SIXTY-EIGHT per cent of children between the age of 1-14 years were called ‘dumb’ or ‘lazy” in the past month, the Fiji Bureau of Statistics Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS Plus 2024-2025) survey has found.
The survey found 80 per cent of children age between the age of 1-14 years experienced a violent discipline method in the past month.
Violent discipline is defined by any physical punishment.
Survey results released yesterday show 68 per cent children age between the age of 1-14 faced a psychological aggression in the past month. Psychological aggression is defined as shouting, yelling or screaming at a child, as well as calling a child offensive names such as ‘dumb’ or ‘lazy.
20 per cent children age between the age of 1-14 years experienced severe physical punishment and 39 per cent other types of physical punishment. This included hitting or slapping a child on the face, head or ears, and hitting or beating a child hard and repeatedly. Physical punishment is defined as shaking, hitting or slapping a child on the hand, arm, leg.
More children in rural areas face violent discipline methods compared with rural areas. 84 per cent of children aged 1-14 years in urban areas experienced a violent form of discipline in the past month compared with 76 per cent in urban Fiji.
At least 89 per cent of iTaukei children in rural areas faced violent discipline method compared with 44 per cent Indo Fijian and 89 per cent of the poorest children in rural areas faced violent discipline methods compared with 61 per cent from rich families.
