University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda.
School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2023 Jun 13;18(6):e0286788. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286788. eCollection 2023.
National data on children affected by violence are critical in preventing violence against children. Rwanda conducted its first cross-sectional national survey on violence against children in 2015. This study used data from the Rwanda Survey to describe the profile of children affected by emotional violence (EV) and to assess factors associated with it in Rwanda.
A sample of 1,110 children (618 boys and 492 girls) aged 13-17 from the Rwanda Survey was analysed. Weighted descriptive statistics were applied to describe the prevalence of EV and the profile of children affected by it. In addition, factors associated with EV were investigated using logistic regression.
Male children were more likely to experience EV than female children. Nine percent (8.87%, 95% CI [6.95-11.25]) of male children versus five percent (5.17%, 95% CI [3.79-7.03]) of female children reported having experienced EV in their lifetime. Seven percent (6.77%, 95% CI [5.15-8.84]) of male children versus four percent of female children (3.97%, 95% CI [2.83-5.54]) reported having experienced EV in the last twelve months before the survey. Fathers and mothers were the top two perpetrators of EV against children. Seventeen percent of male children (17.09%, 95% CI [11.06-25.47]) and 12 percent of female children (11.89%, 95% CI [6.97,19.55]) reported EV by their fathers. Mothers were responsible for nineteen percent (19.25%, 95% CI [12.94-27.65]) of EV reported by male children and eleven percent (10.78%, 95% CI [5.77-19.25]) of EV reported by female children. Female children (OR = 0.48, 95% CI [0.31-0.76]) and children with some trust in people from their communities (OR = 0.47, 95% CI [0.23-0.93]) were less likely to report EV. Factors associated with risk for EV were not attending school (OR = 1.80, 95% CI [1.10-2.92]), living with father only (OR = 2.96, 95% CI [1.21-7.85]), not feeling close to biological parents (OR = 7.18, 95% CI [2.12-24.37]), living in a larger household (OR = 1.81, 95% CI [1.03-3.19]), not having a friend (OR = 2.08, 95% CI [1.02-4.11]), and not feeling safe in the community (OR = 2.56, 95% CI [1.03-6.38]).
EV against children was pervasive in Rwanda, with parents topping the list of its perpetrators. Children from unsupportive socioeconomic family environments, i.e., children without a close relationship with biological parents, children not attending school, children living with their fathers only, children from larger households of five people and more, children without a friend, and children who reported not feeling safe in their communities, were identified as groups of children vulnerable to emotional violence in Rwanda. A family-centred approach, focusing on positive parenting and protecting vulnerable children, is needed to reduce emotional violence against children and the risk factors associated with it in Rwanda.
了解受暴力影响的儿童的国家数据对于预防儿童暴力至关重要。卢旺达于 2015 年进行了首次全国性儿童暴力横断面调查。本研究使用卢旺达调查的数据来描述受情绪暴力（EV）影响的儿童的概况，并评估卢旺达与情绪暴力相关的因素。
对来自卢旺达调查的 1110 名 13-17 岁的儿童（618 名男孩和 492 名女孩）进行了分析。应用加权描述性统计来描述 EV 的流行率和受其影响的儿童的概况。此外，还使用逻辑回归调查了与 EV 相关的因素。
男孩比女孩更有可能经历 EV。9%（8.87%，95%置信区间[6.95-11.25]）的男孩与 5%（5.17%，95%置信区间[3.79-7.03]）的女孩报告称在一生中经历过 EV。7%（6.77%，95%置信区间[5.15-8.84]）的男孩与 4%的女孩（3.97%，95%置信区间[2.83-5.54]）报告在调查前的过去 12 个月中经历过 EV。父亲和母亲是对儿童实施 EV 的前两名施害者。17%的男孩（17.09%，95%置信区间[11.06-25.47]）和 12%的女孩（11.89%，95%置信区间[6.97，19.55]）报告了父亲的 EV。母亲对 19%的男孩（19.25%，95%置信区间[12.94-27.65]）和 11%的女孩（10.78%，95%置信区间[5.77-19.25]）报告的 EV 负责。女孩（OR=0.48，95%置信区间[0.31-0.76]）和对社区中信任的人有一定信任的儿童（OR=0.47，95%置信区间[0.23-0.93]）不太可能报告 EV。与 EV 相关的风险因素包括不上学（OR=1.80，95%置信区间[1.10-2.92]）、仅与父亲同住（OR=2.96，95%置信区间[1.21-7.85]）、与亲生父母不亲近（OR=7.18，95%置信区间[2.12-24.37]）、居住在大家庭中（OR=1.81，95%置信区间[1.03-3.19]）、没有朋友（OR=2.08，95%置信区间[1.02-4.11]）和在社区中感到不安全（OR=2.56，95%置信区间[1.03-6.38]）。
EV 在卢旺达普遍存在，父母是其主要施害者。来自缺乏社会经济支持的家庭环境的儿童，即与亲生父母关系不密切的儿童、不上学的儿童、仅与父亲同住的儿童、来自五人以上大家庭的儿童、没有朋友的儿童以及报告在社区中感到不安全的儿童，被确定为卢旺达易受情绪暴力影响的儿童群体。卢旺达需要采取以家庭为中心的方法，重点关注积极的育儿方式和保护弱势儿童，以减少对儿童的情绪暴力和与情绪暴力相关的风险因素。
