Data Challenges

www.violencestudy.org

UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL’S STUDY ON VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN

The basics

Purpose

Indicators

Methods

Results

Purpose Descriptive – what is out there? Experimental – this one or that one? Evaluation – what works? Dissemination – Can it work everywhere?

For what? Advocacy The phenomenon itself Change Policy - services Participation

Indicators – of what?

Definitions first

Prevalence, incidence

Attitudes, beliefs, perceptions

Behaviours – risk and protective factors

Conditions, processes

…and measures…

« The way to decrease violence is to work togetherwith all our leaders in our village » Boy, 2005

Methods – how, who and when to collect?

Data sources – services, records, surveys… with whom?…

Qualitative and Quantitative

Particatory / controlled –face to face/anonymous

Snap shot/cross-sectional, time series, longitudinal…

« No violence against children is justifiable; all violence against children is preventable »

Data Challenges Definitions – terms, time frames, perceptions, actual events…

Hidden/invisible/unpopular phenomena - methodology

Data paradox – ‘no data is better than bad data’ or‘why should we believe it?’

Research to Policy bridge … research strategy describing but never changing change happens but we dont know why

Glass half empty – risk factors vs protective factors

Advocacy vs specificity – the value of ‘estimates’

Pure research vs social action – participatory approaches, time taken in ‘child years’ to tell the story or bring change, the cost of ethical approaches…

« I think child abuse happens a lot more than we think it does. Kids get beaten at home and are afraid to tell

anyone. It’s hard to stop something that happens behind closed doors » Child, North America