Gender inequality contributes to higher levels of child abuse

Gender inequality contributes to higher levels of child abuse

The challenges women in low- and middle-income countries face in seeking equal rights can be stressful – and some of them abandon their children through physical abuse.

In a new report published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, University of Michigan researchers found that adult gender inequality perpetuates women's economic insecurity, leading to higher levels of child abuse.

The study covered more than 420,000 households using UNICEF and UN data from 51 countries.

Respondents answered questions about whether they hit, hit, or hit the child in the face, head, or ears in the past month. A separate index collected by the UN measures the extent of gender inequality. Using several variables, the researchers calculated the likelihood of child abuse.

The study found that almost 8% of children were exposed to physical abuse, and more often in situations where gender inequality was greater. Other situations where child abuse was common included those who lived in urban housing or had a larger number of household members. The likelihood of abuse was lower when the respondent was someone other than the birth parent, the study found.

The research found that boys were slightly more likely to experience physical abuse than girls when adult inequality was taken into account. The study authors cite two factors: higher levels of gender inequality could be related to higher levels of violence against women, and higher levels of gender inequality could be related to fewer opportunities for women.

The researchers found that eliminating gender-discriminatory laws and practices would empower women economically and politically, thereby strengthening their caregiving roles and promoting caring, nonphysical child-rearing practices.

“Gender equality benefits all children, especially in resource-poor settings where childcare responsibilities fall primarily on women,” they wrote.

Researchers included lead author Julie Ma, associate professor of social work at UM-Flint; Andrew Grogan-Kaylor and Shawna Lee, both professors of social work at U-M's Ann Arbor campus; and former graduate students Garrett Pace and Kaitlin Paxton Ward.

Source:

University of Michigan

Reference:

Ma, J., et al. (2022) Gender inequality in low- and middle-income countries: Associations with parental physical abuse and moderation by child gender. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191911928.

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