GAMBIAGAMBIAA UNICEF report published in 2010 states that 87% of children aged 2-14 experienced violent discipline (physical punishment and/or psychological aggression) in 2005-2006. Nearly three quarters experienced physical punishment, while a smaller percentage (32%) of mothers and caregivers thought that physical punishment was necessary in childrearing, and non-violent discipline was also widely used: experienced by 90% of children. Nearly a quarter of children experienced severe physical punishment (being hit or slapped on the face, head or ears or being hit over and over with an implement) and 77% experienced psychological aggression (being shouted at, yelled at, screamed at or insulted). Children aged 5-9 were slightly more likely to experience violent discipline than younger children: 88% of children aged 5-9 compared to 83% of children aged 2-4. Children living in larger households were more likely to experience violent discipline: 88% of children in households of 6 or more people compared to 75% of children in households of 2-3 people. The statistics also suggest that children with more siblings are more likely to experience violent discipline in most countries involved in the study (p. 72). Children living in households with adults with a higher average level of education were less likely to experience violent discipline than those living with less educated adults. Children engaged in child labour experienced violent discipline slightly more than those who were not engaged in child labour: 93% compared to 89%. No significant differences in children’s experience of violent discipline were found according to sex.
(UNICEF, 2010, Child Disciplinary Practices at Home: Evidence from a Range of Low- and Middle-Income Countries, NY: UNICEF)
According to statistics from UNICEF on violence in the family, in 2005-2006 nearly three quarters of girls and women aged 15-49 thought that a husband is justified in hitting or beating his wife under certain circumstances.
(UNICEF, 2009, Progress for Children: A report card on child protection, NY: UNICEF)
In a study involving questionnaires with 878 children, 265 teachers and 426 parents, children reported that corporal punishment is used in 70% of schools. Sixty-eight per cent of students were beaten at school “sometimes”, 8% “often”, 11% “very often” and 13% “rarely”. Students were beaten with belts, canes and rulers. At home, 55% of children reported that parents or guardians beat them “sometimes”, 22% “rarely”, 8% “often” and 14% “very often”. Children were beaten on the back, buttocks, head, face and all over their bodies. Girls were more likely to be beaten on the face - 62% of children beaten on the face were girls – while boys were more likely to be beaten on the buttocks – 61% of children beaten on the buttocks were boys. Younger children were more likely to be beaten on the face, with 18% of children aged 7 and under beaten on the face compared to 10% of 8-12 year olds, 6% of 13-15 year olds and 5% of 16-19 year olds. Nearly half (47%) of children had been injured by a punishment: of these, 31% were bruised, 17% cut, 25% suffered internal bleeding, 12% lost a tooth and 10% had an arm dislocated or fractured. Four children in ten had at some time decided not to go to school for fear of being beaten or punished by a teacher and 47% of children know of another child who left school because of corporal punishment or fear of a teacher. Seven children in ten believed that corporal punishment makes children fear their teachers or parents instead of respecting them. Half of children said that if they became teachers, they would not beat their students. Children who had been beaten by teachers were much more likely to say that they would beat their students than children who had not been beaten (38% compared to 7%). Similarly, more children who were beaten by parents or guardians at home said that they would beat their children when they grew up than those who were not beaten at home (61% compared to 37%). Nearly three quarters (73%) of teachers reported beating students “rarely”, 17% “often” and 9% “very often”. Corporal punishment was more likely to be used in schools for younger children: 80% of kindergarten teachers reported using corporal punishment, compareed to 27% of senior secondary school teachers. Almost all teachers (97%) were beaten when they were students; however, 71% of those who were not beaten said that they would in turn not beat their students, while 59% of teachers who were beaten would beat their students. Forty-five per cent of teachers believed that corporal punishment can negatively impact on a child’s ability to learn and concentrate in class, and 71% of teachers reported feeling bad or very bad after using corporal punishment. Of parents, 83% reported that corporal punishment was used in their families, and 92% had experienced it themselves as children. The report recommends prohibition of all corporal punishment.
(Tang, J., 2005, Beating the Misconceptions, Not the Children, The Gambia: The Child Protection Alliance)