Child Abuse in the Bahamas
Child Abuse in the Bahamas A child is a precious gift given to parents, but they may not realize children are fragile. Children might be disciplined by their parents in order for them to listen, but some parents might take their punishments too far. There are many different ways a child can be abused by his or her parents. Barrington H. Brennen stated that, child abuse occurs when a parent, guardian or care giver mistreats or neglects a child, resulting in injury, or significant emotional or psychological harm, or serious risk of harm to the child (Child Abuse par. 1). A parent who abuses a child violates the child’s trust. Also, the child might be abused by their parents because the parent might take out their own frustrations on the child. Children are being hurt, scar, belittle, and embarrass by their own parents. This leads the child to experience negative, physical, behavioral, and psychological effects. The negative effects of child abuse in the Bahamas today are drug abuse, cognitive difficulties, and juvenile delinquency. In the Bahamas, some children experience drug abuse to relieve the pain and stress from child abuse. Drug consumption and other negative outcomes happen due to children being abused. Robert Mann et.al observes that child maltreatment increases the risk for substance use and other problems (Child Maltreatment 350). The Bahamas has a very high rate of children being abused at a young age. Mann observes, “In the Caribbean, almost 40 million children under the age of 15 are being abused” (Child Maltreatment 350). The child seeks comfort in these drugs, trying different substances to help him or her cope. Child Welfare observes children being neglected or abused will likely smoke, abuse alcohol, or take illicit drugs (par. 17). Children who are being abused look to drugs or alcohol to drown the pain he or she experiences: as many as two-thirds of people in drug treatment programs reported being abused as children…. Drug
Cited: Brennen, H. Barrington. “What is Child Abuse? Childhood Lost.”soencouragement.org. 4, Nov. 2012. 10 March 2013 http://www.soencouragement.org/what-is-child-abuse.htm.
Child Welfare Information Gateway. “Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect.” childwelfare.gov. 2008. March 10, 2013 http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/long_term_consequences.cfm.
Mann, Robert et al. "Child Maltreatment and its Relationship to Drug Use in Latin America and the Caribbean: An Overview and Multinational Research Partnership."International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction 9.4 (2011): 347-364. Academic Search Complete.