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Understanding the Contribution of Fatherlessness to Abuse Child maltreatment is exacerbated by fatherlessness. Without a father present in the house and away from their children, moms frequently have to assume the role themselves or delegate it to someone else. According to the article A World Without Fathers, children who grow up without a father experience several forms of abuse and suffering. They begin to use drugs, commit crimes, experience depression, and become more sexually active (Popenoe 1996). The child is then left with their mothers, who either mistreat them as a result of their behavior or because they hold the child responsible for the reason that the father left.
Improving Fatherhood
Parenting may be a more effective way to address child abuse. If both parents get along well, having men in the children's lives makes it less likely that they will mistreat them. If there was a father or other father figure in the child's life, they also wouldn't be doing crimes and many
other things. An article titled "Engaging Fathers" provided by Child Welfare Information Gateway says “
To improve the engagement of fathers and paternal family members, child welfare agencies can provide training for their staff on effective engagement strategies and father-identification practices. Agencies can also partner with fathers and fatherhood organizations on system improvement efforts” (n.d.). Reducing Fatherlessness
I think it might be beneficial to discuss how fatherlessness affects children, moms, and fathers in order to improve the state of fatherhood. Encouraging parents to enroll in parenting seminars or even just do their own research that addresses the value of a father figure in their children's lives would give parents the knowledge and resources they need to understand the impact that both moms and fathers have on their children. Mothers and fathers may be the best
