The status of child abuse in Cyprus: Evidence or global implications?

Abstract

Child abuse permeates every walk of life and is shaped and perpetuated by the cultural context in which it is embedded. To help sketch out a profile for child abuse in Cyprus, the following areas are reviewed: (a) evidence on the impact of Greek culture on child abuse (b) social services available to child victims in Cyprus; and (c) international and local child protection policies. Subsequently, attention is placed on the three empirical studies performed to date on child abuse in Cyprus. It is concluded that the third study (Georgiades, 2008) is more in agreement with the second study (ACPTFV, 2004) in regards to severity and gender trends and less consistent with findings of the first study (UNCRD, 2000) by all accounts. There is no apparent reason detected for the evidentiary discrepancies. Moreover, the Cyprus social welfare department is found to vastly under-investigate the child abuse problem. Pertinent international policy, research, and practice implications are highlighted.

Note: this article replaces the article by the same author which, due to a mistake by the editor, has been published in International Journal of Child & Family Welfare, 10, 110-124.