An Exploratory Study on Child-Parent Abuse: Nature, Cause and Effect of Abusing Parents by Their Own Children in Gulele Subcity of Addis Ababa
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Date
2016-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Child-Parent abuse is a velY sensitive and complex issue like that of other types of
abuses in thefamity. Though, it has received very limited attention and recognitionfrom
researchers and concerned bodies. In Ethiopia there are no organized data which shows its
prevalence. Creating an mvareness of the problem is essential to provide an adequate help
for the victims or to follow up planed intervention methods. To feel this gap, a
phenomenological study was conducted based on the lived experience of 1 0 parents (6
mothers and 4 fathers) who are experiencing CPA in Gulele sub city of Addis Ababa. Data
were collected using an in-depth interview with this parents and the researcher's
observation; and it was analyzed simultaneously with interpretative analysis method. The
jinding of the study shows that some parents have suffered a great deal ji-om the various acts
of abuses by their own children. In general, it was identified that the abuses includes verbal,
physical, andjinancial and material exploitations. The verbal abuse includes, constant
insults, threatening to harm, humiliation and demeaning reactions. The jinancial and
lIlaterial exploitation or abuse consists of stealing money or parents' belongings, demanding
the parent to buy things knowing that they can 't afford and selling possessions of theirs or
their parents' and destroying the parents' belongings. And a serious incident fi'om choking
and slapping to the use of weapons resulting grave bodily injuries is included under the
physical abuse nature of CPA. Because of this parents are suffering stigmafrom their
neighbours and fro 111 the society, physical injuries, emotional and psychological problems. It
is found out that the abusive Childs' addiction (of alcohol, khat and substance abuse);
economic dependency or unemployment, past abusive experience of the parent and negative
peer injiuence are the major causes. The parents take reporting the abuse to the police as a
last measure after having to deal with it for a long time. All measures the parents took to
handle the situation are unsatisfactory to them; because they want ending the abuse not their
relationship with their child. Therefore the necessOlY allention and professional response is
indispensable.
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Keywords
Child-Parent abuse is a velY sensitive