Child Abuse and Neglect

Child abuse is more than bruises and broken bones. While physical abuse might be the most visible, other types of abuse, such as emotional abuse and neglect, also leave deep, lasting scars. (Help guide.org). The earlier abused children get help, the greater chance they have to heal and break the cycle—rather than perpetuating it. There is a myth that only bad people abuse their children. (Help guide.org) But the fact is while it 's easy to say that only "bad people" abuse their children, it 's not always so black and white. Not all abusers are intentionally harming their children. Many have been victims of abuse themselves, and don’t know any other way to parent. Others may be struggling with mental health issues or a substance abuse

Child abuse is the physical or emotional abuse of a child by a parent, guardian, or other person. Reports of child abuse, including sexual abuse, beating, and murder, have jumped in the United States and some authorities believe that the number of cases is largely under reported. Child neglect is also included in legal definitions of child abuse to cover instances of malnutrition, desertion, and inadequate care of a child's safety. When reported, inadequate foster care services and a legal system that has trouble accommodating the suggestible nature of children, who are often developmentally unable to distinguish fact from make-believe, complicate child abuse cases

Abuse is present whether or not it is perceived by perpetrators, victims, or observers. It is possible to think of abuse as predetermined and all abused children could be identified in one way or another.

To the normal person it is very tough for them to understand why abusers commit such sickening crimes, but to the abuser this perceptibly seems normal and researchers have not been able to come up with an answer of how to cure or deal with this kind of dysfunctional mind. It is therefore safe to assume that child abuse is going to carry on for the foreseeable future.

Children in homes where there is abuse usually end up either, being abused themselves or being neglected. This is where they generally learn to become abusers themselves.

When a person is abusing a child, he/she does not think about the effects. When people are mistreating a child, they will be in the moment and not thinking of what they are doing. If an individual chronically abuses his/her child, he is not thinking about the effects the abuse has on his child. There are various long and short term effects of child abuse. Unfortunately, these short-term effects of child abuse are not the most frightening; most abused children do not have lasting physical effects. Other than some bruises and social withdrawal, short term effects are not clear. If asked about bruises, children will make up a lie to protect their abuser (Friedman). The effects of being abused as a child continue into adulthood and create the long term effects. The disturbing part is that abused children will most likely grow up to be troubled adolescents and adults who may even abuse their own children.

What is Child Abuse There is not one specific type of child abuse in fact there are more than one form of child mistreatment such as: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. Before going into further details of the problems and treatment of child abuse; one must know what child abuse is. The United States Department of Health and Human Services provides a standard legal definition of child abuse, CAPTA (2010) states:

Child Maltreatment is the general term used to describe all forms of child abuse and neglect. There is no one commonly accepted definition of child abuse and neglect. Maltreatment is frequently linked with poverty and its associated burdens such as single parenthood, social isolation, unemployment and poor education. (Wulczyn, 2009).

Child abuse affects millions of children every year. Child abuse is defined as “the hurting or causing harm to a child” (Stewart, 2003, p. 6). Most people do not understand why a parent would want to hurt their children. “The

When a child experiences emotional abuse, the wounds run skin deep. Kids who suffer repeated trauma feel lonely, scared, worthless and unloved, which is exactly the opposite of how children should feel. Abused children often become broken, hollow and bitter, with mental consequences that last long after the physical wounds have healed. The emotional stress it puts on children is tremendous.

However, the most common reason found of why parents abuse their children is because they were abused as a child by one of their close family members. In Sickened Julie told how her “Grandma [Madge] and I would climb in the car and go off and get in a car wreck.” It is understood that her grandmother influenced Sandy to start mistreating Julie. In another article, it mentioned that, “some batter because their fathers did – a warped legacy” (Burling A1+). The same goes for all kinds of abuse or neglect, people are much more likely to be a persecutor of abuse if their parents abused them. Another statistic states, “about thirty percent of abused and neglected children will later

There are certain demographics that are more prone to child abuse. Lower income families and young single mothers are the most likely to have child abuse in the home. This is due to the levels of stress in these types of families. When a person gets too stressed, and is not given the proper tools and resources to let that stress out, naturally it goes to a person that is close to them. Most of the time it is the children, all it takes is for the child to do something small, it can be something natural such as crying for no apparent reason as children often do, to take the abuser from simply over stressed to their breaking point.

I have learned that most children are abused by someone in their family. Some children are abused by their parents, but if you asked them about it, they will deny of such things because they love their parents, and they are afraid of them. They will not stay anything about the way their parents treat them, and not even to their friends. It is becoming hard for child protective service to protect children if they are refusing to talk about their parents hurting or abusing them. If a neighbor or family member happened to see something like this and report it, is when they child can safe from any harm.

Think about your childhood, coming home from school, going to practice, and then eating dinner with your family, and your parents coming tucking you into bed and kissing you to bed. The sad truth is that not everyone gets to have that ideal childhood according to the American Society for

Effects of child abuse All these types of abuses have a huge effect on the children. These abuses leave long lasting scars whether it is neglect, physical, emotional or sexual. These scars damage a child 's sense of self, abilities to have healthy relationships, ability to function in the world. It gives them a lack of trust. They no longer feel they can trust those they love or think they know really well because of what was done to them. There will always be that fear in the back of their minds wondering if this person will do that to them. For those who have been verbally abused may feel worthless or damaged. After being told over and over again these harsh comments they start to belive they are true. Also