According to Finkelhor et al (2005), the increasing rates of child victimization over the last few decades have created a global attention on child abuse. With these increasing rates, most countries all over the world have begun to address this situation. Most countries have enacted laws that classify child victimization cases as criminal offenses punishable according to the provisions of the law (Finkelhor et al, 2005). As noted by Giardino (2010), the increasing prevalence and consequences of child abuse calls for detailed researches and investigations across the world.
This research paper explores the controversial topic on child victims. The paper describes the major types of child abuse, the extent of the problem, intergenerational
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Sexual Child Abuse
According to the arguments of Diaz, Peddle, Reid & Wang (2002), sexual child abuse can be termed as the most serious form of child abuse as it can occur in nearly all environments including in the school and at the home. This form of child abuse as argued by Diaz, Peddle, Reid & Wang (2002) can be described as the engagement of an inappropriate behavior with a minor that includes rape, sexual intercourse, sexual exploitation, fondling of the minor’s genitals, incest, sodomy and encouraging the minor to fondle an adult’s private parts. Furthermore, a person who is aged and has the responsibility of taking care for the minor must perform acts that amount to sexual child abuse (Diaz, Peddle, Reid & Wang, 2002).
Diaz, Peddle, Reid & Wang (2002) posit that sexual abuses to a child inflicted by strangers are termed as sexual assaults hence the criminal justice system is responsible in dealing with these cases. As noted by Diaz, Peddle, Reid & Wang (2002), the symptoms of child sexual abuse occur physically, emotionally, and behaviorally hence a sexually abused child may exhibit symptoms of pain, vaginal discharge, penile discharge, urination difficulties and in less instances physical trauma. Furthermore, there are two more types of sexual child abuse definitions: Interfamilial sexual abuse and Extrafamilia sexual abuse. Interfamilial sexual abuse includes incest and refers to any type of exploitative
Sexual abuse can be hard to define because of the many different forms it can take on, the different levels of frequency, the variation of circumstances that can occur. Until a child is fit to function as a self-supporting and informed adult, we have an obligation not to take advantage of their lack of power or protection to inflict damage, or demand submission to acts that are not in their own best interests within. Children are being abused every day in different countries. While commonly accepted wisdom had been that childhood sexual abuse results in long lasting negative outcomes.
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
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.
As time progresses on, more reports of child sexual abuse (CSA) have been documented. According to Colangelo and Cooperman, CSA is defined as “the use of a child under 18 years of age as an object of gratification for adult sexual needs and desires.” Another definition of CSA is “sexual abuse [that] occurs whenever one person dominates and exploits another by means of sexual activity or suggestion.” (Hall, M., & Hall, J., 2011) it is difficult to
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
Introduction / Purpose of paper The mistreatment of children is a very saddening social problem in our American society. Child abuse has a very lengthy history. Children have been abused by their parents since the beginning of time. According to my research, for many centuries throughout most of our human history, laws have failed to protect children from this abuse.
An estimated 39 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse exist in America today (Darness2Light, 2009a ). This figure continues to grow daily as perpetrators of this crime continue in this destructive path. The definition of child sexual abuse is the force, coercion, or cajoling of children into sexual activities by a dominant adult or adolescent. Sexual abuse of children includes touching (physical) sexually including: fondling; penetration (vaginal or anal using fingers, foreign objects or offenders organs; oral sex, or non-physical contact including: sexual comments; indecent exposures; masturbating in a child’s presence; child prostitution or child pornography (Child Welfare, 2009a).
Within the United States, child maltreatment is becoming more and more commonly reported as there is over 3 million reports each year. Due to the constant increase of child maltreatment reports, society has become more aware of the issue, which has led to awareness campaigns. (Payne, 87). Even with societies’ knowledge of such abuse there are still serval child maltreatment cases that are not reported. The children that are victims of maltreatment pertains any sort of harm to the child whether it is by injury, neglect, physical, emotional, or even sexual abuse by someone who holds a major role in the child’s life, a parent or guardian figure (“What is Child Abuse”).
213). Physical abuse is the most common type of child maltreatment. Boys and girls are about equally likely to be physically abused. Physical abuse include: hitting, kicking, shaking, throwing, burning, stabbing or shocking the child (Downs, Moore and McFaden, 2009, pg. 211). Lastly, according to Downs, Moore and McFadden sexual abuse is an “act of a person, adult or child, which forces, coerces, or threatens a child to have any form of sexual contact or to engage in any type of sexual activity at the perpetrator’s direction” (2009,p214). The terms of “sexual abuse” encompasses a wide range of behaviors which are the follow: fondling, making a child touch an adult’s sexual organs and penetrating a child’s vagina or anus (Downs, Moore and McFaden, 2009, p.214). Among the abuses Antwone was subjected to, he was a victim of repeated sexual abuse. He did not receive adequate supervision and he was always hoping that someone would find out and stop the abuse.
Sexual abuse constitutes a serious violation of children’s rights and human dignity. Sexual abuse occurs when a person uses their power over a child, and involves the child in any sexual act. The power of the abuser lies in their age, advantage, superiority of intellectual or physical development, or in a relationship of authority with
According to statistics there are “40 million children subjected to child abuse each year” (Cause and Effects). “Child abuse occurs when a parent or caretaker physically, emotionally, sexually, mistreats or neglects a child resulting in the physical, emotional, or sexual harm or exploitation, or imminent risk of harm or exploitation, or in extreme cases death of a child” (Child Safety). Child abuse is not only a sensitive subject but a complex one because of the long-term/ short-term effects and the difference between discipline and abuse.
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 is just one of the problems in America we face today. Child abuse affects a child’s mind, emotional state of being and this type of abuse or cruelty molds a person to whom they are by the age of eighteen and is a worldwide prevailing occurrence. “Child abuse or ill-treatment creates all forms of physical and /or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power.” Child sexual abuse had been extensively known as one of the distress in a child’s life. Previous study have delivered tough indication of child sexual abuse is connected with a quantity of psychological, social, and mental health problems. Depression, anxiety, alcohol and drug abuse, and most illnesses among adult child sexual abuse victims. Former analyses have stated that some of the fears include sexual illnesses, victimization, and close acquaintance violence. In recent times, it has been establish that various physical health conditions are connected to child sexual abuse. In accumulation, child sexual abuse fighters have been found to accomplish less in knowledge and revenue.
Violence against children is a phenomenon happening worldwide, in forms of physical, psychological violence. Children are deprived of care, basic social services, health care and education, child abuse, neglect, exploitation, forced to beg, trafficked. Children are still one of the social groups at risk, facing many problems that remain unresolved. Although the consequences may vary according to the type and severity of the violence, the short and long-term consequences for children are very often serious and destructive and are costly. The laws that protect children’s rights are often not effective.