Child abuse in India: an empirical report on perceptions

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Psychology
• Cross-cultural Studies

Background:

• Limited empirical evidence exists on child abuse in India.
• General lack of sensitivity may contribute to inadequate attention to child abuse.
• Existing literature provides a foundational understanding but lacks depth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess perceptions of child abuse among Indian nationals.
• To compare perceptions across different professional groups within India.
• To conduct cross-cultural comparisons with a U.S. study on child abuse perceptions.

Main Methods:

• Survey-based assessment of child abuse perceptions.
• Comparison of responses between social workers, human service professionals, and non-professionals.
• Cross-cultural analysis with data from a similar study conducted in the United States.

Main Results:

• Negligible variation in perceived severity of abuse forms among Indian participants across professional groups.
• Identified differences in perceptions when comparing Indian nationals with U.S. counterparts.
• Findings suggest a nuanced understanding of child abuse is developing in India.

Conclusions:

• Professional background had minimal impact on child abuse perception severity within India.
• Cross-cultural differences in child abuse perception warrant further investigation.
• The study underscores the importance of cultural context in understanding and addressing child abuse.