OPINIONS OF PARENTS IN IMO STATE TOWARD CIDLD , ABUSE PRACTICES

Abstract

This study investigated opinions of parents in selected Local Government Areas, in lmo State toward child abuse practices. The cross-sectional survey design was adopted for the study. The sample for the study comprised 789 adult parents randomly drawn from three Local Government Areas. The sample consisted of 363 male and 426 female parents. A self structured and validated 4-point scale questionnaire was used to elicit data. The reliability index of the questionnaire resulting from Crombach alpha computation was O.65.Mean scores were computed for collected data. T-test and ANOVA statistical formulae were employed for the analysis of hypotheses. The findings revealed that majority of the respondents exhibited positive opinion toward all the types of child abuse practices studied. The findings also revealed that high proportion of parents strongly agreed that many children were victims of multiple abuses. The opinons of parents on child abuse practices did not vary by gender and age cohorts. It was therefore concluded that parents in Imo State do not protect the rights of children as provided by the Child Rights and Welfarw Acts. it was therefore recommended that children's rights Ombus-people or children's commissioners should be appointed by the government. their official duty should be to represent the interest of children and investigate as well as address all forms of reports regarding child abuse pratices in imo state.