This article investigates the effects of firstborn sex on intimate partner violence (IPV) in India, taking into account heterogeneity across state sex ratios and maternal education. In states with masculine sex ratios of first births, firstborn daughters are found to elevate the risk and severity of IPV. The effects of firstborn daughters on sexual IPV are particularly pronounced among uneducated women in these states. These findings suggest that amid son preference at low birth orders, the sex of firstborn children can contribute to violence against mothers, providing new insights into the household reproduction of gender discrimination and violence.
The escalating involvement of Indonesian children in violent extremism through digital platforms, encrypted messaging services, and online gaming ecosystems demands an integrated, cross-sectoral, and child-sensitive security governance approach. Mainstream counter-terrorism scholarship, largely shaped by Global North liberal paradigms, often misinterprets non-state actors' engagement as evidence of state fragility or institutional deficiency. Furthermore, existing research largely overlooks platform-level technical architectures and key psychosocial drivers, such as chronic peer victimization and extreme isolation. Addressing this critical theoretical and empirical gap, this study reconceptualizes hybrid security governance from a distinct Global South vantage point by dissecting the complex interplay among peer bullying, excessive screen time, algorithmic recommendation systems, and digital radicalization trajectories. Employing a qualitative post-positivist methodology, the investigation incorporates rigorous policy reviews, cyber-forensic evaluations, and structured focus group discussions conducted across three strategic regions: Jakarta, West Java, and Central Java. Key participants comprised relevant state apparatuses (Densus 88 AT, BNPT, BSSN, Komdigi, KPAI, and KemenPPPA) alongside vital non-state actors, including Islamic mass organizations, traditional boarding schools (pesantren), ethical hacker collectives, and local community leaders. The findings delineate a multi-stage radicalization pipeline wherein psychological trauma stemming from peer bullying induces compensatory screen dependency. Recommendation algorithms, gamified cyber-grooming tactics, and covert recruitment within private encrypted communication channels then exploit this vulnerability. In response, Indonesia demonstrates an indigenous Global South Hybrid Security Governance model with four core pillars: mobilizing relational authority, synchronizing formal-informal cyber coordination, family-centric psychosocial rehabilitation, and community-driven digital literacy initiatives rooted in religious moderation. Theoretically, this research contributes to contemporary cyber-criminology and critical security studies by challenging conventional, state-centric orthodoxies. Practically, the empirical insights offer actionable frameworks for policymakers aiming to formulate youth-oriented prevention strategies that safeguard vulnerable minors while advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).
Machya Astuti Dewi, Herlina Jayadianti, Melaty Anggraini et al.
In the Rakhine State of Myanmar are the Rohingyas. A group of people who have been systemically discriminated against for centuries. The systemic discrimination binds them in conformity to stringent rules and conditions while exposing them to seemingly perpetual servitude. Sadly, everything about their survival, livelihood, and well-being are temporary, be it religious, social, political, economic, security or health. Based on the documentary and literature review, the article argues that the understanding of soft violence can shape policies that aim to safeguard the life of Rohingya children since this has received little attention. Of course, limited studies have employed soft violence to explain systemic violence against Rohingya children. Soft violence suggests clandestinely instituting non-physical barriers to children's psychological, ecological, physical, political, and economic development and safety. The paper recommends Rohingya identity reconstruction through community sensitisation to see Rohingya children as humans, not objects of humiliation and discrimination. Further, reconciliation and mediation teams to lower the curtain of tension and hatred between majority Buddhists and the minority Muslims. Finally, the constitutional redefinition of Rohingyas to merit entitlement and rights in Myanmar is needed.
Objective: The present study was conducted to explain the dynamics of military families and the factors influencing childbearing within the context of Iranian society. Methods and Materials: This study was conducted using a qualitative approach based on grounded theory, employing the Strauss and Corbin paradigmatic model. The participants were selected from military families residing in Tehran, Iran. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews using purposive sampling with 18 members of military families. The data were analyzed in three stages of coding (open, axial, and selective) and categorized into main themes. Findings: Analysis of the participants’ interviews led to the identification of 13 selective categories, 38 axial categories, and 156 subcategories. Childbearing among military families is influenced by numerous inhibiting and encouraging factors, including economic costs, family support networks, generational continuity and national authority, commitment to the leadership discourse system, faith-based action, parents’ psychological capacity, parenting experience, organizational and occupational structure, coherence of population policies, transformation of contemporary lifestyles, and institutionalization of structural support. Conclusion: The findings of the study can assist policymakers and social planners in shifting their focus from general factors toward key and realistic components involved in the childbearing decision-making process and in designing supportive policies aimed at increasing family satisfaction and enhancing parents’ inclination and motivation toward childbearing.
Violence against children (VAC) is a pervasive public health concern with profound and lasting consequences for physical, mental, and social well-being. While prior research has linked economic stressors such as unemployment to child maltreatment, less is known about the association between broader measures of economic development and VAC, particularly in lowand middle-income countries. This study examines the association between state-level GDP per capita and crimes against children across Indian states over time, incorporating police per capita as a secondary indicator of institutional capacity. Using longitudinal administrative crime data from, results of a linear regression with panel correction standard errors, indicate a nonlinear relationship between GDP per capita and crimes against children. Additionally, there is a significant association between policing capacity and reported crimes. By distinguishing between economic development and state capacity, this study contributes new longitudinal evidence from a large LMIC context and underscores the need for caution in interpreting official crime data when designing child protection policy.
Cases of sexual violence against children increase every year in Indonesia. Based on data from the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (Kempppa), the total number of children who were victims of sexual violence from 2019 to 2021 increased. From 2019 to 2020, cases of sexual violence against children increased to 6,980 cases, then from 2020 to 2021 there was another increase to 8,730 cases. This study aims to determine and analyze the imposition of prison sentences for perpetrators of sexual intercourse with children in Indonesia; about chemical castration for perpetrators of sexual violence against children in Indonesia; about children as victims of sexual violence against children. The research method used is normative juridical which is sourced from secondary data, the material legal analysis is qualitative. The results of the study found that the imposition of prison sentences for perpetrators of sexual intercourse with children is threatened with a minimum prison sentence of 5 (five) years to the death penalty (in certain cases), as well as how many additional chemical castration sentences meet the requirements as decisions that cannot be accepted by human reason. Sexual violence against children is a criminal act regulated in several Constitutions and other laws in Indonesia. The punishment of chemical castration is a decision that has become positive law, but several parties consider it inhumane, including the statement of Komnas HAM.
In Indonesia, cases of sexual violence have increased every year, the victims are not only adults but now have spread to teenagers, children and even toddlers. The purpose of this research focuses on identifying and analysing the obstacles faced by investigators and the efforts made by investigators in revealing cases of sexual violence against children. This research uses empirical methods through interview data and field observations, then conceptually analysed to find obstacles and efforts of investigators in overcoming cases of sexual violence in children. The results of the study found that the main obstacle for investigators in uncovering criminal acts of sexual violence against children is the lack of information from children who experience sexual violence due to trauma. The absence of a psychologist in the investigating team, difficulties in bringing in a psychologist when a case of child abuse occurs. Efforts made by Kebumen Police investigators are to call a psychologist when there is a case of sexual violence against a child. Efforts to provide assistance by psychologists, and traumatic recovery for children who experience sexual violence. It is hoped that the Kebumen police will have a field of psychology experts who specialise in handling child sexual abuse crimes in Kebumen.
Child or early marriage, primarily due to cultural factors, continues as a tradition and seems to be a growing phenomenon in Jordan. This research explores the lived experience of early marriage from the perspective of adolescent girls and young women. A qualitative research design and in-depth face-to-face interviews in the Arabic language were conducted with 36 female subjects, married before the age of 18 and all newlyweds, married for less than 3 years. Six major themes emerged from the interviews to describe the experience of the participants: “Feeling remorse about getting married early”; “Loss of authority and feeling powerless”; “Reasons behind early marriage”; “Feeling pressure to have the first baby”; “Early marriage and pregnancy health consequences”; and “The positive aspects of an early marriage.” The lived experience revealed in this study confirm the overall negative effect of girls entering marriage at a young age, Early marriage is a violation of human rights, and robs girls of their childhood, education, work, and other life choices, in addition to the reported adverse psychological and physical effects.
Background: Secondary education and delayed marriage provide long-term socio-economic and health benefits to adolescent girls. We tested whether a multi-level, structural and norms-based intervention could reduce secondary school drop-out and child marriage among rural, marginalised adolescent girls in southern India. Methods: 80 of 121 village clusters in Vijayapura and Bagalkote districts, Karnataka State, were randomly selected (40 intervention; 40 control). Scheduled-caste/scheduled-tribe girls aged 12-13 years in the final year of primary school were enrolled into the study. The primary trial outcomes were the proportion of girls who (i) completed secondary school and (ii) were married, by trial end-line (15-16 years). <br>Findings: 92.6% (2257/2457) of girls at baseline and 72.8% (1788/2457) at end-line were interviewed. At end-line, a quarter had not completed secondary school (control=24.9%/intervention=25.4%), and 10% were married (control=9.6%/intervention=10.1%). These were lower than expected, with no difference between arms. There was no difference in other schooling or sexual and reproductive outcomes by trial arm. Stratified by district, there were small but significant increases in secondary school completion (control=73%; intervention=77%) among girls in Vijayapura. <br>Interpretation: Low school drop-out and marriage rates reflect large secular changes and government programming during our trial. This makes it difficult to assess the value of the intervention overall or the value of this approach in settings where school dropout and child marriage are persistently high. Further research is needed to explore interventions for the substantial minority of girls who remain at risk of marriage and school drop-out in this setting. <br>Funding Statement: Project Samata was funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) as part of STRIVE, a 6-year programme of research and action devoted to tackling the structural drivers of HIV and ViiV Healthcare. <br>Declaration of Interests: The authors confirm no conflicting interests. <br>Ethics Approval Statement: This work complies with the Principles of the Ethical Practice of Public Health code. The study was approved by ethics committees at St John’s Medical College, Bangalore (Ref 111/2013), LSHTM (Ref 7083), and the University of Manitoba (Ref H2014:414).
Ravi Prakash, Tara S. Beattie, Prakash Javalkar et al.
ABSTRACT Early marriages occur in Indonesia and this still contributes to maternal and childmortality. Therefore, research is needed to find out the reasons why the incidenceof early marriage can occur. This research was conducted in four sub-districts inSurabaya, East Java, Indonesia, by taking respondents based on the technique ofsnowball sampling. After the interview, several factors had apparently contributedto this early marriage, among others, culture, economic level, level of education,and level of knowledge on marriage. This of course requires a program to increasethe age of first marriage by a woman called maturing marriage age. It is hoped thatthe contributing factors to early marriage will not be repeated in the future whenthe perpetrators of the early marriage are given an explanation of the importanceof delaying the age of marriage to adulthood.
