An online survey was conducted among schoolchildren aged 12–17 in Yerevan and the surrounding provinces (Ararat, Armavir, and Aragatsotn) to develop and pilot a methodology for researching sexual violence against children in Armenia. As part of the survey, international research tools on the topic were translated and tested, procedures were established to ensure the ethical conduct of online surveys on sensitive issues for children, and targeted recommendations were formulated.
The survey was implemented by the Chair of Social Work and Social Technologies at Yerevan State University (represented by Head of Chair, PhD, Associate Professor Yuliana Melkumyan; PhD, Associate Professor Mira Antonyan; and lecturer Tatevik Karapetyan) in collaboration with the Astra Foundation for Health Protection and Prevention of Violence (represented by PhD Veronica Odinokova), in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia and the Republican Pedagogical-Psychological Center.
The Ethics Committee for Research at Yerevan State University thoroughly reviewed the survey methodology and tools and approved them after making the necessary adjustments.
On November 24 of this year, a workshop dedicated to discussing the survey methodology and findings was held in Yerevan. Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as several local and international stakeholders.
This formative study represents the first attempt to conduct such an online survey in Armenian schools. During the workshop, participants had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the methodology used in the research, the adaptations made to suit the Armenian context, and the findings of the online survey among children, including the prevalence of offline and online sexual violence and the protection of boys and girls in the community, family, school, and online environment.
Workshop participants received a printed version of the report, which includes necessary references and QR codes, allowing interested organizations to apply the developed tools in the future.
The study was funded by the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI). The authors bear full responsibility for the interpretation of the findings, which do not necessarily reflect the official positions of SVRI.
