Understanding professional sensitivity to child violence: A cross-sectoral study on child welfare in Turkey

Abstract

Protecting children from Violence Against Children, a persistent global issue, requires interdisciplinary cooperation and coordinated action. This study aimed to examine whether the professional backgrounds and selected sociodemographic characteristics of individuals working in education, healthcare, security, and judicial sectors in Turkey influence their perceptions and responses to violence against children. This research was designed as a descriptive and cross-sectional study. The sample size was determined via G*Power analysis, with 280 participants included. Participants’ professions and sociodemographic features were treated as independent variables, and the Violence Sensitivity Toward Children Scale was utilized as the dependent variable. While all professionals acknowledged the severity of violence against children, their sensitivity levels varied significantly based on profession, legal knowledge, and personal exposure to violence. Healthcare and education professionals displayed higher sensitivity, whereas security personnel and judicial staff adopted more procedural approaches. Age, previous experience with violence, and familiarity with child protection laws were key determinants of higher sensitivity scores. Conducting research on professional sensitivity toward violence against children poses significant challenges due to the sensitive nature of the topic and potential biases in self-reporting. Despite these challenges, this study makes a substantial contribution by providing a cross-sectoral comparison of sensitivity levels and identifying key factors influencing professional attitudes. Findings revealed that while professionals across different sectors recognize the severity of child violence, their sensitivity varies according to legal awareness and personal experiences with violence.