NCJ Number
241188
Journal
Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 36 Issue: 7-8 Dated: July/August 2012 Pages: 602-607
Date Published
August 2012
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This study investigated the risk of violence to children sent to Quranic schools in Mauritania.
Abstract
Findings from the study include the following: the age of the child was a factor in the level of violence experienced by the child at the Quranic school, with violence decreasing as the children got older; the frequency of family visits to the school also decreased the level of violence experienced by the children with children whose family members visited more often being beaten less often by the school's master; the number of children attending the school was factor in the level of violence experienced by the children, with levels of violence increasing as attendance numbers increased; and the level of violence experienced by children decreased as parents paid higher sums of money to the school's master. This study investigated the risk of violence against children sent to Quranic schools in Mauritania. Data for the study were obtained from a sample of children (n=116, with only 1 child being female) who attended Quranic schools in Mauritania and were on average almost 13 years old. The children were surveyed regarding the levels of violence that they experienced at the hands of the schools' masters and the level of care and feeding that they received. The survey's findings were analyzed to determine which factors, if any, played a role in the level of violence experienced by the students. The findings suggest that three main factors increase the risk of violence for children at Quranic schools in Mauritania: the age of the children, the role of contacts with parents/family, and the number of children attending the school. Implications for policy and study limitations are discussed. Table and references