Survey: Over 10% of Israeli adults abused as children

Over 40% subjected to corporal punishment during childhood.

By ILANA GOLDBERG, HILARY LEILA KRIEGER
kids playing 88 (photo credit: )
kids playing 88
(photo credit: )
Some 11 percent of all Israeli adults report having suffered from child abuse at the hands of their parents, according to a survey released Monday. The cases of "serious violence" included being punched, whipped, or hit with an object at least once in their lives. Furthermore, over 40% of the population was subjected to lesser physical punishment during childhood, ranging from a slap across the face to a spanking. Today, the vast majority of Israeli adults, 96%, argue that there is no justification for severe physical violence in parenting, however, the use of spankings and slaps on the wrist was supported by around 40% of the population. The study was presented as part of a conference on child welfare held at Ben-Gurion University in Beersheba Monday. The numbers were compiled by the Geocartography Institute. The survey found that 18-year-olds to 34-year-olds experienced much more violence than their parents. In addition, women endured less violence during childhood as compared to men, while children of immigrants experienced harsher violence than native Israelis. Around a third of Israelis didn't know that they were required by law to report instances of abuse. Of those that were aware but chose not to report cases of violence against children, the top reasons given were a desire not to get involved and a concern of being hurt. Another survey out of the Hebrew University compared child abuse between Jewish and Arab populations. It found that 66% of Arab Israeli adults reported using corporal punishment in comparison to 33% of Palestinians and 14% of Jewish Israelis. Younger mothers in all three groups were found to use more physical punishment, with 72% of Israeli Arabs doing so alongside 62% of Palestinians and 21.6% of Israeli Jews. The National Insurance Institute also provided statistics at the conference focusing on child allowances given to families by the state.