Overview of Child Violence in the Family in Padang Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract Background: Violence against children within the family context is a global issue that has serious implications for children’s well-being. In Indonesia, like the tip of an iceberg, this violence is often underreported. However, this issue is prevalent in many countries worldwide. It is estimated that up to 1 billion children aged 2–17 years experienced physical, sexual, and emotional violence in the past year. Most of this violence occurs within the family, and this trend is also apparent in Indonesia. Objectives: This research aims to describe the types, forms, and perpetrators of violence against children in Padang, Indonesia. Materials and Methods: This study utilizes a descriptive design with a population of elementary school-age children in Padang City. The population consists of 16,747 individuals, with a margin of error of 3%. The sample size was determined using the Slovin formula, resulting in a sample of approximately 1000 individuals. Data were collected from October to December 2022 through two types of questionnaires, one describing respondent demographics and the other containing questions about the forms of violence perpetrated by parents. Data collection was facilitated by enumerators from elementary school teachers who had undergone training. Results: The study involved 1200 participants, with 1000 providing complete data. The results showed that 95.1% of children had experienced violence within the family, including physical violence (94.60%), psychological violence (95.10%), sexual violence (22.10%), and social violence (31.60%). Mothers were the most common perpetrators (80%), followed by fathers (61.3%), grandfathers (14.8%), brothers (35.4%), and uncles (13.1%). Conclusion: This research underscores the alarming prevalence of violence against children within the family context in Padang. Addressing and preventing violence against children should be a priority to protect their rights and create a safe environment for their development.