Children as young as 12 months old around the world are experiencing violence in their homes by those entrusted to take care of them, reveals a new UNICEF report released on 1 November.

The latest data in A Fimiliar Face: Violence in the lives of children and adolescents report shows children are experiencing violence across all stages of childhood and in homes, schools and the community.

UNICEF Associate Director Child Protection in New York, Cornelius Williams, said the harm inflicted on children around the world is truly worrying.

“Babies slapped in the face; girls and boys forced into sexual acts; adolescents murdered in their communities – violence against children spares no one and knows no boundaries.”

Six out of every 10 one year olds in 30 countries are subjected to violent discipline on a regular basis and nearly a quarter are physically shaken as punishment. One in 10 are hit or slapped on the face, head or ears.

Three quarters, or around 300 million of the world’s 2 to 4-year-old children, experience psychological aggression and / or physical punishment by their caregivers at home.

In addition, one in 4 children under the age of five worldwide live with their mother who is a victim of intimate partner violence.

Children aged 4 to 14 years old worldwide also experience sexual violence.

Around 15 million adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 have experienced forced sexual intercourse or other forced sexual acts and in 28 countries, 9 out of 10 adolescent girls who experienced forced sex knew the perpetrator.

However only one in 100 adolescent girls seek professional help after experiencing sexual violence.

Violence in schools worldwide data shows 732 million, half the population of school aged children live in countries where corporal punishment at school is not prohibited.

Children in the Pacific

In the Pacific, data reveals a high level of violence against children.

In Vanuatu, 50% of caregivers think physical punishment is necessary to raise or educate children. In Kiribati, 8 out of every 10 children, and in Fiji 7 out of 10, aged 2 to 14 years old, experience violent discipline at home.

More than 8 in 10 children between 2 to 4 years old in Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands experience violent discipline at home, while more than one in 3 children in Vanuatu (the third highest rate in the world) and one in 4 in the Solomon Islands the same age experience severe physical punishment.

Data shows that sexual violence in the Pacific reveal children under 15 are sexually abused affecting around 4 out of 10 children in the Solomon Islands and 3 out of 10 in Nauru and Vanuatu.

Violence in schools in the Pacific is also high although 10 out of 14 countries and territories prohibit corporal punishment in schools. This however, is not fully enforced because of a lack of training in positive discipline methods and reporting and response mechanisms.

Peer bullying in schools data show 7 out of 10 students experience it in Samoa and Solomon Islands whereas one out of two students experience it in Vanuatu.

UNICEF Pacific Representative, Sheldon Yett, said children need special protection not only because this is their right, but because they are among the most vulnerable members of our society.

“This report reminds us that children are still experiencing high levels of violence in the Pacific region. This must stop and we will continue to work with governments and civil society to address this issue.”

UNICEF helps Pacific countries and territories strengthen their laws and policies on violence against children. Eight countries and territories have now established Child Protection law, policy or bill, and seven countries and territories have established child protection interagency mechanisms.