Influence Of Parental Socio-economic Status On The Incidence Of Child Abuse And Neglect Among Primary School Pupils In Aguata Education Zone Of Anambra State.

 Child trafficking involves the movement of children  from place to place by force, coercion or deception into situations where they are economically or sexual exploited (Okpara, 2010).

Consequently, it will be difficult to discuss the issue of child abuse and neglect in Nigeria without a look at the socio-economic status which has great influence on the incidence of child abuse and Neglect. Socio-Economic Status (SES) is often measured as a combination of education, income and occupation, (Ezewu 1985). It is commonly conceptualized as the social standing or class of an individual or group, when viewed through a social class lens,  privilege; power and control are emphasized (Calhoun, Hemingway, and Poulter, 1998). Bradley and Corwyn (2002) defined socio-economic status (or socio-economic position) as a person’s position in a society using criteria such as income, level  of education, occupation, value of property owned and so on. Socio-economic status (SES) can be high, average or low. It is observed that people of low socio-economic status often engage in child abuse and neglect due to poverty, low income earnings, low educational background.

To this background, Chen and Patergon (2006) maintain that low socio- economic status and its correlates, such as lower education, poverty, and poor health ultimately affect Nigerian children. Research indicates that socio- economic status is the key factor that influences quality of life for children, youths and families. Socio-economic status affect human functioning in many ways including development across the life span, psychological health, physical health of a child which in turn brings about child abuse and neglect in our societies.

Poverty is defined in both absolute and relative terms. Absolute poverty refers to a state of lacking the most basic requirements of life. Relative poverty refers to lacking  the  resources  required to participate in the lifestyle and consumption patterns enjoyed by others in society. As such, poverty is a multidimensional concept that can include  maternal deprivation, exclusion from social networks and isolation from community life (NCRIC, 1995).

In the views of Ondersma (2002), poverty is a reliable predictor of child abuse and neglect. Among low-income families, those with family exposure to substance use to exhibit the highest rates of child abuse and neglect. Melki, Beydoun, Khogali, Tamim and Yenis (2004) stressed that low socio-economic status can be linked to domestic crowding, a condition which has negative consequences on children including higher psychological stress and poor health outcomes.

In addition, inequality refers to a condition in which separate  groups differ in terms of a defined variable. The defined variable can relate to socio- economic status (hence terms such as socio-economic inequality, economic inequality and income inequality). Evidence are abounds that children from low socio-economic status or impoverished settings are much more likely to be absent from school throughout their educational experiences (Khang, 2003). Chen and Paterson (2006) suggest that children from low socio-economic backgrounds are likely to have higher physiological markers of chronic stressful experiences, sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect.

However, Lynch and Kaplan (2000), indicated that general health and well-being of a child are mostly affected in a number of ways by individual socio-economic factors and environmental socio-economic factors at both the family and community levels. Individual socio-economic position than to absolute poverty, and are affected by social and structural variables; such as social attitudes toward disadvantaged people and the degree to which supports and services are available Being raised in a family characterized by low socio- economic status has been found to contribute negative outcomes during childhood like sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse and a host of others. In addition, Acheson (1999) indicates that living in a socio-economically disadvantaged community can contribute to child abuse and neglect or negative outcomes for child development.

Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Education according to Eke (2011) “is a vital instrument for social  and economic mobility and instrument for transformation of society, a weapon for acquiring skills, relevant knowledge and habit for surviving in the changing world”. It is important to note that the purpose of education is to guide human beings to achieve the basic life goals, multiply and act positively in  caring for the environment and contributing to the society. According to Okpala (2010),