Keeping secrets

Physical abuse is “the mistreatment of a child that causes physical injury, impairment, or endangerment.” (Layman 15) It accounts for about 25 percent of abuse cases. (Moses) Children who have been abused usually show certain signs. They tend to be apathetic and withdrawn, but at the same time, constantly scanning their environment for danger. (Oates 43) Physical abuse can leave all kinds of injuries.

Physical abuse involves hitting, kicking, poisoning, burning and shaking or causing harm to a child, and it can occur when parents fabricate symptoms, or purposely induces illness to a child (DfES, 2010). According to National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Children (NSPCC) (2013), explains that when parents are caring for children can sometimes be a struggle, and they can use punishment like hitting as a way to discipline them which can cause physical injuries such as scares and fracture, and the best way to do it is by setting boundaries, talking, explaining and listening which can be a better way than kicking or burning a child. However, according to Beckett (2003), described there those injuries that

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.

Do you know the difference between child abuse and discipline? Child Abuse is when someone physically and mentally hurts another person. Discipline is teaching someone or something to do the right thing. Child Abuse is very common in the United States. Many children suffer from bruising, swelling skin, and broken bones. Situations like this happen because of problems at home or personal problems. Parents at home abuse their children because of drinking and depression issues. In this crazy world, there are numerous types of abuses. There is sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, and emotional or psychological abuse. Sexual abuse is an intentional incident that involves sexual relationship to a child using all their power and taking advantage of them. According to Family & Community Services, Physical abuse is a nonstop injury that happens more than one time. Neglect is a type of abuse you just don’t care or pay no attention to your child. Emotional or psychological harm is when you make your children think something that isn’t true. Discipline children usually do the things their parents or guardian tell them what to do because they teach them to pay attention and be polite.

Abuse can come in many different forms such as verbal, physical, and sexual. Each of these can affect a person differently, and sadly even become hereditary. A factor that causes abuse to be so lethal is that the majority of the time it is directed towards children. At a young age, the brain is extremely impressionable and that is why something like verbal abuse can cause so much damage. “Parents who tell their children that they are dumb, bad, etc., raise children who think they are dumb or bad and act as

A child may be taken into care because they are being physically or sexually abused. Physical abuse is when a child is purposely hurt and tortured by their parents/ guardian. E.g. burning a child or wounding them. “Children who are physically abused suffer violence such as being hit, kicked, poisoned, burned,

Physical abuse also defined as non-accidental trauma or physical injury, of which can be caused by punching, beating, kicking, biting, burning or harming the child. Physical abuse is the most visible and second most common form of child maltreatment.

The indicators of physical abuse can include unexplained bruising, marks or injuries on any part of the body, multiple bruises, broken bones or even multiple burn marks. There can also be a change in behaviour while a child is being physically abused, such as; fear of parents being approached for an explanation, aggressive behaviour, flinching when approached or touched, depression, withdrawn behaviour or even running away from home.

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

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.

Physical abuse is a non-accidental trauma which can refer to fractures or any other physical sign on the child’s body. Many children will have bruises, cuts, burns, and even bite marks. Physical child abuse is seldom ever a single event. Usually it occurs often and increasing in violence. A child abuser is usually close to the child, usually, but not all cases, a parent or guardian. Often the child feels they deserve this harsh punishment and most have very low self-esteem. Thus leading to developmental problems in school, very little friends, they may sit alone a lot and may be teased, or tease others and bully. Many children who have gone through physical abuse will also demonstrate some sort of negative behavior.

There are significant signs of psychological trauma due to any kind of abuse. Children experience feelings of low self esteem and depression. Many exhibit behavioral problems including aggression towards other children. Other emotional problems include hostility, fear, humiliation and the inability to express feelings. The social impacts of physical abuse include inability to form relationships, poor social skills, poor cognitive language skills, distrust of others, over-compliance with authority figures, and tendency to solve interpersonal problems with aggression. (2008, p. 1). Verbal and physical abuse has a cumulative impact on children’s socialization. Abused children are caught in damaged relationships and are not socialized in positive, supportive way (Craig & Dunn, Ex.: 2010, p. 196). They learn defiance, manipulation and other problem behaviors that are used to escape any maltreatment. In turn they will learn to exploit, degrade and terrorize.

There are many things in our society today that unfortunately go overlooked. One such thing that is overlooked is the number of children who are being abused. Unfortunately these children are going through life not knowing whether or not their parents will loose their temper and perhaps kill them. There are many types of child abuse, such as physical, sexual, and emotional. Physical abuse is physical injury as a result of punching, beating, kicking, biting, shaking, throwing, stabbing, choking, hitting, burning, or otherwise harming a child. Such injury is considered abuse regardless of whether the caretaker intended to hurt the child. Sexual abuse includes activities by a parent or caretaker such as fondling a child's genitals,

Child abuse should not happen. Any kid should never go through this. People have noticed that if the child that was abused does not seek help and counselling they could turn out the same way. their beatings could become more brutal. They could get addicted to the same things their parents did. As the child grows older they will have scars. Not only physically but, mentally. The child could possibly be immune to the beating and as they grow older the could fall into a abusive relationship and think its okay. Therefore the parents that abused should be in jail maybe even prison for life.

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.