Child Abuse
Child Abuse
Every year, thousands of families welcome a new baby into their home. The upcoming years are spent watching children movies, going to parks and zoos, buying ice cream from the truck, and finger painting with their family while on a picnic. Almost all of the children brought into this world get to experience what it is to have a loving family; however, for a small percentage, life is not so peachy. They are forced to deal with things that most of us would never imagine in our worst nightmares, things that no one would expect a parent or anyone else to do to a child; this term is called Child Abuse. Child abuse can affect child development drastically, much more than people could imagine, which could cause issues for the child later in life.
Child abuse has many different aspects and types, which is why there are a few definitions of it. The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act defines child abuse and neglect as, "the physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, negligent treatment, or maltreatment of a child under the age of eighteen, by a person who is responsible for the child 's welfare, under circumstances which indicate that the child 's health or welfare is harmed or threatened thereby," (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2011). Within that definition, there are four specific types of abuse. The first is Physical abuse, which is an injury resulting from physical aggression. Even if it was unintentional, it is considered physical abuse. Examples of this could be beating, slapping, hitting, pushing, choking, burning, etc. The second is Sexual abuse, which is any sexual act between an adult and a child, including penetration, intercourse, incest, rape, oral sex, and sodomy. The third is Emotional abuse, which is any attitude, behavior, or failure to act that interferes with a child’s mental health or social development. It can range from a simple verbal insult to an extreme form of punishment. Emotional abuse is
Every year, thousands of families welcome a new baby into their home. The upcoming years are spent watching children movies, going to parks and zoos, buying ice cream from the truck, and finger painting with their family while on a picnic. Almost all of the children brought into this world get to experience what it is to have a loving family; however, for a small percentage, life is not so peachy. They are forced to deal with things that most of us would never imagine in our worst nightmares, things that no one would expect a parent or anyone else to do to a child; this term is called Child Abuse. Child abuse can affect child development drastically, much more than people could imagine, which could cause issues for the child later in life.
Child abuse has many different aspects and types, which is why there are a few definitions of it. The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act defines child abuse and neglect as, "the physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, negligent treatment, or maltreatment of a child under the age of eighteen, by a person who is responsible for the child 's welfare, under circumstances which indicate that the child 's health or welfare is harmed or threatened thereby," (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2011). Within that definition, there are four specific types of abuse. The first is Physical abuse, which is an injury resulting from physical aggression. Even if it was unintentional, it is considered physical abuse. Examples of this could be beating, slapping, hitting, pushing, choking, burning, etc. The second is Sexual abuse, which is any sexual act between an adult and a child, including penetration, intercourse, incest, rape, oral sex, and sodomy. The third is Emotional abuse, which is any attitude, behavior, or failure to act that interferes with a child’s mental health or social development. It can range from a simple verbal insult to an extreme form of punishment. Emotional abuse is
References: Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2011). About CAPTA: A legislative history.Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau. Retrieved December 7, 2012, from http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/about.cfm Harder, A. F. (2002). The Developmental Stages of Erik Erikson. Retrieved December 3, 2012, from http://www.support4change.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=108 Mayo Clinic (2009, May 24). Psychological Impact Of Child Abuse. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 6, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2009/05/090521112831.htm Tracy, N. (2008). Types of child abuse. Retrieved December 7, 2012, from http://www.healthyplace.com/abuse/child-abuse-information/types-child-abuse/signs-of-online-sexual-child-abuse/