The survey on child abuse in the UAE conducted by the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children reveals a complex interlocking of parental attitudes and discipline issues at school that lie at the base of this problem. An important piece of documentation, the results of the survey deserve a thorough evaluation to find solutions for the causative factors that lead children to experience verbal, emotional and psychological violence or abuse at home and in school. Conducted with 4,111 pupils, of which, 50.6 per cent were boys and the rest girls, the survey covered 36 private schools nationwide and revealed that 29.7 per cent of pupils admitted to being hit at home and 18.5 per cent to being hit in school, to give two examples. There are other forms of abuse the survey highlights — psychological discord between parents leading to violent parental behaviour, sibling aggression, corporal punishment, screaming, abusive language, humiliation, even sexual abuse. These are important areas to be tackled and while it is not feasible for the authorities to mend the problems in family situations, it is entirely possible for them to motivate schools to nurture a harmonious scholastic environment for their students.
Abuse in any form is a scourge of childhood that permanently damages a child’s ability to enjoy a wholesome adulthood. A strong, empathic and supportive school environment has the power to offset the abuse or neglect a child experiences at home (and vice versa). By ensuring the former becomes a constant, schools can indirectly minimise the damage done by the latter.
