Child abuse, in any form, is cause for outrage. This makes the question of whether neglect, benign or otherwise, is better than violence hard to consider. According to Canada’s Public Health Agency, parental neglect, at 34% of cases, is the most commonly reported form of child maltreatment (31). In Roald Dahl’s Matilda and Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, parental neglect is contrasted against violence as both are shown to be psychologically detrimental to a child, while the impact of these imperfect parents is able to help a child redefine their sense of self.
The overt neglect of her prodigal intellect experienced by Matilda leaves her feeling misunderstood and an outsider in her family which differs from the perceived neglect which leaves Coraline struggling with her sense of self. Born to parents described as “gormless” (Dahl 4), Matilda is both blessed and cursed with a prodigal intellect. Causing Matilda to crave knowledge, it is her intellect that leads her at the age of “four years and three months” (9), to defy her parents and everyday walk to the library. Matilda admits to this neglect to Mrs. Phelps, the librarian, when she tells her of her mother, “She doesn’t encourage reading books. Nor does my father” (10). With this statement Matilda shows how her parents have neglected to foster her intellect. Matilda’s eagerness to digest information, and the fact that the only book in the Wormwood home is her mother’s cookbook, elaborates how she differs from her parents.
The responses listed within this writing are about the firsthand experiences that are described within the book A Child Called “It” written by Dave Pelzer. Although there is an overabundance of examples of abuse, neglect and maltreatment given in this book, the support listed is narrowed down to give the best samples of why a reader may feel these specific situations occurred. Each segment will be discussed and explained fully so that the reader is able to grasp why each specific reference was selected.
An article posted by the Australian Institute of Family Studies explains the long-term effects of child abuse and neglect for adult survivors. The article explains that there are many different types of child abuse which falls in the categories of physical, emotional, neglect, sexual and witnessing family violence. Abuse can also intentional or sometimes even unintentional. Also, different sub-types of maltreatment may be related to different negative outcomes. The author
Abuse and neglect comes in all different forms and each one of them are as equally as damaging as the next. Others will agree that abuse and neglect are hard to define in some cases, but there are clues and signs that professionals and nonprofessionals can detect in a child if they just pay attention. Being observant isn’t the only key to saving these children, but also being willing to speak up and tell someone what you know and or saw. In “A Child Called It”, David Pelzer is a young boy who goes through horrendous abuse and neglect who might have been able to endure much less pain if one adult would have spoken up, despite the fear of any consequences. There is a disgusting number of examples of abuse and neglect in this book, but there will be three different experiences that will showcase neglect, psychological abuse, and physical abuse discussed in the rest of this text.
In the world today, there are different types of child abuse including physical, emotional, sexual and also neglect. Each form of abuse is a contribution to a child 's future being unsuccessful. Dave’s form of
Neglect trauma is a rising problem, as other forms of trauma, particularly abuse trauma, have decreased of the last couple of years, neglect trauma is rising. In 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Human Services, of all the maltreatment cases “71.1% of those were neglect” (Kazemaian, 2011). Many researchers, (Mersky and Reynolds’, Dierkhising, Kerig, Buffington, Ford, Ryan, and Maxfield) have studied the topic of neglect trauma and juvenile delinquency extensively, and have all
Most significantly, a tenth of physical abuse is classified as ‘other,’ which could represent cases similar to that of Jeannette and Brian, where physical injuries occur, but the parents refuse to help. Thus, Brian and Jeanette’s experience of physical neglect establishes that their parents may think that they have control and accountability over their children as parents, but however, they are erroneous to the point that their disturbed sense of authority puts their children’s lives at
The issue of child neglect is one of the most current forms of child maltreatment especially in the United States. According to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, child neglect is referred to as a kind of maltreatment which relates to the failure of a caregiver to offer the needed, age-appropriate care, despite the fact that the parent may be financially stable to do so (Conte 13). Neglect in many instances is described by an ongoing pattern that relates to lack of care and is observed by individuals in close contact with a child.
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”).
401). An analysis of the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS-2008) revealed that in 2008 the rate of reported infant maltreatment was 51.81 per 1000 children with children below the age of one having the greatest likelihood of being the subject of maltreatment with frequencies lessening with age (Fallon, et al., 2013, p. 2). Child neglect has come to be described as the “neglect of neglect,” as it has been minimized by physical and sexual abuse and exploitation; therefore, neglect is often overlooked and under identified. Furthermore, child neglect is often difficult to identify due to cultural and spiritual differences. What is often negligent for one family may be considered usual to another (Cowen, 1999, pp. 401-403). Consequently, infant neglect often results in social, mental and physical delays, adult traumatization (Harper, Stalker, Palmer, & Gadbois, 2008), and failure to thrive (FTT); the result of inadequate nutrition resulting in poor physical development and, in extreme cases, psychosocial short stature; a disorder of the pituitary and hypothalamus which causes the child to not only be underdeveloped in weight but also in height due to major emotional and psychological trauma (Block & Krebs, 2005, pp. 1234-1235).
In the nineteenth century, although society became a bit harsher on those who abused or neglected children and child welfare organizations mushroomed, child abuse and neglect were still not considered crimes (Hirschy, & Wilkinson, 2012). However, all through the twentieth century, the social perceptions of child abuse and neglect have shifted a great deal from something that was totally unacceptable to a demeanor that can no longer be allowed both in legal and social circles. But the criminalization of child abuse and neglect was only one step towards overall child wellbeing. There is still much more to be done to ensure that child maltreatment has been eradicated.
This piece of work will focus on child neglect and will give a clear and precise understanding of relevant legal issues, appropriate theories and safeguarding practise. Unlike physical or sexual abuse, in which specific abusive acts are directed towards a child, neglect is typically defined by the absence of provision for a child’s basic needs (Gough, 2005). During the past 20 years, the subject and nature of child neglect has been drawn to the notion that this may impact on a child’s development and mental wellbeing. Neglect has been called the ‘Cinderella’ of child welfare topics due to the relative lack of attention the subject has attracted (Tanner and Turney,2006).
The film Matilda, created by Raold Dahl, tells the story of a gifted young lady named Matilda Wormwood, played by Mara Wilson, who was born into a very unaccepting and unsupportive community. She began her life in a very close-minded family. Her family did not support her thirst for knowledge and learning but rather were constantly pressuring her to be more like them; dishonest and unmotivated. When Matilda was of school age, she was overwhelmed with excitement at the prospect of beginning school until she met Agatha Trunchbull, the school’s principal. Even from their first meeting, their relationship was a difficult one and this tension tainted Matilda’s school experience. As Matilda continued to grow and learn, she realized that her power of telekinesis could be used to negate the effects of Mrs. Trunchbull’s behaviour on both herself and all of her friends. Throughout the movie, Matilda continues to realize the power within her and the love she has for learning. This film analysis will be reflecting on three different developmental lenses including John Bowlby’s attachment theory, Lev Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development and Jean Piaget’s stages of cognitive development and considering how each of these lenses relate to the film Matilda.
Every year, child abuse and neglect affect more than one million children nation-wide (Currie and Tekin 1). Along with this, child abuse is the source of severe injury to more than 500,000 children and the death of over 1,500 children (Currie and Tekin 1). These outrageously large numbers reveal the extent to which child abuse and neglect impact society; however, they do not acknowledge the effect abuse can have on a child’s life and the repercussions that may occur in both the individual’s childhood and adulthood. While the effects most certainly include physical pain and possibly future disabilities, child abuse and neglect can also affects the child’s psychological welfare. Psychological effects are often more difficult to recognize,
With child abuse and neglect being so prevalent globally, it is important to recognize why these types of maltreatment occur and is a relevant topic for all to explore. Many are interested in how child abuse and neglect affect the individuals who are victims as well as the use and efficacy of treatment procedures. Child abuse has serious physical and psycho-social consequences which adversely affect the health and overall well-being of a child. There are long-term consequences of experiencing these forms of maltreatment. Awareness and understanding needs to be brought to this devastatingly common crisis and the advancement of child abuse and neglect prevention needs to be encouraged.
Child abuse is a term impacted by copious multidimensional and interactive factors that relate to its origins and effects upon a child's developing capacities and which may act as a catalyst to broader, longer-term implications for adulthood. Such maltreatment may be of a sexual, physical, emotional or neglectful nature, each form holding a proportion of shared and abuse-specific psychological considerations (Mash & Wolfe, 2005). Certainly in terms of the effects / impairments of abuse, developmental factors have been identified across all classifications of child abuse, leading to a comparably greater risk of emotional / mental health problems in adult life within the general population