OSLO, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Recent study showed that one in 20 children in Norway are experiencing severe physical violence at home, while one in five have been slapped and pinched in their upbringing, news agency NTB reported Tuesday.
The research was conducted by Norwegian Center for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies and a total of 9240 adolescents between 12 and 16 were interviewed in January and February this year.
According to the report, more than five percent of the interviewed adolescents have been subjected to sexual abuse by an adult, while most of the abuses take place outside their homes and in 25 percent of cases the abuser has been a parent.
In addition, one out of five have experienced repeated mental abuses from their parents.
Only one in five young people have received municipal assistance.
Above all, 56 percent of the children exposed to violence and 44 percent of those who were sexually abused have never shared their experience with anyone, NTB reported.
The study also showed that more severe forms of violence start in early childhood.
A close connection was detected between family finances, parents' difficulties with intoxication, mental illness, crime, and violence against children, researchers said.
"Finally, the enormous scope (of violence) has been documented," Runi Borresen, senior lecturer at the University of South-Eastern Norway, told public broadcaster NRK.
"This must be taken extremely seriously by schools and kindergartens," she said.
