Child Abuse In Beauty Pageants

Child abuse happens in our everyday life, and legal guardians seem not to realize what is going on or perhaps they would rather not see it as it is. Child abuse is running ramped in beauty pageant around the world and children are not being protected from their Legal Guardians that are causing major harm to the child throughout both their childhood and leading into adulthood. Legal Guardians are entering their children into beauty pageants at the young age and are subjecting them to mental and physical abuse. Beauty pageants are competitions that children are competing being as young as 11 months old against other girls to see who is the most beautiful to the judges. Sometimes going as far as to have them wear revealing and constricting clothing
One way that child abuse is defined by The Columbia Encyclopedia as “physical, sexual, or emotional maltreatment or neglect of children by Legal Guardians, guardians, or others responsible for a child's welfare” (Columbia Encyclopedia Para 1). The first criteria is physical maltreatment of a child by a parent or guardian. On the other hand, the Dictionary of Youth Justice defines it as “Child abuse is a generic term used to describe a range of actions or omissions that are likely to be injurious to, or to compromise, a child’s development, health or safety.” (Horwath , para. 1)The second criteria is compromising a child’s development. Also, it can be defined as “Child abuse occurs when a parent or caretaker physically, emotionally, or sexually mistreats or neglects a child resulting in the physical, emotional, or sexual harm or exploitation; imminent risk of harm or exploitation; or in extreme cases, the death of a child.” (Gale Para 1). The third criteria is sexual exploitation of a child. In Summary, Child abuse can be defined as physical maltreatment, compromising a child’s development, and the sexual exploitation of a
Everyone in this atmosphere of beauty pageants needs to take a stand and protect children and make sure that they are not being abused by anyone. The Director of the Miss California USA and Miss California Teen USA said "I question these Legal Guardians’ ability to parent. It is one thing if your child wants to express themselves through dance or acting, but there are other ways to do it," (McKay Para. 12).In her pageants, she does not allow children to compete unless they are over the age of 16 years old. Do not stand on the sideline and allow children to be abused and look at themselves in a negative way for the rest of their lives. These childhood pageant kids will be affected, and their parents should be shown the lasting effect. Just remember the words of Dave Pelzer when to think of theses children’s childhoods “Childhood should be carefree, playing in the sun; not living a nightmare in the darkness of the