 in 2013. In 2021, male VAC mortality (0.15/100 000) was higher than females (0.13/100 000). The proportion of VAC cases to all injury cases has declined from 3.34% in 2013 to 2.29% in 2021. Among 9 344 VAC cases supervised by hospitals in 2021, the number of males (7 503 cases) was around 4 times that of females (1 841 cases), and the top three modes of violence were blunt tools (64.77%), falls (7.46%) and sharp instruments (6.18%), and 45 cases of sexual violence included 38 girls and 7 boys. Conclusions: The declining death rate due to VAC may be related to the benign development of Chinese society. Prevention strategies targeting training in parenting skills and problem-solving should be prioritized.

Prevention of Violence Against Children: A Qualitative Exploration of Colombian Policymakers', Programme Facilitators' and Caregivers' Perceptions.

Violence against children (VAC) is a global public health and human rights issue that can lead to long-lasting negative consequences for individual and societal outcomes. While extensive evidence indicates that parenting programmes might be effective in preventing VAC, there are several unsolved questions on how to ensure interventions are acceptable, feasible, effective and sustainable, particularly in low- and- middle-income countries (LMICs). In this study, we report findings from a qualitative examination of policymakers' (N = 10), early childhood and parenting programme facilitators' (N = 20) and parents' and other caregivers' (N = 38) perspectives on VAC prevention to examine the implementation ecosystem of parenting programmes in Colombia, including contextual risk and protection factors, features of existing programmes, and stakeholders' needs. We conducted interviews and focus groups using a semistructured format, along with a thematic approach, to analyse the data from each group of participants (i.e., policymakers, facilitators and caregivers) independently. Overall, the data revealed the critical role of intersecting and interacting factors at the micro (e.g., caregivers' capabilities and beliefs), meso (e.g., programme content and delivery approaches) and macro (e.g., policymakers' vision and existing infrastructure) levels in exacerbating risks/imposing barriers versus protecting/promoting VAC prevention. These findings provide evidence on the implementation ecosystem of prevention programmes to inform the design of novel strategies and programmes aimed at preventing violence and promoting families' well-being and young children's development.

The impact of SARS-Co-V pandemic on violence against children: one institution's experience.

Violence against children (VAC) is a global issue due to its biological, psychological, and social effects. Research in this field is valuable for understanding unknown aspects of VAC and for defining updated intervention strategies. Until now, there have been no clear indications about the possible effects of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on VAC. In this study, the authors compared quantitative and qualitative variables of pre-pandemic and pandemic cases evaluated at an Italian center specialized in VAC. The aims were to determine if the cases referred for VAC changed during the pandemic and if there were statistically significant differences in variables' distributions between pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. The referrals during the first 13 months of the 2020 SARS-CoV-2 pandemic were compared to cases referred over 13 months (2018-2019) to the same center. The analysis showed no statistical differences between age distributions and most qualitative variables. A decrease in the number of cases was observed. The comparison of frequency distributions of most variables between pre and post-pandemic samples did not differ. The most important result of the analysis is that the volume of observed VAC cases decreased during the pandemic period, confirming the indications of the scientific literature. It could not be excluded that the decrease was due to the negative impact of the pandemic on the child protection system. The above data could help develop innovative prevention tools and corrective intervention programs for future emergencies.

Is there consensus on child violence exposure measures? A study of six recommended instruments

ABSTRACT Background: International research has established that children and adolescents are at high risk for being exposed to violence. A systematic review published in 2023 recommended six child and adolescent self-report violence against children (VAC) measures, based on their psychometric properties, in a systematic COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) review. However, the degree of overlap and heterogeneity was not part of the analysis. Objective: To compare the six measures with respect to item overlap and differences concerning specification of exposure dimensions. Method: A content analysis of the original 174 items resulted in a reduction to 38 unique items. These items were organized visually in a co-occurrence circle using an adapted version of Fried’s R code. Furthermore, a pairwise comparison of event lists was performed using the Jaccard index. Results: There was a modest overlap among the six measures. Only one item was present in all six measures, only two items were present in four measures, and 78% of the items were present in just one or two measures. The overall overlap between the six measures was 25%. Conclusions: The lack of overlap among measures reflects a heterogeneity of definitions and purposes. It also impedes progress in research, as comparisons between various studies are difficult to make in a valid and reliable way. The lack of consensus also delays efficient political initiatives, because solid, consensual knowledge about the prevalence of VAC does not exist.

A Factorial Randomized Controlled Trial to Optimize User Engagement With a Chatbot-Led Parenting Intervention: Protocol for the ParentText Optimisation Trial.

Violence against children (VAC) is a serious public health concern with long-lasting adverse effects. Evidence-based parenting programs are one effective means to prevent VAC; however, these interventions are not scalable in their typical in-person group format, especially in low- and middle-income countries where the need is greatest. While digital delivery, including via chatbots, offers a scalable and cost-effective means to scale up parenting programs within these settings, it is crucial to understand the key pillars of user engagement to ensure their effective implementation. This study aims to investigate the most effective and cost-effective combination of external components to optimize user engagement with ParentText, an open-source chatbot-led parenting intervention to prevent VAC in Mpumalanga, South Africa. This study will use a mixed methods design incorporating a 2 × 2 factorial cluster-randomized controlled trial and qualitative interviews. Parents of adolescent girls (32 clusters, 120 participants [60 parents and 60 girls aged 10 to 17 years] per cluster; N=3840 total participants) will be recruited from the Ehlanzeni and Nkangala districts of Mpumalanga. Clusters will be randomly assigned to receive 1 of the 4 engagement packages that include ParentText alone or combined with in-person sessions and a facilitated WhatsApp support group. Quantitative data collected will include pretest-posttest parent- and adolescent-reported surveys, facilitator-reported implementation data, and digitally tracked engagement data. Qualitative data will be collected from parents and facilitators through in-person or over-the-phone individual semistructured interviews and used to expand the interpretation and understanding of the quantitative findings. Recruitment and data collection started in August 2023 and were finalized in November 2023. The total number of participants enrolled in the study is 1009, with 744 caregivers having completed onboarding to the chatbot-led intervention. Female participants represent 92.96% (938/1009) of the sample population, whereas male participants represent 7.03% (71/1009). The average participant age is 43 (SD 9) years. The ParentText Optimisation Trial is the first study to rigorously test engagement with a chatbot-led parenting intervention in a low- or middle-income country. The results of this study will inform the final selection of external delivery components to support engagement with ParentText in preparation for further evaluation in a randomized controlled trial in 2024. Open Science Framework (OSF); https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/WFXNE. DERR1-10.2196/52145.

INSPIRE: Seven strategies for ending violence against children—exploring knowledge uptake, use and impact

Levels of violence against children remain high worldwide. A focused commitment in the child protection sector and from health and development agencies worldwide has delivered impressive baseline metrics on the scope of and trends for violence against children. Alongside this data, agreement around global guidelines—INSPIRE: Seven strategies for Ending Violence Against Children—and a host of related practice, learning and advocacy products has ensured a steady supply of knowledge to the field. As a result, high level political awareness for the prevention of violence against children (VAC) grows, yet full scale endorsement for the implementation of evidence-based strategies still falls short. A brief history of how the INSPIRE global guidelines were incubated, developed, and disseminated worldwide helps assess how knowledge is positioned, generated, and analysed. A call for reflecting on how to balance the supply and demand of INSPIRE knowledge for the field is forwarded. This review of progress made, and the challenges ahead, is timely as INSPIRE undergoes revisions just short of the 2030 SDG deadline.

Violence Against Children

Violence against children (VAC) is a global phenomenon that needs deliberate attention. Children exposed to violence in their families, communities, and schools in their early years are likely to maintain this cycle of violence in their youth and adult lives if no efforts are made to break this cycle. Taking this into consideration the author adopts a social-ecological theoretical perspective in exploring global, regional, and South African literature on the risks and causes of VAC as well as the protective factors that can prevent VAC. Embedding VAC within a social-ecological perspective warrants the need to explore it at four crucial levels, namely individual, relationships, community, and society. The literature review embodies the relevance of these four levels since all risk and causal factors of VAC are easily categorised in one or more of these levels. As such, the author provides a social-ecological perspective comprising all four levels that holistically address the prevention of VAC. The literature review indicated that many of the risks and causes of VAC are a common trend across countries even though it is more prevalent within African contexts. This suggests that the preventive measures discussed are likely to have global value.

Improving psychosocial well-being and parenting practices among refugees in Uganda: Results of the journey of life effectiveness trial.

Caregivers play a critical role in mediating the impacts of forced displacement on children; however, humanitarian programming remains hampered by a lack of evidence-based programming. We present findings from an evaluation of a group-based curriculum delivered over the course of 12 sessions, journey of life (JoL). A waitlist-control quasi-experimental design was implemented in the Kiryandongo refugee settlement (intervention n=631, control n=676). Caregiver mental distress, measured using the Kessler-6, was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included (a) functioning, (b) social support and (c) caregiving attitudes and behaviors. Propensity score matching (PSM) and Cohen's d estimates were used to examine the intervention effects. According to our primary PSM analysis, JoL led to significant improvements in mental distress (coef.: 2.33; p<0.001), social support (coef.: 1.45; p<0.001), functioning (coef.: 2.64; p<0.001), parental warmth/affection (coef.: 2.48; p<0.001), parental undifferentiated rejection (coef.: 0.49; p<0.001) and attitudes around violence against children (VAC) (coef.: 1.98; p<0.001). Evidence from Cohen's d analysis underscored the value of the intervention's effect on parental warmth/affection (0.74), mental distress (0.70) and VAC attitudes (0.68). This trial adds to the evidence on holistic parenting programming to improve the mental health and parenting outcomes among refugee caregivers.

Multi-level analysis of the determinants of physical domestic violence against children using longitudinal data from MINIMat mother-child cohort in Bangladesh.

Despite high levels of physical violence against children (VAC) globally (40-50%), the literature on the determinants of VAC remains inconclusive. Most of the literature on this topic is based on cross-sectional data, and the multi-level nature of the drivers of VAC is widely ignored. This leads to model specification problems and an inability to draw causal inferences. Moreover, despite the higher prevalence of VAC in low-and middle-income countries, studies from high income countries dominate the field. We examined the determinants of physical domestic VAC to address these gaps in the literature. Data were collected between 2001 and 2020 from 762 mother-child dyads recruited in the Maternal and Infant Nutrition Interventions in Matlab (MINIMat) study in Bangladesh. We conducted multi-level logistic regression analyses to identify the determinants of physical domestic VAC. Prevalence of physical domestic violence against girls (69%) and boys (62%) was extremely high. Community-level prevalence of physical domestic VAC increased the likelihood of physical domestic VAC at the individual level across gender (girls - OR-5.66; 95% CI- 3.11-10.32; boys - OR-7.67; CI- 3.95-14.91). While physical domestic violence against mothers was not associated with physical domestic violence against girls, it reduced the likelihood of such violence against boys by 47%. Having 3 or more siblings predicted physical domestic violence against girls (OR-1.97; 95% CI- 1.01-3.81 for 3 siblings; OR-4.58; 95% CI- 2.12-9.90 for 4 or more siblings), but not against boys. While girls in Hindu families were more likely to experience this violence, the boys were not. Mother's education, employment non-governmental organization (NGO) participation and, household wealth did not predict this violence against any gender. We contend that physical domestic violence against mothers reflects an emphasized patriarchal culture in a family where a boy is less likely to experience physical domestic violence. Social norms and social learning theories explain the greater likelihood of a child experiencing physical domestic violence in a village with a higher level of such violence. We conclude that social norms around physical domestic VAC and patriarchal culture need to be changed to effectively address this violence.

Integrating intimate partner violence prevention content into a digital parenting chatbot intervention during COVID-19: Intervention development and remote data collection

BackgroundIntimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health issue which experienced a sharp incline during the onset of COVID-19. Increases in other forms of violence, such as violence against children (VAC), have also been linked to the pandemic, and there have been calls for greater prevention efforts that tackle both forms of violence concurrently. The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the urgent need for evidence-based and scalable violence prevention interventions that target multiple forms of family violence. Parenting programmes have shown promising results in preventing various forms of family violence, including IPV and VAC, and have recently experienced an expansion in delivery, with digital intervention formats growing. This paper describes the development and evaluation of the IPV prevention content designed and integrated into ParentText, a chatbot parenting intervention adapted from Parenting for Lifelong Health programmes.MethodsThe ParentText IPV prevention content was developed using the Six Steps in Quality Intervention Development (6SQuID) framework. This involved targeted literature searches for key studies to identify causal factors associated with IPV and determining those with greatest scope for change. Findings were used to develop the intervention content and theory of change. Consultations were held with academic researchers (n = 5), practitioners (n = 5), and local community organisations (n = 7), who reviewed the content. A formative evaluation was conducted with parents in relationships (n = 96) in Jamaica to better understand patterns in user engagement with the intervention and identify strategies to further improve engagement.ResultsUsing the 6SQuID model, five topics on IPV prevention were integrated into the ParentText chatbot. Text-messages covering each topic, including additional materials such as cartoons and videos, were also developed. The formative evaluation revealed an average user-engagement length of 14 days, 0.50 chatbot interactions per day, and over half of participants selected to view additional relationship content.ConclusionsThis article provides a unique contribution as the first to integrate IPV prevention content into a remotely delivered, digital parenting intervention for low-resource settings. The findings from this research and formative evaluation shed light on the promising potential of chatbots as scalable and accessible forms of violence prevention, targeting multiple types of family violence.

Consortium for violence prevention research, leadership training, and implementation for excellence (CONVERGE): a protocol to train science leaders in gender-based-violence and violence-against-children research for impact.

Gender-based violence (GBV) and violence against children (VAC) are two prevalent and highly interconnected global health challenges, yet data and research capacities to study these forms of violence and to generate evidence-based policies and programs remain limited. To address critical shortages in research capacity in Vietnam and to establish a model for other Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), we are establishing CONVERGE-the Consortium for Violence Prevention Research, Implementation, and Leadership Training for Excellence. Based on a needs assessment with partners in Vietnam, CONVERGE will provide a comprehensive research training program supporting 15 long-term, postdoctoral trainees with multi-disciplinary research training in GBV and VAC. We also will offer in-country trainings and short-courses to 40 short-term mid-career academic trainees and 60 short-term practitioner/stakeholder trainees over 5 years to build productive GBV and VAC academic, scientific, and practitioner networks. The CONVERGE training program has four components: (1) 14 h of virtual/in-person annual mentorship training to prepare research mentors and to create a pipeline of future mentors in Vietnam; (2) a one-month intensive research training for long-term postdoctoral fellows at Emory University; (3) a structured 17-month, in-country mentored research project for long-term trainees that results in a peer-reviewed manuscript and a subsequent grant submission; and, (4) week-long in-country intensive translational trainings on implementation science, advanced topics in leadership, and advanced topics in science dissemination. Opportunities for on-going virtual training and professional networking will be provided for CONVERGE trainees and mentors in Vietnam with other trainees and mentors of D43s focused on injury/violence prevention, D43s housed at Emory, and D43s with other institutions in Southeast Asia. To assess the reach, implementation, fidelity, and effectiveness of these four components, we will implement a rigorous, mixed-methods, multi-level evaluation strategy using process and outcome measures. Findings from the evaluation will be used to refine program components for future trainee and mentor cohorts and to assess long-term program impact. Led by Emory University in the US and Hanoi Medical University in Vietnam, CONVERGE represents leading institutions and experts from around the world, with a goal of providing mentorship opportunities for early-career scientists with an interest in violence prevention.

The prevalence of emotional abuse in children living in Sub-Saharan Africa – A systematic review

ObjectivesThis study is meant to put a focus on the prevalence of emotional abuse in low-income states like the Sub-Saharan region. MethodologySearching PubMed, Google scholar, and web of science during February and April 2021 a total of 2264 articles were identified, 27 met the inclusion criteria.We added the results of 13 VAC (Violence Against Children and Youth) studies, conducted by UNICEF capturing information about experienced sexual, physical, or emotional violence in 13–24-year-olds, as well as 56 MIC (Multiple Indicator Cluster) studies, conducted by the CDC to research the disciplinary methods used with children aged 1–14 years in the past month by older household members.Finally, in a meta-analytic approach, we aimed to calculate a pooled estimate of the prevalence. ResultsThe included studies depicted a wide range in prevalence rates across countries. For example, while the VAC study in Lesotho in 2018 showed low incidence rates of emotional violence (6.9 % Females, 3.8 % Males), the average prevalence recorded by the MIC study was as high as 57.8 % for females and 59.2 % for males. On average, the MIC studies displayed a higher incidence and the discrepancy of prevalence of emotional abuse between females and males was small. Calculating a pooled estimate of the prevalence was not possible, due to the heterogeneity of the data. ConclusionsIn general countries displayed a high prevalence. A standardized use of a uniform definition of emotional abuse might help to display a more homogenous data set in the future, giving the opportunity for pooled estimates of prevalence.

Lessons Learned from a Mixed-Method Pilot of a Norms-Shifting Social Media Intervention to Reduce Teacher-Perpetrated School-Related Gender-Based Violence in Uganda

Background: Violence against children (VAC) is a global epidemic rooted in gender norms. One of the most common forms of VAC is school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV). Research has shown the promise of social media to shift norms underlying abusive behaviors, but, to-date, no studies have reported on social media norms-shifting interventions to prevent SRGBV by teachers. This study describes lessons learned from a pilot social-media intervention to shift social norms among Ugandan teachers to promote gender equity and reduce SRGBV. Methods: We extracted information on group size, posts, engagements, and teachers’ comments from intervention Facebook and WhatsApp social media groups and conducted mixed-methods data analysis. The study and program team met weekly to review findings and adjust the approach. Results: We found many teachers voiced social norms and attitudes upholding SRGBV in online groups, highlighting the need for intervention. Social media groups were largely acceptable to teachers, reached many teachers throughout Uganda, and often promoted active discussion. The program team carefully monitored online engagement, identified needed shifts, and performed mid-course adjustments in response to emerging challenges. Lessons learned included focusing on positive norms instead of harmful norms, engaging peer-influencers to shift norms, and including educational resources to inform behavior change. Conclusions: This study offers learnings on application of social and behavior-change communication and social norms principles to future online violence prevention initiatives.

The Effect of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Domestic Violence in Germany: A Comparison of Three Representative Population Surveys.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound societal and economic effects. Concerns were raised that domestic violence might increase because of the enacted infection control measures. Previous findings on this issue have been contradictory. Since existing studies mainly rely on official reports, administrative data, helpline calls, or retrospective measures, their findings are likely to prove unreliable. Few population-based surveys include pre-pandemic data, limiting their ability to test for causality regarding increasing violence. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare findings from population-representative surveys on the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and violence against children (VAC) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the data of N = 3,639 individuals living with a romantic partner and N = 1,313 parents living with at least one of their children from three German representative population surveys, we estimated average marginal effects for the temporal trends (i.e., pre vs. post infection control measures) of domestic violence separately for males and females. To minimize bias across survey waves, inverse probability weighting was used. Results show no statistically significant increase in either physical or psychological forms of IPV or VAC as a result of the implementation of COVID measures. On the contrary, the 1-year prevalence was decreasing for certain forms of violence. Our findings suggest that the assessment of the consequences of infection control measures needs an empirical basis. Further research should be conducted using high-quality data sources. Therefore, the present study should be considered a stepping stone for ongoing research efforts to examine the consequences of pandemic-related infection control measures on the general population.

CENTERING GRASSROOTS ACTORS IN NETWORKING FOR CHILD PROTECTION IN EAST AFRICA

Violence against children (VAC) is both a global and local concern that has resulted in several child protection initiatives by formal and informal networks in East Africa. The dominant narrative on networking for VAC prevention and response significantly focuses on the functionality of formal networks and ignores grassroots networks. We conducted research to explore the functionality and corresponding impact of diverse networks that work to prevent and respond to VAC in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Study participants were VAC network leads at grassroots, subnational, and national levels, and network funders. Data were collected using interviews, document review, and focus group discussions. We found that scholarly literature illuminates the role of formal networks at the expense of grassroots networks, which are ignored and minoritized in literature. This may contribute to a disparity between the funding of grassroots and formal networks. Yet, grassroots network actors are VAC first responders and are instrumental in child protection work. We contend that it is vital to center grassroots networks in VAC policies, programs, and research in order to achieve sustainable connections between networks, communities, and funders, and to empower communities to protect children from abuse.

NETWORKING FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN: AN ANALYSIS OF THE FORMAL–INFORMAL NETWORK DICHOTOMY IN UGANDA

The rising cases of violence against children (VAC) have prompted strategies, laws, and policies to protect Ugandan children at the grassroots, subnational, and national levels. Despite the emergence of various strategies by different VAC actors who network formally and informally to address VAC, the functionality of their networks has not received adequate attention in previous research. We conducted a qualitative study to examine the dynamics of networking for VAC in Uganda. We collected data using interviews with network funders and leads at the national and subnational levels and focus group discussions with grassroots and community members. Our findings reveal that VAC networks belong to two broad categories: formal and informal. These exist side by side, usually operating in parallel, but sometimes with crisscrossing and overlapping activities. While the work of formal network actors is better resourced and recognized, and more visible, informal network actors are invisibilized in government plans, philanthropic efforts, and scholarly research. A more collaborative and inclusive VAC networking system would be instrumental in enhancing VAC prevention and response.

TOWARDS A LOCALIZED UNDERSTANDING OF VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN AFRICA

Despite global and African continental efforts to curb violence against children (VAC), it is the fourth leading cause of death for young people aged 15 to 19 in Africa, according to a 2021 UNICEF report. In introducing this special issue on VAC in Africa, I contend that violence prevention and response efforts ought to be situated in local understandings of how violence is inflicted and experienced. Sociocultural and political ideals and values present in Africa nurture an atmosphere in which adults exercise power over children’s lives and can inflict harm upon them if they choose. Age-based power (adultism) facilitates VAC. Therefore, this special issue is underpinned by childism as a framework for challenging adultism in an effort to achieve a contextualized understanding of VAC in Africa, and how best to respond to and ultimately prevent it.

LOCATING STATE ACTORS IN VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN (VAC) NETWORKS IN KENYA: A COMPLEXITY LEADERSHIP LENS

Kenya has made significant efforts to address violence against children (VAC), but its prevalence remains high. Networking of different actors has shown evidence of benefit in some sectors, but determining its effectiveness in addressing VAC has not received due scholarly attention. We conducted qualitative research, including a desk review, focus group discussions, and interviews. In this article, we apply complexity leadership theory to illuminate the types of networks involved and the influence Kenya’s government actors can exert towards eliminating VAC. We found that these actors operate through structured and unstructured networks. The latter are mainly grassroots responders who work voluntarily. The complexity leadership theory postulates that leadership influence is exercised through key functions, which are reflected in the two types of networks. The political–administrative function in Kenya is shaped by law; we show how it transforms other networks via an adaptive function. An enabling function is executed through enforcing policy, monitoring, and other methods, while a dissemination function involves the translation of ideas into policy, such as the transformation of Childline Kenya, a grassroots organization, into the National Child Helpline. We conclude that government should strengthen child rights networking by building more technical and financial capacity for this role.

REFLECTIONS ON NETWORKING DYNAMICS TO ADDRESS VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN IN TANZANIA

This article is based on a study conducted to understand the functionality and connectivity of existing networks and their impact on the prevention and response to violence against children (VAC) in East Africa. We adopted an exploratory qualitative approach in which a bottom-up purposive selection of study participants was used. Data were collected using focus group discussions with grassroots actors, interviews with network leads at the grassroots district and national levels, and VAC network funders. The study was carried out in Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam region in three districts (Kigamboni, Temeke, and Ilala) and eight wards. Our findings show that because the nature of VAC is complex and multidimensional, efforts to respond to it also exhibit these qualities. Depending on the goal, networking takes various forms, and VAC networks can have unspecified lifespans. VAC networking results from strategic decision-making that yields many benefits, including a stronger voice and visibility, enhanced impact, and potential efficiency. However, networks also encounter bottlenecks that negatively impact their goals. This is an indication that VAC network actors ought to be more reflexive regarding the space they occupy in the network and intentionally pursue strong relationships among actors and networks.

"Help Children Walking on the Right Path": Understanding Parents' and Grandparents' Perceptions on Violence Against Children in Cambodia and Prevention Strategies.

This study examined parents' and grandparents' understanding of violence against children (VAC) strategies to prevent VAC in the home. Research questions: What do parents and grandparents understand about VAC? Which child discipline practices are violent? What are strategies to prevent VAC? Participants: 30 parents and grandparents from a small rural community. Six focus group discussions (FGDs) in which participants shared their perceptions and practices relating to child discipline, forms of VAC, and proposed intervention strategies. In two community forums, participants discussed intervention strategies produced in separate FGDs and agreed on three priority strategies. During the FGDs and community meetings, none of the participants ever mentioned any laws, regulations, or government strategies to address VAC in the home. Participants expressed confusion and mixed feelings and responses on forms of VAC. Some agreed on deception, manipulation, intimidation (som lot), threats (Kom ream, harsh words, scolding (je), and physical punishment (i.e., beating or beating with an object) as an unacceptable discipline that would adversely impact children's well-being. Others agreed on cautiously using such disciplines to a certain degree and context. Participants proposed three priority strategies to address VAC in the home, of which two-community awareness and education and community-based efforts-fit with the Cambodia 2017 to 2024 Action Plan Strategies to Prevent and Respond to VAC. The third strategy, addressing alcohol harm-related violence, though not regarded in the 2017 to 2024 Action Plan, was considered pivotal in preventing VAC. Parents and grandparents have a substantial role in child protection at home. Nevertheless, without a clear definition of VAC or articulation of protecting children from violence in the home, it would be challenging to involve parents/grandparents for effective intervention. Participants' three priority strategies have a substantial policy and program implications for Cambodia's primary prevention of VAC action strategy. Community-based mobilization, education, and capacity building need to start and sustain the community.