Citation

Korbin JE. Child Abuse Negl. 1980; 4(1): 3-13.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1980, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper explores what a cross-cultural perspective can add to our understanding of the context in which child abuse and neglect occur and to our abilities to deal with these problems in a culturally-appropriate fashion. In order to reconcile cultural variability with a means for defining and identifying child abuse and neglect across cultural boundaries, one must be cognizant of the viewpoint of members of the culture in question, the emic perspective, as well as an outside, or etic perspective. Three levels must be distinguished at which the cultural context comes into play in defining child abuse and neglect. The first encompasses childrearing practices that may be viewed as acceptable by one group but as unacceptable or even abusive and neglectful by another. The second level involves idiosyncratic departure from culturally acceptable standards. And the third level involves societal abuse and neglect of children. Finally, the paper discusses the implication of the cross-cultural evidence that Western cultures may be at risk for the occurrence of idiosyncratic child abuse and neglect.