Journal/Magazine Articles
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/13
This collection contains original research articles, review articles and case reports published in local and international peer reviewed journals by the staff members of the Faculty of Medicine
Browse
9 results
Search Results
Item Media portrayal of child abuse in Sri Lanka and the impact of two incidents of child abuse on media coverage(Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2016) Liyanage, N.; Rodrigo, A.BACKGROUND: Child maltreatment is increasingly being recognized as an important public health issue in` Sri Lanka. Most public knowledge in Sri Lanka on this issue, and direction for public policy, originate from mass media, which may sensationalise the issue. AIMS: This paper evaluates the themes and major discourses present in Sri Lankan print media on child abuse, and aims to determine if content, style and frequency of these news items have been affected by the tragic child abuse-murder incidents in 2015. METHODS: Articles on child abuse and their readers’ comments were manually selected from the websites of the two daily newspapers with highest readership in Sri Lanka during two 3-month periods, before and after the above mentioned incidents. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze the findings. RESULTS: The number of articles relating to child abuse increased significantly from 0.6% to 5% of the total articles reviewed in the two periods. The focus of the articles changed from merely reporting facts and highlighting the evil nature of child abuse perpetrators, to inefficiency of law enforcement authorities in finding and punishing perpetrators. Readership and online comments on these articles increased significantly in the post-incident period. Capital punishment for perpetrators was suggested by many readers in the post-incident period. CONCLUSION: The Sri Lankan public is very sensitive to news on child abuse with formation of firm, at times extreme, viewpoints on how to manage this issue. Thus responsible and accurate depiction of child abuse by the media is important.Item Post-traumatic stress in former Ugandan child soldiers(Lancet Publishing Group, 2004) Kuruppuarachchi, K.A.L.A.; Wijeratne, L.T.No Abstract Available.Item Pseudo-convulsions in a child subjected to abuse(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2003) Edirisinghe, A.; Samarasekera, A.No Abstract availableItem Conscription of children in armed conflict - a form of child abuse: a sudy of 19 former child soldiers(Wiley, 2001) de Silva, D.G.H.; Hobbs, C.J.; Hanks, H.Armed combat in childhood is a form of child abuse. It may lead to serious consequences, including post-traumatic stress disorder. The inherent emotional abuse and acts or omissions by caregivers may cause behavioural, cognitive, emotional or mental disorder in the child. Nineteen former child soldiers were interviewed in a rehabilitation centre using a standard questionnaire. Reasons for recruitment included: volunteered (18), hatred of enemy (revenge) (5), virtue of being a freedom fighter (martyrdom) (9), as a means of supporting their family (economic) (3). One child was abducted, 7 joined for fear of the ‘enemy’ abducting them, and in 5 a family member was killed by ‘enemy’ or own group. The children were involved in manual labour (15), guard duty (15), front-line fighting (7), bomb manufacture (5), setting sea/land mines (5) and radio and communication (2). Fifteen were trained in firearms and 14 in self-destruction. Twelve children attempted to or did run away and 11 refused to obey orders or argued. This led to various punishments, including kitchen duty, beatings, imprisonment, blackmail or death threats. A majority of the children felt sad and emotionally upset when they remembered their mother and family. Children's involvement in war, whatever the ‘justifications’ may be, should always be considered as forced, as they cannot truly comprehend their action in war. The responsibility must be taken by the adult caregivers. The following definition of the abuse of children in armed conflict is proposed: ‘The involvement of dependent, developmentally immature children and adolescents in armed conflict they do not truly comprehend, to which they are unable to give informed consent, and which adversely affects the child's right to unhindered growth and identity as a child’. Firm international agreement on guidelines for the lower age limit of recruitment of children into armed forces is required.Item Some reflections on child abuse in Sri Lanka(Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians, 2000) de Silva, D.G.H.Item Sexual abuse of illegally adopted children(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 1997) de Silva, D.G.H.; Jayawardane, P.P.; Rajindrajith, S.; Gunaratne, M.No Abstract AvailableItem Child abuse in Sri Lanka(Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians, 1997) de Silva, D.G.H.Item Child abuse:time for action(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 1996) Fernando, A.D.; de Silva, D.G.H.No Abstract AvailableItem Non-accidental injuries to children in Sri Lanka(Sage Publishing, 1988) Chandrasiri, N.; Lamabadusuriya, S.P.; de Silva, D.G.H.No abstract Available