Mobilizing agencies for incidence surveys on child maltreatment: successful participation in Switzerland and lessons learned

[Experiences of sexualised violence in adolescence: results of a representative survey]

BACKGROUND

The Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) has generated data on the prevalence of sexualised violence in adolescence through its representative survey on youth sexuality since 1998. Since then, the survey has been refined and thus contributes to bridging existing gaps in prevalence research.

AIM

Based on the ninth survey iteration of the youth sexuality study prevalence rates of direct (hands-on) and indirect (hands-off) sexualized violence in adolescence, data on offenders and disclosure of young people after victimization are depicted.

METHODS

Computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) was conducted in a sample (N = 6032) of adolescents (14-17 years) and young adults (18-25 years). Items on the lifetime prevalence of indirect (hands-off) sexualised violence were included in the questionnaire for the recent wave of the representative survey. This article offers the first descriptive survey results.

RESULTS

Adolescents and young adults experience sexualised violence predominantly within their own peer group. Additionally, peers play a significant role in responding to disclosure of sexualised violence.

DISCUSSION

The findings support results of other population surveys regarding differences between experiences of sexualised violence in childhood and adolescence. The survey is aimed to contribute to continuous monitoring, providing regular datasets on sexualised violence in adolescence. The study aims to induce evidence-based, target-group-specific prevention measures.

Child maltreatment data: A summary of progress, prospects and challenges

BACKGROUND

In 1996, the ISPCAN Working Group on Child Maltreatment Data (ISPCAN-WGCMD) was established to provide an international forum in which individuals, who deal with child maltreatment data in their respective professional roles, can share concerns and solutions.

OBJECTIVE

This commentary describes some of the key features and the status of child maltreatment related data collection addressed by the ISPCAN-WGCMD.

METHODS

Different types of data collection methods including self-report, sentinel, and administrative data designs are described as well as how they address different needs for information to help understand child maltreatment and systems of prevention and intervention.

RESULTS

While still lacking in many parts of the world, access to child maltreatment data has become much more widespread, and in many places a very sophisticated undertaking.

CONCLUSION

The ISPCAN-WGCMD has been an important forum for supporting the continued development and improvement in the global effort to understand and combat child maltreatment thus contributing to the long term goals of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Nevertheless, based on what has been learned, even greater efforts are required to improve data in order to effectively combat child maltreatment.

Multi-sectoral response to child maltreatment in Switzerland for different age groups: Varying rates of reported incidents and gaps in identification

BACKGROUND

As many countries lack (multi-sectoral) data on the epidemiology of agency responses to child maltreatment, they do not know if children in different regions of the country have equal chances to receive help and protection. The Optimus Study, the first nationally representative Swiss study on multi-sectoral responses to child maltreatment, examines gaps in identifying children in need and reveals opportunities for improved support and protection.

METHODS

A stratified sample of 351 agencies (participation rate 81 %) in the social and health sector, public child protection, and the penal sector provided data on new cases between September 1 and November 30, 2016. The resulting study data on 7651 cases included information on the maltreatment incident, specifics of the report/referral, and child characteristics. The weighting procedure to produce national estimates was based on inverse sampling probabilities and inverse response rates.

RESULTS

In the 3-month period, an estimated 10,335 cases were referred/reported to agencies in multiple sectors of the child protection system in Switzerland. This corresponded to 66 cases per 10,000 children. Rates were highest for adolescents (aged 13+), with 69 cases per 10,000 children. Lower rates for school-aged children coincided with a relatively low percentage of reports/referrals from the schools (8 %). Regional variance was extensive, with rates more than quadrupling from a low of 26 cases to a high of 107 cases per 10,000 children. Types of child maltreatment handled by agencies in the different sectors varied. Gender distribution was lopsided for sexual abuse, with many more girls experiencing incidents of sexual abuse, and unequal for incidents of neglect and psychological maltreatment.

CONCLUSIONS

There are gaps in the identification of maltreated preschoolers. Promoting health checkups for this age group is a potential solution. However, school-aged children up to age 11 are underreported as well, as the schools contribute only marginally to child maltreatment reporting. The findings of the study are being used to initiate the implementation of continuous and multi-sectoral child maltreatment surveillance in Switzerland.