SERBIASERBIAA UNICEF report published in 2010 states that 75% of children aged 2-14 experienced violent discipline (physical punishment and/or psychological aggression) in 2005-2006. Fifty-five per cent experienced physical punishment, while a smaller percentage (11%) of mothers and caregivers thought that physical punishment was necessary in childrearing, and non-violent discipline was also very widely used: experienced by 90% of children. Eight per cent 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 64% experienced psychological aggression (being shouted at, yelled at, screamed at or insulted). 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. No significant differences in children’s experience of violent discipline were found according to sex, age, household size or engagement in child labour.
(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 five per cent of disabled children aged 2-9 were hit on the face, head or ears, hit repeatedly or hit hard, compared with 8% of non-disabled children. Six per cent 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)
A 2006 study surveyed nearly 27,000 children aged 9-15 and 4,000 adults including teachers, secretaries, technical and security staff in 50 schools. 32% of children said that they had experienced violence from a teacher in the past three months, with 5% of children saying that they had experienced violence from teachers several times and even daily. 17% reported that a teacher had hit them or pulled their hair or ears at least once, 24% had experienced verbal aggression from a teacher, and 8% had been threatened by a teacher in the past three months.
(Plut, D. and Popadic, D., 2006, School Without Violence: towards the safe and enabling environment for children, Belgrade: UNICEF and Institute of Psychology at the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade)
Interviews with young offenders, carried out as part of a UNICEF assessment of the juvenile justice system, revealed that many had experienced physical punishment during custody in penal institutions.
(Conragan, C., 2002, Children in conflict with the law: Victims of the transition - An assessment of the juvenile justice systems in the Republics of Serbia and Montenegro, UNICEF)