Child abuse & protectionChild abuse & protection

Child abuse & protection

Definition

Children have a right to be free from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation.

Monitoring violence is necessary for informing effective policies and programmes for response and prevention. In practice, different types of violence often overlap. Sexual abuse may be accompanied by physical violence, while most forms of violence involve some emotional or psychological harm. As children grow up, the sorts of violence they are exposed to change and may vary by gender.
 

For more information on the nature and extent of violence, and coverage of relevant services, visit our Monitoring and Mapping project website.

The Monitoring and Mapping project draws from a range of data sources, including crime data from South African Police Service (SAPS), other forms of administrative data, and household surveys. More information is available on the project website.