Factors of Baby Dumping Among Teenagers in Malaysia
Muhammad Nazirul bin Bakarudin
1416397
Mohamad Shahril bin Rozalee
1416835
Kulliyyah of Education
Factors of Baby Dumping Among Teenagers in Malaysia
Malaysia is grappling with the rising cases of abandoned babies, "forcing" the Malaysian police to investigate baby abandonment cases under the Malaysian Penal Code for murder or attempt murder. This issue has been rampant in Malaysia since 2011. Based on the figure shown by the police, around 100 babies were abundant every year and more than 50% of them deceased (reported in Loh Foon Fong, 2016). Baby abandonment is an action of leaving the infant in a public or dangerous area that is quite and isolated. Generally, the main reason of the baby abandonment case widely occurs is because of people especially teenagers that have been involved in sexual relation outside marriage results in the birth of baby often unwanted thus abandoned.
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61 were assumed to be dead (The Star Online, 2016). Death was caused by drowning in the river, dead during giving birth, and eaten by stray dogs. Pregnancy caused panic among teenagers as they are mentally disrupted and cannot think rationally thus leads to baby abandonment. What are the factors that trigger them to do this? Do they know the consequences of sexual intercourse before marriage? These are the thing that is going to be discussed and explored in detail.
Needless to say, lack of moral education background, parental supervision, and peer influence are the factors that influencing the baby abandonment among teenagers in
There are many irresponsible parents in modern society who don’t take responsibility over their children. Many mothers are left to raise a child all by themselves while other children have no mother to care for them at all. The very unfortunate children are left stranded by themselves with no one to care for them and guide them in the right direction. Abandonment is a serious crime that is getting worse now that more and more underage girls are having children and either abandoning them, or raising them without a father.
101). In one study by D'Orban, it was shown that 26% of 89 infanticide cases involved mental illness. (Porter and Gavin, 2010, p. 101). Other reasons for infanticide include an unwanted infant, revenge against the father, and financial reasons.
Nowadays, we see this abandonment in pregnant teenagers who are not ready for a child just yet. A girl throws her baby in a dumpster because she knows she can’t
Based on the cross-contextual analysis and evidence, adolescent pregnancy seems to be a glaring issue. This is due to the fact, that all statistical findings point to the same direction: expressions practiced among the ethnic/racial groups towards the issue. Therefore, will provide analysis on the external factors: programs, policies, and social conditions in the following
There is a need for safe-haven laws because a growing number of young mothers are giving birth to children in less than ideal family situations. An unwed, teenage girl may give birth to a child, and then out of sheer panic and acute depression, leave the child behind in an unsafe environment. These laws would significantly reduce the risk that a newborn will be abandoned in a situation that jeopardizes their survival. The laws also offer anonymity and immunity from prosecution for the parent who chooses to drop their baby off, for whatever reasons, at a safe-haven.
They are left with no option than to find secret ways in abandoning the baby. There have been stories of mothers drowning a baby in a toilet or babies found in dumpsters (Phillipsen, 2003).
The fate of high school young ladies who are pregnant regularly don't hold extraordinary guarantees for the infant and youngster because of the measure of devotion required with bringing up a tyke. Remaining in school can be harder because of the schools' demeanor, peer states of mind, and absence of day administer to the infant. 2/3 of pregnant adolescents drop out of school. The requests of training are high with a specific end goal to locate a great job, thusly leaving an issue for an adolescent mother who has dropped out; driving her to go on welfare on account of her profound budgetary issue. In the event that an adolescent couple get hitched after they have an infant, it will in all likelihood end in separation. An adolescent can't go out with companions as much as they used to, their social life is put on hold for a long time. High school young ladies who are pregnant can't party (drink, smoke, and utilize drugs). Young ladies pass up a great opportunity for their own particular youth since they are caught up with dealing with another kid. Adolescent young ladies put weight on their folks for help on bringing up the youngster. Kids pass up a major opportunity for some things a more seasoned mother can provide for her kid. Because of an adolescent, youthful age, they don't have the best possible child rearing abilities that are required so as to bring up a tyke well (Anonymous,
Unwanted children are an indirectly responsible for a huge number of family problems, such as child abuse, divorce, and poverty. Women between 15 and 19 account for at least 5 million abortions every year.In some cases, the child would be relying on a single mother while in high school, have a non-supportive family, and won’t have the financial resources to support a child. Which can be led into negative health and psychological consequences?
In the absence of specific statistics, it is important to recognize the network of social influences in which baby abandonment happens. It is an issue that affects and is affected by teenagers, parents, schools, churches, and other community organizations. It also places a toll on all of the social services that exist to look after parents and children, including health care, child welfare, mental health care, and welfare. Parents who abandon babies shortly after birth have fallen through the cracks of all of the mentioned public supports and social systems that exist to protect parents and children. Aside from the typical sex education; school-based services along with community-based services are in place to help young adults make informed decisions about reproductive health. Public and private organizations provide assistance such as counseling to women undergoing unplanned pregnancies. The public child welfare system and private adoption agencies provide parents with an opportunity to relinquish their children, in many cases confidentially. Families, schools,
Parents must be included in their children’s decisions because parents can influence their children in a significant way. For instance, parental consent laws reduce the minor abortion rate by 19 percent (qtd. in Davis). “A 2008 study done by Michael J. New, Ph.D. shows that parental involvement laws reduce the abortion rate among 17 years old by 18.3 percent, among 16 years old by 14.3 percent, and among 15 years old by 8.6 percent” (qtd. in Davis). These statistics show that the states that require parental involvement laws the abortion rates decline greatly. Sometimes, teens want to have an abortion because they are afraid of their parents. However, if the law requires minors to inform their parents about their pregnancy and the possibility of an abortion, their parents will be able to help them. If a teen does not inform her parents about her being pregnant, this teen will never know if her parents would have been supportive and guide her through this difficult process.
Factors that motivate youth-in-care to become pregnant include: lack of connection with a positive role model (due to instable living arrangements, environments, and/or multiple foster placements), participation in risky behaviors and being sexually active at younger ages than non-youth-in-care, and feeling as though they want to create a family of their own (i.e., filling a void) (Boostra , 2011).
Teenage pregnancy and parenthood are often seen as strictly negative and problematic, with the moral panic surrounding them only growing as media and government play a role in perpetuating these ideas of negativity surrounding them. Though it is a contentious issue, what are often ignored are the underlying causes of the social phenomena that are teenage pregnancy and parenthood. The experiences of poverty and social exclusion by many pregnant teens and teen parents have not been proven to be more severe than what these young people were experiencing before, so it brings into question the validity of the moral panic as well as the aims of programs meant to decrease teen pregnancy and parenthood. Looking at teen pregnancy and parenthood, first
The fact that the child is initially already unwanted due to an unplanned pregnancy could potentially cause serious psychological issues for the child and mother as well. Common sense and evidence both show that children are raised best when they are wanted and loved. For example, unwanted children are at risk of juvenile delinquency. A specific study in Washington State found that a higher percentage of children born to teenage mothers had an “11-fold higher risk” of becoming serious juvenile delinquents than other children. Some other studies show that a combination of a complicated birth and maternal rejection are associated with juvenile crimes
It is generally accepted that the majority of teen births are a result of accidental pregnancies. Even with the fact that this subject received much attention in the recent years, it is very difficult for society to understand what influences some teenagers in taking an important step in such matters. The environment that an individual lives in is apparently essential when considering the strategy that the respective person is going to employ with the purpose of resolving the 'problem'.
Teen pregnancy is a very controversial social issue and the vast majority of Americans consider the outrageous rate of teen pregnancies a severe issue, certainly a problematic occurrence that is believed to be a moral decline in our country. Teenagers are physiologically capable of reproducing but not emotionally or financially prepared to be parents at such a tender age. Through various research studies a plethora of determinants has pin pointed teens unprecedented pregnancies. One cause of this problem is the apparent indication of social separation or disadvantage. Within this issue you would find poverty, single parent households, educational disadvantages on the parents behalf, a lack family/parental support, and unemployment. A child’s educational performance, inappropriate sexual acts, and inferior apprehensions about their futures play a vital role in teen pregnancies as well. Amongst the listed disadvantages the three that take precedent are lacks of family communication, sexual abuse, and poverty. Furthermore, teen mothers do not fit the ideal ideology of the normative scheduling of motherhood, therefore, ultimately resulting in negative consequences for them and society. What needs to be understood is, as to why the numbers of teens are becoming parents at such a vernal age.