PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

The past few decades have witnessed an acceleration in international attempts to understand and combat child abuse. Although still in the early stages, Singapore is also slowly amassing a growing body of literature to aid understanding of child abuse and neglect in the Singapore context. However, a dearth of knowledge on how the public perceives child abuse and neglect is evident, and may prove to be an obstacle in attempts to engage the public in fighting abuse. To counter this, this study seeks to determine how Singaporeans perceive issues of child abuse and neglect, as well as to discover the extent to which the use of corporal punishment is used. Results of a survey conducted among 100 residents of 4 public housing estates and 2 private ones revealed variations in inter-ethnic perceptions of child abuse and neglect. The results also indicate a lack of awareness of the signs of abused children. This was further linked to an apparent unwillingness to report certain categories of maltreatment more than others. This study will show how ambivalence over the desirability of corporal punishment is linked to this reluctance to report certain forms of maltreatment, and will discuss how cultural factors, notions of power, and state support for the use of corporal punishment have contributed to this confusion.