Recognising domestic violence against children by the competent police officers

Abstract

The paper presents risk indicators for domestic violence against children, concerning both parents and children, as well as an analysis of data obtained from a sample of 46 competent police officers in Vojvodina with the aim of identifying these indicators. Eighty percent of respondents considered unfavourable parental behaviour to be the most frequent parental risk indicator for the occurrence of violence against children. Externalized behavioural problems in children were seen by 48% of respondents as a risk indicator in children that always appears and points to violence. The least common, or rarely occurring indicator, is the sexualized behaviour of the child (according to 63% of respondents), which is justified considering that sexual abuse of a child is also assessed as the rarest form of violence against children. About half of the respondents identified excessive reactions from the child when they make a mistake or are pointed out for a mistake as the most common indicator of psychological violence in child victims. Although the data analysis did not show statistically significant differences in the results concerning the possession of a certificate for working with minors, 61% of respondents believed that competent police officers should also possess this certificate. Since the respondents highlighted this need as the greatest systemic hindrance in the work of child protection, and since about half of the officers (22) in this sample did not possess this certificate, the authors emphasize the opinion that competent police officers, as well as other police officers, should be specially trained for working with minors.

Keywords

• domestic violence against children
• competent police officer
• indicators of violence
• consequences of violence against children