Professor Pinheiro has stated his intention to adopt a definition of violence for the purposes of the study by the end of May, and then not to revisit the issue. Below are some possible definitions/frames of reference.
Committee on the Rights of the Child recommendation for the study on violence against children:
“Violence should include all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, including sexual abuse, bullying in schools and corporal punishment.”
Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 19:
“States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child.”
World Health Organization, World Report on Violence and Health:
“The intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation.”
1999 WHO consultation on child abuse prevention:
“Child abuse or maltreatment constitutes all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power.”
Commission on Children and Violence, UK:
”Violence is behaviour by people against people liable to cause physical or psychological harm.”
