Street Children's Experiences of Aggression during Interaction with Police

The research investigated street children's experiences of aggression during interaction with police. The participants were 16 black male street children (aged =13 to 18 years) residing in a temporary shelter in Hillbrow of Johannesburg. Data were collected through phenomenological individual interviews, drawings and group interviews. Street children experienced aggression during interaction with police in a variety of ways which included physical abuse, verbal abuse accompanied by threats, and sexual abuse. Street children associated these experiences of police aggression with negative feelings such as fear, a sense of hopelessness and uncertainty, abandonment/rejection, sadness, loss of trust, disillusionment and intense resentment/vengeance. Life skills facilitation and peer support program could assist these children to interact with the police in healthier ways.