Secondary school teachers and the emotional abuse of children: a study of three secondary schools in Gaborone, Botswana

Teachers and other human service professionals have crucial roles to play in the provision of social programmes to support and protect children from violence and abuse. The objective of this study, therefore, was to find out the extent of the knowledge and understanding of emotional abuse held by teachers; their ability to identify children showing symptoms of such abuse, their personal feelings about, and experience with, emotional abuse and their awareness of support and other available services in the community. Thirty five teachers from three government community junior secondary schools participated. Overall, it was found that most teachers knew of emotional abuse and its aspects. However, about a third of them had no knowledge of emotional abuse or how to identify signs of abuse in children. It was also found that teachers do not consider their jobs entail providing support for abused children. From the data, it is evident that teacher training and in-service programmes must equip teachers with the skills to enable them contribute effectively to the prevention and management of emotional abuse of children. Journal of Social Development in Africa Vol 16 No 1 2001, pp. 13

Sub-Saharan Africa : community - driven social policies

In IDL-2364

Characteristics of Psychosocial Support Seeking During HIV-Related Treatment in Western Kenya

While the characteristics of those who seek psychosocial support following an HIV diagnosis have been well documented in western countries where linkages between HIV-related treatment and psychosocial support programs are well established, little is known about those who become engaged with such services in countries of the world where comprehensive HIV-related care and prevention systems are continuing to develop. Data were collected from 397 individuals who had enrolled in HIV-related psychosocial support groups in western Kenya in November 2005. Demographic and HIV-related characteristics, as well as assessments of psychological distress, were collected from each participant and analyzed by gender in order to document the characteristics of those seeking psychosocial care in conjunction with their participation in an HIV-related treatment and prevention program. Those seeking psychosocial support were primarily female (72%), living with HIV for an average of 2.5 years, and unemployed (70%). Women were younger and more likely to be either widowed or never married; while men were more likely to have advanced HIV disease, including lower CD4 counts and an AIDS diagnosis. Across all participants, HIV serostatus disclosure was rarely reported to sex partners, family members, and friends. Symptoms of psychological distress were more prevalent among women on multiple measures, including depression, anxiety, paranoid ideation, interpersonal sensitivity, and somatization. An increased understanding of the characteristics of those likely to seek psychosocial support groups will help HIV program managers to develop protocols necessary for facilitating linkages to psychosocial support for those enrolled in HIV-related treatment programs. Patient engagement in psychosocial support may facilitate improvements in psychological function and support an individual's maintenance of HIV treatment and prevention behaviors