Prevalence of Intrafamilial Child Maltreatment in the Nordic countries: A Review

Prevalence of Intrafamilial Child Maltreatment in the Nordic countries: A Review

Alcohol and Drug Research Western Norway / Bailleur de fonds, Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Uni Health / Bailleur de fonds

There are differences in the prevalence rates of child maltreatment between countries, as well as variation in how these rates change over time. This review examined the prevalence of different forms of intrafamilial child maltreatment in the Nordic countries and possible changes in the prevalence rates over the past two decades. We conducted a systematic search of the databases PsycInfo, ISI Web of Science and PubMed and of self‐report studies investigating the prevalence of one or several forms of child maltreatment in non‐clinical samples published from 1990 to the present. In addition, we searched for unpublished reports. A total of 24 Nordic studies were included. The findings suggest a prevalence of child sexual abuse by a parent in the range of 0.2–1.2 per cent, a prevalence of severe physical abuse in the range of three to nine per cent and a prevalence of witnessing domestic violence in the range of seven to 12, 5 per cent in the Nordic countries. Markedly more girls than boys were exposed to sexual abuse. The results indicate a decline in the prevalence of sexual abuse by a relative and of parental physical abuse over the past 20 years, but no corresponding changes in the prevalence of witnessing domestic violence. There is a lack of studies on the prevalence of neglect and emotional maltreatment.

[Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.]

Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health, Law