We at The American School of Kuwait Reviews have begun work on a series of posts on the topic of child abuse. Our intentions are as follows:

1. Discuss child abuse in Kuwait in general
2. Discuss child abuse at the American School of Kuwait, in particular
3. Discuss solutions and ways in which every member of a school community can help.

Today we’re going to begin with a bit of a primer to help our readers understand the extent of the problem in Kuwait. In 2015, the American University of Kuwait (AUK) hosted a panel discussion on the topic of child abuse. This panel was hosted by AUK’s Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences as well as the American Business Council Kuwait (ABCK). The panel included:

• Dr. Tahira Khokhar, Family Doctor @ Fawzia Sultan Rehabilitation Institute
• Dr. James Rose, Chair of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences @ AUK
• Dr. Sulaiman Al-Khadhari, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry @ Kuwait University
• Dr. Nicholas Scull, Assistant Dean @ AUK

The panel discussed the signs and differences between neglect and abuse. A study conducted by Kuwait University in 2010 asked 2500 KU students about possible abuse that occurred before the age of 18, and reported the following findings:

• 53% reported having been abused physically
  • 9% of these cases required medical attention
• 16% reported emotional abuse
• 25% reported sexual abuse

For a full account of the panel discussion, click here. [Times Kuwait]

Please try to take the time to read this article. You can also view our first article on child protection. Check back soon for further information about the state of child protection at ASK.

Remember, if you need to report child abuse in Kuwait, you can call the government hotline:

Child Protection Hotline: Dial 147

You can read part 2 of this ongoing series by clicking here.

This post addresses the following parts of our mission statement and beliefs:

• Educate the ASK community about current events at the school.
• Encourage members of the ASK community to become more active in pushing the school to enact positive change in order to create and inspire a positive school environment for all members of the community.
• Successful students require a safe, supportive, and rigorous learning environment.
• Institutional transparency promotes positive engagement and fosters trust between the school and its stakeholders.