EXPOSURE TO VIOLENCE IN CHILDREN REFERRED FOR PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION

One hundred consecutive patients referred to the Child Mental Health S ection of Oranje Hospital in Bloemfontein for psychiatric evaluation w ere included in the study, Seventy-four per cent of children in the st udy reported exposure to some form of Violence in the past: 32% report ed exposure to domestic violence, 9% disciplinary violence, 15% violen t crime, 2% political violence, 24% sexual violence and 25% other form s of violence, Political violence did not feature prominently in the s tudy.