Juvenile Delinquents: Navigating Psychological and Social Impacts in Yemen

Afrah Borji – Sawt Al-Amal (Voice of Hope)

Amidst comfortable material circumstances, the child (A.N.) suffered from deep emotional and psychological deprivation. The absence of family support, love, and affection pushed him into the world of crime. He found refuge in theft to compensate for the basic rights he lacked within his family. This painful story reveals that material wealth alone is not enough to build a balanced personality; rather, emotional and psychological support is the true foundation for happiness and success.

With choked words, (A.N.) said: “I have grown up, but I feel rejected by my family and society.” These words reflect the bitterness of the years this young man spent alone, lost in the care of juvenile detention centers. After his actions revealed a deep wound, he found himself alone in facing the consequences of his actions.

The story of (A.N.) is a tragic one that highlights the importance of the family’s role in building a child’s personality and guiding them toward the right path. Some families do not care about the child’s psychological state or social situation; therefore, the child goes to bad places and performs abnormal actions.

There is another story told by a psychological specialist (who preferred not to be named) about the unfortunate reality of the family’s lack of containment of the child and abandonment of him for any act he commits involuntarily. Psychological disorders – such as depression and anxiety – negatively affect the child from a young age.

The specialist says: “(N.S.) is a child who lost the warmth of the family at a young age and found herself forced to marry at an early age to escape a bitter reality. Her story reveals the devastating effects of family neglect and family disintegration on children’s lives and calls us to provide a safe and loving environment for children to protect them from violence and neglect.”

The story of (N.S.) confirms the importance of the family’s role in shaping the child’s personality. The emotional and psychological neglect she was exposed to in her childhood left deep scars on her psyche and pushed her to make hasty decisions in her life. This story rings alarm bells about the spread of the phenomenon of family disintegration and its negative effects on children.

Currently, (N.S.) is 23 years old and finds herself alone facing a harsh fate. After a failed marriage that turned into a hell of violence, she found herself accused of a crime she committed in self-defense. Today, she works as a maid in a stranger’s house, ostracized by her community, which described her as a “murderer” and a “criminal.”

The Social Impact

In an interview with social specialist Bushra Al-Shaddadi, she revealed that domestic violence, including neglect, abuse, and discrimination between children in treatment, is one of the most important causes that lead to aggressive behavior in children. Other factors, such as bullying and family separation, contribute to reinforcing this aggressive behavior that they carry with them until they grow up. She warned of the danger of this problem and the need for early intervention to protect children and provide a safe environment for them.

She explained that domestic violence is not just a passing incident, but leaves deep scars in the psyche of children, affecting their personalities and future behaviors. Children who witness or are subjected to violence, whether physical or psychological, become more prone to psychological and behavioral disorders and may become violent individuals. The family is responsible for shaping the child’s personality and behavior, and many families contribute to the destruction of their children due to violence and neglect, leading to the emergence of aggressive behaviors in the future.

The Societal Perspective

Regarding the societal perspective, Al-Shaddadi points out that the negative societal view of juveniles and the unqualified environment in which they live play a crucial role in shaping their aggressive behaviors. Children who feel marginalized and excluded tend to search for their own identity, which may lead them to act in aggressive ways. This vicious cycle ultimately leads to increased crime rates in society.

She indicated that societal violence, whether direct or indirect, leaves very serious effects on the psyche of children. Those who witness or are subjected to violence become more likely to imitate these aggressive behaviors, which threatens the safety of society.

The Psychological Impact

Regarding the psychological impact, psychologist Wafaa Sa’ad explains that there are several aspects to a child’s aggressive behavior. As everyone knows, a child comes into the world as a blank slate, and the parents are the first to write on this page.

She pointed out that some studies have confirmed that the genetic aspect plays a role in the aggressive behavior of children. Some are born with a predisposition to aggressive behavior because the child found a fertile environment full of quarrels, violence, and neglect, and this environment is worthy of detonating the predisposition and turning it into behavior.

For this purpose, Wafaa says: “The family is primarily responsible for the child’s aggressive behavior, directly or indirectly. The child’s witnessing of violence between his parents or his exposure to physical or psychological violence sows the seeds of violence in him and leads to serious behavioral disorders.”

She added: “In addition, pampering and not bearing responsibility produce a child who is indifferent to the feelings of others and selfish, and may use violence to get what he wants. Also, many behaviors are learned by the child first from the family and then from bad companions, especially during adolescence. Along with the role of the family comes the role of the media and social media platforms that spread the culture of violence in all its forms.”

The Reports

A 2019 report by the International Committee of the Red Cross titled “Childhood Undermined: The Impact of Conflict on Children in Yemen” indicates that Yemeni children are living a tragic reality, as they are subjected to the most horrific forms of violence and exploitation. Between indiscriminate bombing, forced recruitment, and deprivation of education and healthcare, these children suffer from grave violations of their fundamental rights. The horrific scenes they face daily, of destruction, leave deep and indelible psychological scars, pushing them to the brink.

International studies have also revealed the scale of the humanitarian disaster that Yemeni children are suffering from. They showed a staggering increase in the rates of psychological distress among children in several governorates in Yemen. More than 30% of children suffer from physical symptoms related to psychological stress, such as headaches and stomach aches, indicating the depth of the suffering they are experiencing.

These studies confirmed that the intensity of the conflict in various Yemeni regions is directly related to the severity of the psychological symptoms that children suffer from. According to parents, 5% of children suffer from bedwetting, 2% from stuttering, and more than half suffer from sleep disturbances and difficulty concentrating. These terrifying figures reveal the scale of the humanitarian disaster facing an entire generation of Yemeni children.

The Solutions

In its 2019 report titled “The Relentless War on Children in Yemen Continues Unabated,” the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) called on the international community to provide urgent and unconditional financial contributions to save the lives of Yemeni children suffering from a severe humanitarian crisis. The organization urged increased investment in Yemen, stressing that this is the only way to achieve stability in the country and ensure a better future for future generations.

UNICEF confirmed that Yemeni children are the most affected by the ongoing conflict in the country, as they suffer from malnutrition, diseases, and hostilities. It warned that the continuation of the situation as it is will lead to an exacerbation of the humanitarian crisis and the suffering experienced by Yemeni children.

Psychologist Wafaa Sa’ad also stressed the need to take urgent measures to protect the mental health of Yemeni children and that building a healthy generation starts with the family.

She pointed to the importance of educating parents about the latest educational methods, providing psychological care for children suffering from the effects of trauma, and the need to open family counseling offices to provide support and advice to parents in raising their children, especially in light of the difficult circumstances that Yemen is going through. She also warned of the dangers of the internet on the mental health of children and called for the necessity of imposing parental control over the content that children watch. She recommended that children who exhibit abnormal behaviors be presented to psychological and social specialists to assess their condition and provide appropriate treatment.