Child Abuse Abstract Thousands of children are abused every year and most of the time by members of their own families. A recent study carried out by the WHO estimated 1,273,000 children in America had been victims of some form of abuse in the year 1984. This report was based on projected or actual figures which were supplied by the official state liaisons for child abuse and neglect. It suggested a noticeable increase in the number of cases, up from an estimated 1,007,000 in 1981. The figures are frightening, however, they do point to a new found awareness about the tragedy of child abuse. A problem that has long been kept secret is now being uncovered. In this paper; types of child abuse, legal mandates, its risk factors and causes, effects, diagnosis, treatment and prevention are discussed. Child Abuse Introduction Child abuse is one of the most increasing social problems nowadays all over the world. Few issues generate the concern, anger, and frustration as the abuse or neglect of children. According to data from the US Department of Health and Human Services, six million children have been abused and neglected in the year 2009 and majority of these children needed action right away (US Department of Health and Human Services 2010). Legal Mandates A relatively new concept, child abuse has been recently designated as a serious public health concern (Barriere, 2005). Both federal and state agencies have created definitions for child abuse. The
Child abuse has been a big issue in the world for a long time. There has not always been child protective services like there is now. Children would be abused and neglected and nothing was being done because it was not being reported. The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children was the world’s first organization in the late 1800s which was dedicated totally to child protection (Myers, 2008).
The extent of abuse was collected, accessed, and observed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “In 2006, according to information collected as part of the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System overseen by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, state and local child protective service agencies investigated 3,573,000 million referrals for children reported to be abused or neglected” (Korsmeyer). The abuse has
Child abuse is epidemic in many countries as well as the United States. It is estimated that every thirteen seconds a child is abused in some manner: physically, sexually, emotionally or by neglect (Friedman). Each year, there are over 3 million reports of child abuse in the United States involving more than 6 million children. Child abuse can be reduced with proper education of the parents and with greater public awareness.
What is child abuse? From the word “abuse” we can understand that it is some sort of a maltreatment of a child, causing harm and damage both to his physical and psychological well-being. At the Federal level, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) describes child abuse and neglect as: “any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.” Child abuse is a very substantial and widely spread problem in U.S. affecting children of any age, gender, race, background or income, with more than 1.8 million investigations done every year and on average, killing more than 5 children every day. The main issue of child abuse is that the abuser is usually someone a child loves or depends on (a parent, sibling, coach, neighbor, etc.), who violates child’s trust putting personal interests first, therefore official numbers of how many children suffer maltreatment might be not accurate enough as remarkable amount of these cases go unreported. Each case of child abuse is unique, with a lot of individual factors involved, nevertheless, we can distinguish some of the common causes, such as poverty, lack of education, depression, mental or physical health
The National Children 's Alliance reported that the number of unique cases of abused and neglected children in the United States stands at an annual rate of 700,000 and rising (as cited in ?U.S. Department of Health & Human Services,? 2016, p. ii). Sadly, this means that more than 1,900 new children become victims of abuse and neglect with each passing day. Neglect was the type of
Every day children around the world are being abused by their parents, trusted adult, caregiver and peers. Children are constantly suffering when there are things that everyone as a community can do help them. Psychologists, social workers and the victims to childhood abuse have studied and worked together to establish precautionary measures to execute child abuse all together.
Child abuse or child maltreatment is a major public health concern. Child abuse does not only affect the family it occurs in, but also society at large through significant financial and
According to the National Child Abuse Statistics, every year in the United States more than three million reports of child abuse are made, involving more than six million children. In 2012, 78.3 % of those abuse reports were for child neglect. “While the number of child maltreatment claims is likely an underestimate of the true prevalence, there are still 3.3 million claims of abuse per year in the US, with approximately 30% being confirmed after
Child maltreatment is not a new social problem for the United States however, child maltreatment remains to be a substantial social problem that continues to draw the attention of legislators at the federal and state level, the child welfare system, and society as a whole. Child maltreatment includes the unthinkable act of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse inflicted on a child by a parent or caregiver which results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a minor child. In addition to abuse, child maltreatment includes neglect of a child by a parent or caregiver. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) guides the response and treatment to the increasingly recognized issue of child abuse and neglect experienced by children
The experiences we have as children shapes our behaviors and they way our brains function as adults. Child abuse and neglect is a hidden epidemic that not everyone fully understands or knows about its existence. Every year three million reports are made against child abuse; more than six million children are affected annually. The United States carries one one the highest records of child abuse among industrialized countries. Abuse can be in many forms: physical, emotional, and sexual. Child abuse can cause many harmful heath issues in children. Mental heath disorders, sexual and reproductive health issues, and behavioral health (criminal behaviors) can all be a result of experiencing abuse as a child. Child abuse is more prevalent in children
“In 1996, more than a million victims of alleged abuse were reported to CPS in the United States” (Causes). What if it is that sweet, young child living next door who falls victim? Child abuse an issue society is constantly faced with. Sexual, physical and emotional abuses are three major issues kids face in society today.
Child abuse consists of any act or failure to act that endangers a child’s physical or emotional health and development. A person caring for a child is abusive if he or she fails to nurture the child, physically injures the child, or relates sexually to the child (Robins). Child abuse is broken down into four major categories: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. Aside from the abuse itself, the cost of the tragic events costs the United States billions of dollars each year. Every day, approximately 4 children in the United States die resulting from child abuse and the majority are under 5-years-old (Fromm). There are many organizations that promote preventative measures in reducing child abuse. If nothing is done,
“Every year more than 3 million reports of child abuse are made in the United States” (childhelp). Child abuse is very common. Those who live around child abuse either try to make the world a better place trying to end it or they learn to continue it. Being abuse is something that people experience and it is difficult to live a normal life afterwards. It is not easy to recognize when a child has been abuse.
Just about all children have many different experiences that will have a major impact on their lives before they reach full maturity. A child can face a lot of dangerous things from the environment surroundings them which might seriously affect their whole life. The definition of Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act: Child abuse is any action from adult to a child that can be harmful to the child’s body or mental (Children Welfare Information Gateway 2007). In the year 2005 there were about 3.6 million investigations by Child Protective Services Agencies in the U.S. an estimated 899,000 children (24.97%) were confirmed to be victims of child abuse (Children’s Bureau 2005).
Each year, nearly a million children are determined by child protective services to be the victims of abuse and/or neglect in this/country, while many more are at risk. The majority of victims suffer from neglect, but some children also endure the effects of physical, psychological, or sexual abuse. Child abuse results in several social, emotional and psychological problems. This essay will discuss the causes and effects of child abuse as well as provide suggestions to assist the victims and finally the consequences on the abusers.