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Understanding children’s experiences of violence at home in Peru: qualitative

evidence from Young Lives

Gabriela Guerrero and Vanessa Rojas

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Context• This study is framed under the socio-ecological model of the

Multi – Country Study on the drivers of violence affecting children in Peru, Vietnam, Zimbabwe and Italy.

• This study draws on analysis of qualitative data from Young Lives (YL), gathered from children and caregivers in four Peruvian communities over a period of seven years (2007-2014).

• Though the Young Lives qualitative research was not designed as study of violence, we found that all 25 children in the Younger Cohort qualitative sample, had been victims of violence in their homes.

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Methods• This qualitative research explore children’s experiences of

violence in the home and their agency over the course of their childhood.

• We have drawn on the resulting data of multiple methods from the Younger cohort of the YL qualitative research:

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Key Findings: (I) Drivers of violence against children

• Families’ lack of resources to confront a variety of economic shocks and stressors is an important driver of violence affecting children.

• But there are also: Urban and rural differences Age differences Gender differences

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Key Findings: (II)Children´s understandings of violence

• According to children, violence against them in the home is most often linked with failing one’s responsibilities, in terms of domestic chores or school work.

• Children understand that violence against them could be justified.

Hugo mentioned that when a child misbehaves and their parents hit him it is not violence. Alexander pointed out that it is not violence because his parents hit him because he behaved badly and that they have the right to do it when they misbehave. Gabriela also said that it is not violence because a child should behave well. (Rioja, Violence Group Method, 2014)

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Key Findings: (II)Children´s understandings of violence• Justification of violence (by

children and their parents) could be explained due to existing social norms.

violence as legitimate way of educating children.Intergenerational transmission of violence.

• Further more, children are experiencing different forms of violence simultaneously (Home and School), reinforcing children’s understanding about the normalization of violence.

Isabel’s mother: I scared them [her children] but I also hit them too.Interviewer: With the whip?

Isabel’s mother: Yes (…)Interviewer: Do you have one?

Isabel’s mother: YesInterviewer: Where did you buy it?

Isabel’s mother: I didn’t. It is from my father.

Interviewer: Your dad gave you the whip?

Isabel’s mother: Yes, it was his whip.Interviewer: And when you were a child

did he hit you with the whip?Isabel’s mother: Oh yes.

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Key Findings: (III) Children’s responses to violence against them

• Violence as a valid method of discipline affects children’s capacity to question its use against them. Thus, children have little scope in which to respond to or question the violence.

***• Breaking cycles of violence requires to challenge current social

norms/beliefs and to intervene simultaneously in the different settings where violence occurs.

Across primary school Hector reported been hit by his teacher if he misbehaved or did not do his homework. In our last fieldwork Héctor broke a ball in the school , his teacher told him that if he didn’t pay for it he would be beaten. Héctor did not tell his mother that he needed money for that, because he was scared that she might whip him (even harder than his teacher) for the same reason.