Cultures with strong cosmologies that affirm the sacredness of children tend to have far lower rates of child abuse, even without written laws.
Why Many Indigenous Cultures Have Lower Rates of Child Abuse: A Yoruba‑Centered Perspective Across numerous Indigenous societies, including Yoruba, Igbo, Akan, Māori, Navajo, Sámi, and San communities, children are embedded within cosmologies that affirm their sacredness, destiny, and communal belonging . These frameworks often correlate with significantly lower rates of child abuse , even in the absence of written laws. While no society is entirely free from harm, the cultural architecture itself reduces the conditions in which abuse can occur. 1. Yoruba Ori as a Protective Framework for Children In Yoruba thought, every child arrives with an Ori — the “inner head,” a spiritual consciousness that chooses its destiny before birth. This belief creates a powerful moral and social barrier against harming children. Key principles include: Destiny is sacred: A child’s Ori is chosen before birth and must be protected. Children are not property: They are entrusted to parents by ances...