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
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.
According to The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, child abuse is defined 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,” (www.childwelfare.gov). This could be interpreted as physical, sexual or emotional abuse in childhood for those 18 years of age and younger. Child abuse can cause many risk factors and health issues for those affected which can life in later years.
Abuse usually occurs due to poverty, lack of education, marital problems, changing of environments, family violence, and lack of support from family members, loneliness, social isolation, unemployment and many other factors which also relates to non-accidental incidents by caregivers, parents, older adolescents or other adults that is not within the norms of conduct and whom necessitates a considerable risk of inflicting physical or emotional harm to a child. Incidents like this can be un-intentional but other people also intentionally abuse their child which includes commission and omission. Instead of coming home to a safe environment, 40,844 children are abused. Evidentially child abuse is a very serious contemporary issue which has acquired many legal and non-legal
There are over 800,000 children abused each year in the United States. When children are susceptible to abuse, they not only have to go through the trauma when it happens, but they also are likely to have still continue to battle the long-term consequences throughout adulthood. People who experienced physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect as children will probably develop psychological disorders as an adult.
Child Abuse and Neglect continue to be a serious pediatric and social threat to the nation’s children. Child maltreatment is more than bruises and broken bones. While physical abuse may be the most noticeable, other types of abuse, such as emotional and sexual abuses, leave deep, lasting scars. Child Maltreatment includes significant negative experiences with long-lasting effects. These childhood experiences cause detrimental, long lasting effects during cognitive, behavioral, and emotional development and often well into adulthood. This paper will look at the various types of child maltreatment and the causes attributed to them, as well as the long term effects of child abuse and what can be done to prevent these abuses.
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
When reading these statistics, it is plain to see that the abuse and mistreatment of children is a critical issue, not just in the United States, but globally. Much research has been conducted to determine the general demographics of the perpetrators and the victims, common trends in cases of abuse that could shed light on the psychology of the abusers and their victims, and how the abuse inflicted on the victims affects their development into adulthood. In a report on the long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect, the Children’s
“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.
In this article, there will be information regarding child abuse. In the first section of this paper, it will identify child abuse and how it is viewed in America. The next section discusses the full extent of child welfare. Then, it states the causes as to which child abuse is attributed. The paper then goes on explaining the values and beliefs that makes child abuse defined as a social problem in America. Child abuse will then be explained in depth about why it is raised as a problem at this point in time? “Child abuse can result from physical, emotional, or sexual harm. While child abuse is often in the form of an action, there are also examples of inaction that cause harm, such as neglect. Some households that suffer from alcoholism/substance
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 almost 3 million cases reported every year and on average, killing more than 4 children every day . The main issue of child abuse is that the abuser is usually someone a child loves or depends on (a parent, step-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 problems, alcohol/drug addictions, social isolation, marital problems, insecure attachments between a parent and a child, etc.
INTRODUCTION: “Child Abuse occurs when a parent or a care taker physically, emotionally, or sexually mistreats or neglects a child resulting in the physical, emotional, or sexual harm or imminent risk of harm or exploitation, or in extreme cases the death of a child,” child abuse is a big deal because in today’s society many children face abuse, there are many effects and reasons as to why a child may be abuse.
Although child abuse has soon become a more discussed issue, it is nothing new in today’s society. Dating back to ancient times, physical child abuse has always attributed to lives of people around the world. Approaching and understanding child mistreatment has changed as societies have modernized and progressed; whereas one thing remains an unalterable issue, child abuse happens constantly and continuously worldwide.
Child abuse in American today is amongst the most saddened topics of mankind. Many children are subjected to neglect and abuse on a daily basis. The sex and age of child makes no difference when it comes to child abuse.. Boys and girls are equally likely to suffer maltreatment. The problem is how often child abuse goes unreported. Millions of children across the world are abused in some way, whether it is verbal, emotional, physical or sexual. Child abuse has been happening all over the world to young children, however many children keep this a secret because of fear of what could happen. Child Abuse consists of any act of commission or omission that endangers or impairs a child’s physical or emotional health and development. It can be