The Four Types Of Child Abuse
In today's society we fail to address a number of issues that need to be solved. Unfortunately, child abuse is one of the major issues that our country is plagued with, yet we neglect to bring this to the attention of the entire nation. Every year millions of children suffer some form of child abuse. It is often overlooked because everyone has a different view of what exactly defines child abuse. More tragically, many people hesitate to report suspected cases of abuse, perhaps because they think the child may be lying, or they have difficulty believing that a respectable neighbor could be a child molester. Child abuse is the intentional infliction of physical, moral, and sexual pain and suffering on a child. Hence, there are four basic
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forms of child abuse which are neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. Neglect accounts for the majority of cases of maltreatment and it can severely impact a child's psychological or physical development. Emotional Abuse, which is 8% of all substantiated cases of child abuse, can be the cruelest and most destructive of all types of the abuses (National Exchange Club Foundation, 1998). Physical Abuse, which is 19% of all substantiated cases of child abuse, is the most visible form of abuse (National Exchange Club Foundation, 1998). Sexual Abuse is the very difficult one for most people to talk about. It's even more difficult for society as a whole to acknowledge that the sexual abuse of children of all ages including infants happen everyday in the United States (Finkelhor, 1988). In most child abuse cases, the offender does not really want to hurt the child. Most abuse happens when adults have a hard time controlling their anger and/or the stresses that their lives bring. However, even if they don't mean to, a parent, family member, friend, or stranger who abuses a child might do it again, especially if other stresses are not handled. The most common form of child abuse children endure is negligence.
Neglect
According to Webster's dictionary, neglect is to disregard, to leave unattended especially through carelessness ("Neglect"). Child neglect is often ignored in professional research because the indicators of this form of abuse are usually not clear at first (Lutzker, 1990). Neglect is usually typified by an ongoing pattern of inadequate care and is readily observed by individuals in close contact with the child. Physicians, nurses, daycare personnel, and neighbors are frequently the ones to suspect and report neglect in infants, toddlers, and preschool aged children. Relatives, police officials, and close friends are frequently the ones to suspect neglect in teens and young adults. Once children are in school, school personnel often notice indicators of child neglect such as poor hygiene, poor weight gain, inadequate medical care, or frequent absences from school. Many excuses for parental neglect can be heard, such as "They lost their jobs and have no money," "They are young and didn't know," and "They couldn't find a baby-sitter and had to go to work or would have lost their jobs." As these examples illustrate, neglect is viewed as a less harmful form of child abuse (Dubowitz, 1994) yet, according to McCurdy and Daro, "Neglect is not only the most frequent type of maltreatment; it can be just as lethal as physical abuse". Neglect can also be physical, educational, or emotional.
Physical neglect accounts for the majority of cases of maltreatment (CarriFre, Thomson, 1984). According, to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System it estimates that 7.1 of every 1,000 US children experience physical neglect (cite). Physical neglect generally involves the parent or caregiver not providing the child with basic necessities for example, adequate food, clothing, and shelter. Failure or refusal to provide these necessities endangers the child's physical health, well-being, psychological growth, and development. According, to Susan Geltman (L.C.S.W.) physical neglect also includes child abandonment, inadequate supervision, rejection of a child leading to expulsion from the home, and failure to adequately provide for the child's safety and physical and emotional needs. Physical neglect can severely impact a child's development by causing failure to thrive; malnutrition; serious illness; physical harm in the form of cuts, bruises, burns, or other injuries due to lack of supervision; and a lifetime of low self-esteem (Finkelhor, 1986).
Educational neglect involves the failure of a parent or caregiver to enroll a child of mandatory school age in school or provide appropriate home schooling or needed special educational training, thus allowing the child or youth to engage in chronic truancy. Educational neglect can lead to the child failing to acquire basic life skills, dropping out of school, or continually displaying disruptive behavior. Educational neglect can pose a serious threat to the child's emotional well-being, physical health, or normal psychological growth and development, particularly when the child has special educational needs that are not met.
Emotional Neglect includes actions such as engaging in chronic or extreme spousal abuse in the child's presence, allowing a child to use drugs or alcohol, refusing or failing to provide needed psychological care, constantly belittling the child, and withholding affection. Parental behaviors considered to be emotional child maltreatment include ignoring the child which is consistent failure to respond to the child's need for stimulation, nurturance, encouragement, and protection or failure to acknowledge the child's presence. Rejection included actively refusing to respond to the child's needs such as, refusing to show affection. Verbally assaulting can constant of belittling, name calling, and the threatening of a child. Isolating a child from other children can prevent the child from having normal social contacts with other children and adults. And, terrorizing includes threatening the child with extreme punishment or creating a climate of terror by playing on childhood fears. And, corrupting or exploiting children is engaging children in destructive, illegal, and antisocial behavior.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional Abuse is the acts or the failures to act by parents or caretakers that have caused or could cause serious behavioral, cognitive, emotional, or mental disorders (CarriFre, Thomson, 1984).
Emotional abuse includes excessive, aggressive or unreasonable demands that place expectations on a child beyond his or her capacity (Sinal). This can include parents/caretakers using extreme and/or bizarre forms of punishment, such as confinement in a closet or dark room or being tied to a chair for long periods of time or threatening or terrorizing a child. Less severe acts, but no less damaging are belittling or rejecting treatment, and using derogatory terms to describe the child. Emotional abuse also includes failure to provide the psychological nurturing necessary for a child's psychological growth and development -- providing no love, support or guidance (National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse, 1987). Emotional abuse is probably the least understood of all child abuse, yet it is the most prevalent, and can be the cruelest and most destructive of all types of abuse (Sinal). According, to Susan Geltman there are in fact some indicators to this type of abuse which are, observable indicators, behavioral indicators, and family or parental indicators. Observable indicators are when a child demonstrate actions such as child rocking back and forth, sucking on items, biting themselves inappropriately aggressiveness, destructive to others, suffers from sleeping and …show more content…
speech disorders, restricts play activities or experiences, and demonstrates compulsions, obsessions, phobias, hysterical outbursts. Some, behavioral indicators in children are negative statements about self, shy, passive, compliant, lags in physical, mental and emotional development, self destructive behavior, highly aggressive, cruel to others, and overly demanding. A family and/or parental indicator include blaming or putting down of child, being cold and rejecting of child, indifferent to child's problems or welfare, withholds affection, and shows preferential treatment when there is more than one child in the family.
Physical Abuse
The statistics on physical child abuse are alarming. It is estimated hundreds of thousands of children are physically abused each year by a parent or close relative. Physical abuse, which is 19% of all substantiated cases of child abuse, is the most visible form of abuse and may be defined as the inflicting of physical injury upon a child (CarriFre, Thomson, 1984). Susan Geltman stated that this may include, burning, hitting, punching, shaking, kicking, beating, or otherwise harming a child. While any of these injuries can occur accidentally when a child is at play it may, however, be the result of over-discipline or physical punishment that is inappropriate to the child's age and physical abuse should be suspected if the explanations do not fit the injury or if a pattern of frequency is apparent. Physical abuse may consist of just one incident or it may happen repeatedly. It involves deliberately using force against a child in such a way that the child is either injured or is at risk of being injured. It also includes holding a child under water, or any other dangerous or harmful use of force or restraint. For those who survive, the emotional trauma remains long after the external bruises have healed. And, the longer the abuse continue the more serious the injuries to the child and the more difficult it is to eliminate the abusive behavior.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual Abuse is the inappropriate sexual behavior with a child (CarriFre, Thomson, 1984). Sexual abuse is the least frequently reported form of child abuse (6% of all cases). Experts believe that sexual abuse may be the most underreported type of child maltreatment because of the secrecy, the "conspiracy of silence" that so often surrounds these cases (Britton). It includes fondling a child's genitals, making the child fondle the adult's genitals, intercourse, incest, rape, sodomy, exhibitionism and sexual exploitation. To be considered child abuse these acts have to be committed by a person responsible for the care of a child (for example a baby-sitter, a parent, or a daycare provider) or related to the child. If a stranger commits these acts, it would be considered sexual assault and handled solely be the police and criminal courts. Most children choose not to tell that they are being sexually abused. They are usually being tricked into believing that what are happening to them are normal behaviors and/or family member, pet, and friend has been threatened by the abuser. So, if a child tells you he/she was sexually mistreated and are displaying signs of being sexually abused you should take them seriously.
Susan Geltman (L.C.S.W.) made it clear that children will show some physical signs such as having difficulty walking or sitting. If they are too young to have stained or bloody underwear you should take this very serious. Or have genital or rectal pain, itching, swelling, redness, or discharge bruises or other injuries in the genital or rectal area. Some, behavioral and emotional signs such are difficulty eating or sleeping. Soiling or wetting pants or bed after being potty trained. If they start acting like a much younger child or excessive crying and sadness and start withdrawing from school or family activities and others. Talking about or acting out sexual acts beyond normal sex play for age. Physical Indicators are things you have to pay close attention too for example, a child is having difficulty walking or sitting, torn clothing, stained or bloody underwear, pain or itching in genital area, and venereal disease. Behavioral indicators in children often do not tell with normal words that they have been sexually abused or that they have successfully resisted an assault and don't know quite what to do next. There are many reasons children might hesitate or be afraid to tell us about what has happened, including their relationship to the offender, fear of the consequences, retaliation or uncertainty about whether or not they will be believed.
Most people do not know what, when, where, how, or why some children have changes in behaviors or attitudes. Most people just institute bad behavior with children growing up and rebelling and they miss the signs of a child being sexually abused. Any one of the following signs could indicate that there has been a sexual assault. When a child have a sudden reluctance to go someplace or be with someone or start displaying inappropriate affection or sexual behaviors with other young children. When they start acting out in public, sudden use of sexual terms or new names for body parts, uncomfortableness. When they start rejecting typical family affection, having sleep problems, including: insomnia, nightmares, refusal to sleep alone or suddenly insisting on a night light. Regressive behaviors, including: thumb-sucking, bed-wetting, infantile behaviors or other signs of dependency, extreme clinginess or other signs of fearfulness. In school they have a sudden change in personality, problems in school (i.e. fighting), unwilling to participate in or change clothing for gym class at school. At the home they start running away from home, having bizarre or unusual sophistication pertaining to sexual behavior or knowledge, including sexual acting out, reports sexual assault by parent or guardian.
What solutions have been attempted with which to solve the problem?
Once a child protection agency gets a report of a case of suspected child abuse, the staff initiates a series of steps to evaluate the charge, protect the child during the evaluation, and, if the allegation is true, to treat both the child and the abuser. Courts may become involved in this series of steps in two ways. At first a judge can curtail a parents right or permanently to allow protective custody of the child or placement in a foster home during the initial evaluation period. Secondly, criminal charges may be bought against the abuser. Then organizations such as the United States Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, Prevent Child Abuse New York, A National Movement, Stop It Now!, The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect, and The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children were all put in place to prevent future child abuse, habilitate the abused and abuser and etc. United States Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect
"This organization strategize on the societal level, which includes increasing the "value" of children, increasing the economic self-sufficiency of families, discouraging corporal punishment and other forms of violence, making health care more accessible and affordable, expanding and improving coordination of social services, improving the identification and treatment of psychological problems, and alcohol and drug abuse, providing more affordable child care and preventing the birth of unwanted children. The also strategize on the familial level include helping parents meet their basic needs, identifying problems of substance abuse and spouse abuse, and educating parents about child behavior, discipline, safety and development (United States Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect)."
Prevent Child Abuse New York
"Prevent Child Abuse New York is the only statewide, nonprofit organization in New York dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect. According, to Prevent Child Abuse New York website they prevent child abuse and neglect by increasing public understanding of the problem and its solutions and serving as a resource for families, individuals and organizations (Prevent Child Abuse New York). They advocate for the expanding and improving programs and policies to prevent child abuse. They also foster a statewide network committed to child abuse prevention (Prevent Child Abuse New York)."
A National Movement
"A National Movement is only one program component of the National Exchange Club Foundation is the National Parent Aide Network. The program was established by parent aides and parent aide supporters, NPAN supports the growth of parent aide programs nationwide, with a purpose to promote activities which strengthen families, offer support to parents and prevent child abuse and neglect. NPAN supports a national network of parent aide programs while stimulating program development in communities currently not being served. NPAN serves as a clearinghouse for information; provides technical expertise regarding program and organizational issues and advocates for the needs and interests of parent aide programs on a national level (National Parent Aide Network, 1998)."
Stop It Now!
"Stop It Now!, is a national nonprofit organization, created a ground-breaking public health approach to prevent the perpetration of child sexual abuse. Since 1992, Stop It Now!'s started public policy, public education, and research programs to protect our children by emphasizing adult and community responsibility. These programs reach out to adults who are concerned about inappropriate sexualized behavior in another adult, adolescent, or child, and to adults who are concerned about their own thoughts or behaviors (Stop It Now! UK & Ireland, 2005)."
The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect
"The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information (NCCANCH) was established in 1974 by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to collect, organizes, and disseminates information on all aspects of child maltreatment (The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect). The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information and the National are services of the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The mission of the Clearinghouses is to connect professionals and concerned citizens to practical, timely, and essential information on programs, research, legislation, and statistics to promote the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families (The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect)."
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
"The NSPCC is the United Kingdom's leading charity specializing in child protection and the prevention of cruelty to children. They have been directly involved in protecting children and campaigning on their behalf since 1884. They have 180 community-based throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland. They have a free, 24-hour Child Protection Helpline that provides information, advice and counseling to anyone concerned about a child's safety. They have public education campaigns, to increase understanding about child abuse and provide advice and support on positive parenting. They have parliamentary campaigning to persuade government, Parliament and opinion-formers to put children's issues at the top of the political agenda. They have child protection training and advice for organizations involved in the care, protection and education of children. For example, local and health authorities, sports bodies and young people's groups. They do research on the nature and effects of child abuse. They hold fundraisers through individual and corporate supporters, which provide 85% of the money needed to pay for our work to end cruelty to children (The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children)."
Statistics
With the following statistics I have came to the conclusion that with all the agencies that have been started; they have not done enough to end Child Abuse. The following statistics from the Mental Health Journal:
"1,500 children die from abuse each year. There are 140,000 injuries to children from abuse each year. There are 1.7 million reports of child abuse each year."
" about 1 in 4 women in North America were molested in childhood."
"More than 2 million cases of child abuse and neglect are reported each year in the United States. An estimated 150,000 to 200,000 new cases of sexual abuse occur each year."
"There were estimated 903,000 victims of maltreatment nationwide."
"An estimated 1,100 children died of abuse and neglect, a rate of approximately 1.6 deaths per 100,000 children in the general populations."
" approximately 1 in 7 males will have been sexually molested before the age of 18."
According, to the statistics above about child abuse it shows that the problem continues to increase instead of declining. These agencies that are already in progress need to work much harder so we can get statistics like these one's to decline.
What are your personal values regarding this issues? What solutions would you propose and why?
Can you imagine the terror a child goes through when she is alone with the so called "favorite" uncle in the eerie lounge with the television blaring? He is lying on the couch with a weird smile on his face, glazed look in his eyes, one hand holding her so called "favorite" sweets; the other calling her...A familiar numbness overtakes her body. Fear, hate, anger, tears and the need to trust that he won't hurt her. No! No! Sounds' echoing to a faint...and it happens... She hates the room, she hates the ornaments, she hates anyone with that look, and she hates this uncle. She is hurt and wants to escape. Despair!!! Shame!!! Fear!!! Hopelessness and Helplessness!!! She cannot tell! He threatened her! He warned her! No one will believe her! She will be blamed.
In addition, she doesn't know why she is bedwetting, and sometimes soils/messes her clothes. At school she is slowly becoming a recluse with fear that her friends will come to know. So she bullies them to keep them away from her. She gets into trouble. She was recently caught stealing. Why did she do this? She doesn't know. Her grades are dropping. She is in hot water with her teacher. Mom has already been to school for this. Dad has given her a good beating for this. Life is disastrous. Hey, that nice man at the fence offered her sweets to forget any problems. Should she? She wonders? Oh! All this wouldn't have happened if mum had been at home for her! But she would never believe her because it's dad's brother and he is so nice to everyone. Oh! How she hates him. She hates mum for not saving her. Mom is only interested in her work, home, friends, functions and clothes. And, blames her for misbehaviors. As for Dad! Long and behold! Want a shouting and beating up? Stay far. When she grows up, she is going to have this uncle locked up for abusing her. But that seems too far away. She's only eight years old. This young girl was me so I know first hand how it feels to be lied too, betrayed, lonely, depresses, and wanted to end my life. Looking back at that experience and I had to handle a case of child abuse I would take the child to a quiet, private area. Gently encourage the child to give you enough information to evaluate whether abuse may have occurred. Remain calm so as not to upset the child. If the child reveals the abuse, reassure him/her that you believe him/her, that he/she is right to tell you, and that he/she is not bad. Tell the child you are going to talk to persons who can help him/her. Return the child to the group (if appropriate). Record all information. Immediately report the suspected abuse to the proper local authorities. As far as teenagers and adults who have been abused in any way, are having a hard time coping with parenting, and battling a substance abuse problem I would hold more Child abuse, Parenting, and Alcohol conferences all around the world. I would write cartoons and comics books to attract the younger crowd where they could learn ways to protect themselves from child abuse. I will make up non-profit commercials that will run throughout the entire day promoting different support groups for parents who need counseling and for children who need guidance. Put articles in all the popular newspapers and try and start a course in high school called Child Awareness. Students will learn about all types of child abuses and the different ways the could protect themselves
Child abuse is the number one killer of children all over the world.
The four forms neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse continue to hunt children all over the world. Child abuse is both shocking and commonplace. Child abusers inflict physical, sexual, and emotional trauma on defenseless children every day. The scars can be deep and long-lasting. Unfortunately, the more subtle forms of child abuse such as neglect and emotional abuse can be just as traumatizing as violent physical abuse. Focused support can help both the victims of child abuse and the child abusers
themselves.
forms of child abuse which are neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. Neglect accounts for the majority of cases of maltreatment and it can severely impact a child's psychological or physical development. Emotional Abuse, which is 8% of all substantiated cases of child abuse, can be the cruelest and most destructive of all types of the abuses (National Exchange Club Foundation, 1998). Physical Abuse, which is 19% of all substantiated cases of child abuse, is the most visible form of abuse (National Exchange Club Foundation, 1998). Sexual Abuse is the very difficult one for most people to talk about. It's even more difficult for society as a whole to acknowledge that the sexual abuse of children of all ages including infants happen everyday in the United States (Finkelhor, 1988). In most child abuse cases, the offender does not really want to hurt the child. Most abuse happens when adults have a hard time controlling their anger and/or the stresses that their lives bring. However, even if they don't mean to, a parent, family member, friend, or stranger who abuses a child might do it again, especially if other stresses are not handled. The most common form of child abuse children endure is negligence.
Neglect
According to Webster's dictionary, neglect is to disregard, to leave unattended especially through carelessness ("Neglect"). Child neglect is often ignored in professional research because the indicators of this form of abuse are usually not clear at first (Lutzker, 1990). Neglect is usually typified by an ongoing pattern of inadequate care and is readily observed by individuals in close contact with the child. Physicians, nurses, daycare personnel, and neighbors are frequently the ones to suspect and report neglect in infants, toddlers, and preschool aged children. Relatives, police officials, and close friends are frequently the ones to suspect neglect in teens and young adults. Once children are in school, school personnel often notice indicators of child neglect such as poor hygiene, poor weight gain, inadequate medical care, or frequent absences from school. Many excuses for parental neglect can be heard, such as "They lost their jobs and have no money," "They are young and didn't know," and "They couldn't find a baby-sitter and had to go to work or would have lost their jobs." As these examples illustrate, neglect is viewed as a less harmful form of child abuse (Dubowitz, 1994) yet, according to McCurdy and Daro, "Neglect is not only the most frequent type of maltreatment; it can be just as lethal as physical abuse". Neglect can also be physical, educational, or emotional.
Physical neglect accounts for the majority of cases of maltreatment (CarriFre, Thomson, 1984). According, to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System it estimates that 7.1 of every 1,000 US children experience physical neglect (cite). Physical neglect generally involves the parent or caregiver not providing the child with basic necessities for example, adequate food, clothing, and shelter. Failure or refusal to provide these necessities endangers the child's physical health, well-being, psychological growth, and development. According, to Susan Geltman (L.C.S.W.) physical neglect also includes child abandonment, inadequate supervision, rejection of a child leading to expulsion from the home, and failure to adequately provide for the child's safety and physical and emotional needs. Physical neglect can severely impact a child's development by causing failure to thrive; malnutrition; serious illness; physical harm in the form of cuts, bruises, burns, or other injuries due to lack of supervision; and a lifetime of low self-esteem (Finkelhor, 1986).
Educational neglect involves the failure of a parent or caregiver to enroll a child of mandatory school age in school or provide appropriate home schooling or needed special educational training, thus allowing the child or youth to engage in chronic truancy. Educational neglect can lead to the child failing to acquire basic life skills, dropping out of school, or continually displaying disruptive behavior. Educational neglect can pose a serious threat to the child's emotional well-being, physical health, or normal psychological growth and development, particularly when the child has special educational needs that are not met.
Emotional Neglect includes actions such as engaging in chronic or extreme spousal abuse in the child's presence, allowing a child to use drugs or alcohol, refusing or failing to provide needed psychological care, constantly belittling the child, and withholding affection. Parental behaviors considered to be emotional child maltreatment include ignoring the child which is consistent failure to respond to the child's need for stimulation, nurturance, encouragement, and protection or failure to acknowledge the child's presence. Rejection included actively refusing to respond to the child's needs such as, refusing to show affection. Verbally assaulting can constant of belittling, name calling, and the threatening of a child. Isolating a child from other children can prevent the child from having normal social contacts with other children and adults. And, terrorizing includes threatening the child with extreme punishment or creating a climate of terror by playing on childhood fears. And, corrupting or exploiting children is engaging children in destructive, illegal, and antisocial behavior.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional Abuse is the acts or the failures to act by parents or caretakers that have caused or could cause serious behavioral, cognitive, emotional, or mental disorders (CarriFre, Thomson, 1984).
Emotional abuse includes excessive, aggressive or unreasonable demands that place expectations on a child beyond his or her capacity (Sinal). This can include parents/caretakers using extreme and/or bizarre forms of punishment, such as confinement in a closet or dark room or being tied to a chair for long periods of time or threatening or terrorizing a child. Less severe acts, but no less damaging are belittling or rejecting treatment, and using derogatory terms to describe the child. Emotional abuse also includes failure to provide the psychological nurturing necessary for a child's psychological growth and development -- providing no love, support or guidance (National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse, 1987). Emotional abuse is probably the least understood of all child abuse, yet it is the most prevalent, and can be the cruelest and most destructive of all types of abuse (Sinal). According, to Susan Geltman there are in fact some indicators to this type of abuse which are, observable indicators, behavioral indicators, and family or parental indicators. Observable indicators are when a child demonstrate actions such as child rocking back and forth, sucking on items, biting themselves inappropriately aggressiveness, destructive to others, suffers from sleeping and …show more content…
speech disorders, restricts play activities or experiences, and demonstrates compulsions, obsessions, phobias, hysterical outbursts. Some, behavioral indicators in children are negative statements about self, shy, passive, compliant, lags in physical, mental and emotional development, self destructive behavior, highly aggressive, cruel to others, and overly demanding. A family and/or parental indicator include blaming or putting down of child, being cold and rejecting of child, indifferent to child's problems or welfare, withholds affection, and shows preferential treatment when there is more than one child in the family.
Physical Abuse
The statistics on physical child abuse are alarming. It is estimated hundreds of thousands of children are physically abused each year by a parent or close relative. Physical abuse, which is 19% of all substantiated cases of child abuse, is the most visible form of abuse and may be defined as the inflicting of physical injury upon a child (CarriFre, Thomson, 1984). Susan Geltman stated that this may include, burning, hitting, punching, shaking, kicking, beating, or otherwise harming a child. While any of these injuries can occur accidentally when a child is at play it may, however, be the result of over-discipline or physical punishment that is inappropriate to the child's age and physical abuse should be suspected if the explanations do not fit the injury or if a pattern of frequency is apparent. Physical abuse may consist of just one incident or it may happen repeatedly. It involves deliberately using force against a child in such a way that the child is either injured or is at risk of being injured. It also includes holding a child under water, or any other dangerous or harmful use of force or restraint. For those who survive, the emotional trauma remains long after the external bruises have healed. And, the longer the abuse continue the more serious the injuries to the child and the more difficult it is to eliminate the abusive behavior.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual Abuse is the inappropriate sexual behavior with a child (CarriFre, Thomson, 1984). Sexual abuse is the least frequently reported form of child abuse (6% of all cases). Experts believe that sexual abuse may be the most underreported type of child maltreatment because of the secrecy, the "conspiracy of silence" that so often surrounds these cases (Britton). It includes fondling a child's genitals, making the child fondle the adult's genitals, intercourse, incest, rape, sodomy, exhibitionism and sexual exploitation. To be considered child abuse these acts have to be committed by a person responsible for the care of a child (for example a baby-sitter, a parent, or a daycare provider) or related to the child. If a stranger commits these acts, it would be considered sexual assault and handled solely be the police and criminal courts. Most children choose not to tell that they are being sexually abused. They are usually being tricked into believing that what are happening to them are normal behaviors and/or family member, pet, and friend has been threatened by the abuser. So, if a child tells you he/she was sexually mistreated and are displaying signs of being sexually abused you should take them seriously.
Susan Geltman (L.C.S.W.) made it clear that children will show some physical signs such as having difficulty walking or sitting. If they are too young to have stained or bloody underwear you should take this very serious. Or have genital or rectal pain, itching, swelling, redness, or discharge bruises or other injuries in the genital or rectal area. Some, behavioral and emotional signs such are difficulty eating or sleeping. Soiling or wetting pants or bed after being potty trained. If they start acting like a much younger child or excessive crying and sadness and start withdrawing from school or family activities and others. Talking about or acting out sexual acts beyond normal sex play for age. Physical Indicators are things you have to pay close attention too for example, a child is having difficulty walking or sitting, torn clothing, stained or bloody underwear, pain or itching in genital area, and venereal disease. Behavioral indicators in children often do not tell with normal words that they have been sexually abused or that they have successfully resisted an assault and don't know quite what to do next. There are many reasons children might hesitate or be afraid to tell us about what has happened, including their relationship to the offender, fear of the consequences, retaliation or uncertainty about whether or not they will be believed.
Most people do not know what, when, where, how, or why some children have changes in behaviors or attitudes. Most people just institute bad behavior with children growing up and rebelling and they miss the signs of a child being sexually abused. Any one of the following signs could indicate that there has been a sexual assault. When a child have a sudden reluctance to go someplace or be with someone or start displaying inappropriate affection or sexual behaviors with other young children. When they start acting out in public, sudden use of sexual terms or new names for body parts, uncomfortableness. When they start rejecting typical family affection, having sleep problems, including: insomnia, nightmares, refusal to sleep alone or suddenly insisting on a night light. Regressive behaviors, including: thumb-sucking, bed-wetting, infantile behaviors or other signs of dependency, extreme clinginess or other signs of fearfulness. In school they have a sudden change in personality, problems in school (i.e. fighting), unwilling to participate in or change clothing for gym class at school. At the home they start running away from home, having bizarre or unusual sophistication pertaining to sexual behavior or knowledge, including sexual acting out, reports sexual assault by parent or guardian.
What solutions have been attempted with which to solve the problem?
Once a child protection agency gets a report of a case of suspected child abuse, the staff initiates a series of steps to evaluate the charge, protect the child during the evaluation, and, if the allegation is true, to treat both the child and the abuser. Courts may become involved in this series of steps in two ways. At first a judge can curtail a parents right or permanently to allow protective custody of the child or placement in a foster home during the initial evaluation period. Secondly, criminal charges may be bought against the abuser. Then organizations such as the United States Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, Prevent Child Abuse New York, A National Movement, Stop It Now!, The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect, and The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children were all put in place to prevent future child abuse, habilitate the abused and abuser and etc. United States Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect
"This organization strategize on the societal level, which includes increasing the "value" of children, increasing the economic self-sufficiency of families, discouraging corporal punishment and other forms of violence, making health care more accessible and affordable, expanding and improving coordination of social services, improving the identification and treatment of psychological problems, and alcohol and drug abuse, providing more affordable child care and preventing the birth of unwanted children. The also strategize on the familial level include helping parents meet their basic needs, identifying problems of substance abuse and spouse abuse, and educating parents about child behavior, discipline, safety and development (United States Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect)."
Prevent Child Abuse New York
"Prevent Child Abuse New York is the only statewide, nonprofit organization in New York dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect. According, to Prevent Child Abuse New York website they prevent child abuse and neglect by increasing public understanding of the problem and its solutions and serving as a resource for families, individuals and organizations (Prevent Child Abuse New York). They advocate for the expanding and improving programs and policies to prevent child abuse. They also foster a statewide network committed to child abuse prevention (Prevent Child Abuse New York)."
A National Movement
"A National Movement is only one program component of the National Exchange Club Foundation is the National Parent Aide Network. The program was established by parent aides and parent aide supporters, NPAN supports the growth of parent aide programs nationwide, with a purpose to promote activities which strengthen families, offer support to parents and prevent child abuse and neglect. NPAN supports a national network of parent aide programs while stimulating program development in communities currently not being served. NPAN serves as a clearinghouse for information; provides technical expertise regarding program and organizational issues and advocates for the needs and interests of parent aide programs on a national level (National Parent Aide Network, 1998)."
Stop It Now!
"Stop It Now!, is a national nonprofit organization, created a ground-breaking public health approach to prevent the perpetration of child sexual abuse. Since 1992, Stop It Now!'s started public policy, public education, and research programs to protect our children by emphasizing adult and community responsibility. These programs reach out to adults who are concerned about inappropriate sexualized behavior in another adult, adolescent, or child, and to adults who are concerned about their own thoughts or behaviors (Stop It Now! UK & Ireland, 2005)."
The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect
"The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information (NCCANCH) was established in 1974 by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to collect, organizes, and disseminates information on all aspects of child maltreatment (The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect). The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information and the National are services of the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The mission of the Clearinghouses is to connect professionals and concerned citizens to practical, timely, and essential information on programs, research, legislation, and statistics to promote the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families (The National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect)."
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
"The NSPCC is the United Kingdom's leading charity specializing in child protection and the prevention of cruelty to children. They have been directly involved in protecting children and campaigning on their behalf since 1884. They have 180 community-based throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland. They have a free, 24-hour Child Protection Helpline that provides information, advice and counseling to anyone concerned about a child's safety. They have public education campaigns, to increase understanding about child abuse and provide advice and support on positive parenting. They have parliamentary campaigning to persuade government, Parliament and opinion-formers to put children's issues at the top of the political agenda. They have child protection training and advice for organizations involved in the care, protection and education of children. For example, local and health authorities, sports bodies and young people's groups. They do research on the nature and effects of child abuse. They hold fundraisers through individual and corporate supporters, which provide 85% of the money needed to pay for our work to end cruelty to children (The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children)."
Statistics
With the following statistics I have came to the conclusion that with all the agencies that have been started; they have not done enough to end Child Abuse. The following statistics from the Mental Health Journal:
"1,500 children die from abuse each year. There are 140,000 injuries to children from abuse each year. There are 1.7 million reports of child abuse each year."
" about 1 in 4 women in North America were molested in childhood."
"More than 2 million cases of child abuse and neglect are reported each year in the United States. An estimated 150,000 to 200,000 new cases of sexual abuse occur each year."
"There were estimated 903,000 victims of maltreatment nationwide."
"An estimated 1,100 children died of abuse and neglect, a rate of approximately 1.6 deaths per 100,000 children in the general populations."
" approximately 1 in 7 males will have been sexually molested before the age of 18."
According, to the statistics above about child abuse it shows that the problem continues to increase instead of declining. These agencies that are already in progress need to work much harder so we can get statistics like these one's to decline.
What are your personal values regarding this issues? What solutions would you propose and why?
Can you imagine the terror a child goes through when she is alone with the so called "favorite" uncle in the eerie lounge with the television blaring? He is lying on the couch with a weird smile on his face, glazed look in his eyes, one hand holding her so called "favorite" sweets; the other calling her...A familiar numbness overtakes her body. Fear, hate, anger, tears and the need to trust that he won't hurt her. No! No! Sounds' echoing to a faint...and it happens... She hates the room, she hates the ornaments, she hates anyone with that look, and she hates this uncle. She is hurt and wants to escape. Despair!!! Shame!!! Fear!!! Hopelessness and Helplessness!!! She cannot tell! He threatened her! He warned her! No one will believe her! She will be blamed.
In addition, she doesn't know why she is bedwetting, and sometimes soils/messes her clothes. At school she is slowly becoming a recluse with fear that her friends will come to know. So she bullies them to keep them away from her. She gets into trouble. She was recently caught stealing. Why did she do this? She doesn't know. Her grades are dropping. She is in hot water with her teacher. Mom has already been to school for this. Dad has given her a good beating for this. Life is disastrous. Hey, that nice man at the fence offered her sweets to forget any problems. Should she? She wonders? Oh! All this wouldn't have happened if mum had been at home for her! But she would never believe her because it's dad's brother and he is so nice to everyone. Oh! How she hates him. She hates mum for not saving her. Mom is only interested in her work, home, friends, functions and clothes. And, blames her for misbehaviors. As for Dad! Long and behold! Want a shouting and beating up? Stay far. When she grows up, she is going to have this uncle locked up for abusing her. But that seems too far away. She's only eight years old. This young girl was me so I know first hand how it feels to be lied too, betrayed, lonely, depresses, and wanted to end my life. Looking back at that experience and I had to handle a case of child abuse I would take the child to a quiet, private area. Gently encourage the child to give you enough information to evaluate whether abuse may have occurred. Remain calm so as not to upset the child. If the child reveals the abuse, reassure him/her that you believe him/her, that he/she is right to tell you, and that he/she is not bad. Tell the child you are going to talk to persons who can help him/her. Return the child to the group (if appropriate). Record all information. Immediately report the suspected abuse to the proper local authorities. As far as teenagers and adults who have been abused in any way, are having a hard time coping with parenting, and battling a substance abuse problem I would hold more Child abuse, Parenting, and Alcohol conferences all around the world. I would write cartoons and comics books to attract the younger crowd where they could learn ways to protect themselves from child abuse. I will make up non-profit commercials that will run throughout the entire day promoting different support groups for parents who need counseling and for children who need guidance. Put articles in all the popular newspapers and try and start a course in high school called Child Awareness. Students will learn about all types of child abuses and the different ways the could protect themselves
Child abuse is the number one killer of children all over the world.
The four forms neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse continue to hunt children all over the world. Child abuse is both shocking and commonplace. Child abusers inflict physical, sexual, and emotional trauma on defenseless children every day. The scars can be deep and long-lasting. Unfortunately, the more subtle forms of child abuse such as neglect and emotional abuse can be just as traumatizing as violent physical abuse. Focused support can help both the victims of child abuse and the child abusers
themselves.