An investigation in to the pattern of child abuse in Bauchi State, Nigerian

Abstract

The main aim of this study is to investigate the patterns of child abuse in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State. 279 respondents whose ages ranged between 12 to 24 years old participated in the study. The respondents were selected through stratified and simple random sampling techniques from their respective schools. Self-administered questionnaire was employed by the researchers as an instrument of data collection. The findings revealed that the children in Toro Local Government Area suffered serious political and physical abuse some of which include punishing children with hunger, using sticks and belts on children, burnings and cutting of children body, children working for many hours in farm, children engaging in risky business like mining, charcoal burns and street hawking. The study recommends that the Bauchi State Ministry of Education in collaboration with the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) should adopt the Child Abuse Preventive Measures for inclusion and implementation in the secondary schools across the state. This can be achieved through organizing of workshops to train principals, health and physical educators. Also, through synergy among the Bauchi State Ministries of Education, Youth and Sports, Information, Culture and Tourism and Higher Education in lending logistic and manpower support to the secondary schools in the implementation of the Child Abuse Preventive measures in schools.