Coping mechanisms and the protective role of relatives for children victims of parental violence

This research is crucial due to the escalating cases of violence against children, demanding prompt intervention to prevent further victimization. This study aims to reveal forms of violence experienced by children in urban families; survival mechanism employed by children to evade victimization in urban families; and the roles of relatives and the social milieu in urban areas in the effort to forestall and address violence against children in the family. This research constitutes a descriptive study focusing on the patterns of violence against children and endeavors to safeguard children’s rights within urban family environments. The study involved 500 respondents from urban families. Many parents still resort to threats, physical punishment, and other forms of violence to correct what they perceive as disobedient behavior in their children. In these societies, physical discipline is commonly used to quickly instill obedience in children. Notably, parents in these societies do not feel remorse for their actions, as they believe that such discipline benefits their children. The coping mechanism developed by some children to avoid being scolded and punished by their parents is they choose to lie to their parents to avoid receiving severe punishment and to evade the risk of experiencing hurtful treatment from their parents. Generally, relatives hesitate to intervene in cases of child abuse due to concerns about causing misunderstandings, regardless of the parents’ disciplinary methods. Therefore, among relatives, it is primarily the grandmother, as the closest and one of the oldest family members, who dares to intervene in preventing child abuse.