Child Abuse and Its Effects

Child abuse is a serious and widespread problem throughout the world. It can take the form of sexual abuse, physical or psychological mistreatment , or child neglect. What are some of the main causes for child abuse or neglect? Can child abuse be prevented? What can be done within the community or the child welfare system to prevent or control child abuse? Once discovered, child abuse can be addressed, but who should be reporting child maltreatment, and what are the legal requirements for reporting the abuse? What programs are out there for these innocent individuals, what protects them now from the cruelty of their own home? Looking into the past can discover the first signs of child maltreatment and neglect, what was acceptable then, is not anymore. Educating society is a key component in making a difference in the future and putting the odds of success on the children’s side. To figure out a solution for the future the past must be examined. From 1607-1800, the new immigration to the colonies stirred up, the society. In those times it wasn’t called child abuse or neglect but it was disguised more so as Indenture system. In that system masters were suppose to provide servant children with food, clothing, shelter, a general education, and work skills; the children in return, were obligated to serve the master. The truth was that even though this system reflected some concern for the welfare of the child, the priority was to satisfy the needs and expectations of the masters. They became cheap labor. Thus it gave the prevailing respect for parental rights, determination od child neglect and cruelty were infrequent or at least unreported. “A
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man’s home is his castle,” said Sir Edward Coke, an English jurist. The view was that children needed to be strongly disciplined. “Short of causing permanent injury, correction was not abuse. “if one beats a child until it bleeds” according to a common-law rule of thumb, “then it will remember the words of its