Exploring the Violence Cycle: A Case on Children Exposed to Violent Conflict Becoming Actual Violent Conflict Perpetrators

Abstract

In their everyday live, children are exposed to several violent encounters in schools, at home or their community at large. Studies reports that children exposed to instances of domestic violence at home and in schools stand high chances of becoming violent. Whereas several such researches have been conducted erstwhile across the globe, Africa, precisely Nigeria which has been plagued with incessant sectarian violence is yet to prioritise attention on this perturbing issue, especially as it regards the effect the spinning of the violent cycle stands to impact on conflict mediation and resolution. This gave rise to the conduct of this research assessing the violence cycle proposition using communal violence with clearly identified differences as exemplified through hostile groups with children samples. The paper explores deep understanding on the possibility of children exposed to violent conflict becoming actual violent conflict perpetrators sequel to varying level of exposure to the hostile animosity. It further examines the foreseeable future of such communities drawing from the views, opinions and the tendency of the child victim upon whom deduction is made on his/her tendency of exhibiting violent attributes as an actual violent conflict perpetrator. Thereafter, conclusion is made with suggestions and recommendations towards curbing the problem.

Keywords: Violence cycle, violent conflict, actual violent conflict perpetrators, Jos, Nigeria.