1. EXPERIENCE OF VIOLENCE AMONG SCHOOLCHILDREN IN LEBANON
Salim M. Adib, MD, DrPH Department of Public Health Faculty of Medicine Saint-Joseph University

2. RATIONALE
Boys and girls in experience all types of violence in homes, schools, street, at levels not yet measured in Lebanon
Physical punishment as well as all forms of verbal and emotional violence may still be common.
World Vision has commissioned this first nation-wide survey to assess the magnitude of violence experienced by children in schools.
SM Adib

3. OBJECTIVES
To measure the experience of violence experienced by children in schools
To assess differences by gender, age, socio-economic status, educational background, school location and school system.
SM Adib

4. METHODS
A national sample survey targeted schoolchildren in the complementary and secondary school cycles
Ages ranging between 10 and 18 years old: estimated 860,000 children, of whom >95% ever scolarized
Inflated sample of 1200 children planned to compensate for the non-random convenience sampling approach.
SM Adib

5. METHODS
Participants to be recruited through a network of affiliated NGOs, from all six mohafazats in quotas proportionate to their representation in the student population
Within each mohafazat, numbers were obtained also proportionately in age-groups but in parity for sexes
SM Adib

6. RESULTS (N= 1177) 98% of targeted sample obtained Mean age 14-15 years
Public schools: 54%
Middle to low SE status: 67%
Siblings: mean 2-3 children

7. PHYSICAL VIOLENCE
Getting slapped in the face or head as punishment
Having ears twisted as punishment
Being pulled by the hair as punishment
Getting hit with a ruler
Getting kicked
Being forced to stand /kneel in a way that hurts
Being forced to stay outside in the cold or heat
Being tied up with a rope or belt

8. OVERALL SELF-REPORTED EXPERIENCE WITH PHYSICAL VIOLENCE AT SCHOOL (N= 1177)
VARIABLES
LIFETIME EXPERIENCE
Never
Often n
278 83
REGIONS (%, 95%CI)
Greater Beirut (n= 319)
Mount-Lebanon (n= 205)
North-Lebanon (n= 245)
South-Lebanon (n= 254)
Bekaa (n= 154)
25.1 (20.3 ; 29.9)
27.8 (21.7 ; 33.9)
22.9 (17.7 ; 28.1)
25.6 (20.1 ; 31.1)
13.0 (7.7 ; 18.3)
5.0 (2.6 ; 7.3)
3.4 (0.9 ; 5.9)
4.9 (2.2 ; 7.6)
13.0 (8.8 ; 17.2)
9.7 (8.0 ; 14.3)
TOTAL weighted
23.7
(21.3 ; 26.1)
6.9
(5.4 ; 8.3)

9. South Lebanon> Bekaa > autres regions More siblings
MULTIVARIATE DETERMINANTS OF SELF-REPORTED EXPERIENCE WITH PHYSICAL VIOLENCE
Boys > Girls
Public > Private
South Lebanon> Bekaa > autres regions
More siblings
Lower parental education levels
SM Adib

10. Acting-out to attract attention?
OVERALL SELF-REPORTED EXPERIENCE WITH PHYSICAL VIOLENCE AT SCHOOL (N= 1177)
Why are children from bigger families with lower educational background more likely to report higher physical violence?
Acting-out to attract attention?
Vulnerable in the eyes of peers and teachers?
SM Adib

11. Older children report less physical abuse  recency/recall bias
OVERALL SELF-REPORTED EXPERIENCE WITH PHYSICAL VIOLENCE AT SCHOOL (N= 1177)
Older children report less physical abuse  recency/recall bias
There is a tendency to minimize the experience: 54% initially declared never having been hurt or suffered, although only 23% never experienced specific aspects of abuse

12. OVERALL SELF-REPORTED EXPERIENCE WITH PHYSICAL VIOLENCE AT SCHOOL (N= 1177)
May be physical violence at school is frequent but not serious or traumatic enough to be remembered
SM Adib

13. MENTAL/EMOTIONAL VIOLENCE
Deliberately insulted you?
Shouted to embarrass or humiliate you?
Called you rude or hurtful names?
Purposely made you feel stupid or foolish?
Embarrassed you because you were poor or unable to buy things?
Threatened you with bad marks that you didn’t deserve?

14. OVERALL SELF-REPORTED EXPERIENCE WITH VERBAL/EMOTIONAL VIOLENCE AT SCHOOL (N= 1177)
VARIABLES
LIFETIME EXPERIENCE
Never
Often n
221
234
REGIONS
Greater Beirut
Mount-Lebanon
North-Lebanon
South-Lebanon
Bekaa
16.0 (12.0 ; 20.0)
22.0 (16.3 ; 27.7)
21.2 (16.1 ; 26.2)
21.3 (16.2 ; 26.2)
12.3 (7.1 ; 17.5)
21.9 (17.4 ; 26.4)
19.5 (14.0 ; 24.9)
15.9 (11.4 ; 20.4)
22.8 (17.5 ; 28.0)
17.5 (11.5 ; 23.5)
TOTAL weighted
18.6 (16.4 ; 20.8)
19.9 (17.6 ; 22.2)

15. SELF-REPORTED EXPERIENCE WITH VERBAL/EMOTIONAL VIOLENCE AT SCHOOL
Verbal/emotional violence more frequent and intense than physical abuse, more often caused by peers than teachers.
No clear regional or social differences: pervasive experience across all strata and regions
The age, sex and public school effects persist
SM Adib

16. SELF-REPORTED EXPERIENCE WITH VERBAL/EMOTIONAL VIOLENCE AT SCHOOL
Findings confirm that we are more a verbally abusive than a physically abusive culture
Also arguable: majority knows that hitting is forbidden as school, thinks that it is not a legitimate punishment tool, and knows it can complain to the administrator: deterrence effect?
SM Adib

17. CONCLUSIONS
Physical violence, especially with younger socially vulnerable children in public schools has been the experience of >3/4 of children
Focus attention on public school teachers in regions with higher rates to decrease levels of physical abuse
SM Adib

18. CONCLUSIONS
Pervasive emotional abuse among peers is a societal problem across regions and social strata
Efforts to decrease our national tolerance to verbal abuse and to modify norms of public discourse as early as childhood
SM Adib

19. THANKS