The Importance Of Child Abuse In The United States

Child abuse is epidemic in many countries as well as the United States. It is estimated that every thirteen seconds a child is abused in some manner: physically, sexually, emotionally or by neglect (Friedman). Each year, there are over 3 million reports of child abuse in the United States involving more than 6 million children. Child abuse can be reduced with proper education of the parents and with greater public awareness.

Growing up in the household under substances influence can cause severe damage to the child. Parental substance abuse has a significant impact on family function, and it may also contribute to child maltreatment. It heightens the risks to both of the physical and emotional safety of the children, and it generates children’s problematic outcomes. Children who grow up in such families may also experience mental health issues, social isolation, financial difficulties, and exposure to stressful life events and so on.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 3.3 million referrals for alleged maltreatment were made in 2013. Out of the 3.3 million referrals, 899,000 children were officially documented as being maltreated(Child Abuse & Neglect 2015). Child abuse is the mistreatment of a child. Child abuse is recognized in several forms; physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. Children who experience any form of abuse will tend to withdraw themselves from their peers and sometimes from other family members who are not aware of what is taking place. Child abuse occurs not just in the homes of these children, but can also occur in schools, churches and after school programs. Anywhere a child is present there is a chance that abuse can

The Center for Disease Control reports about 3.4 million children being abused or neglected in the United States in 2012 and 1 in 4 children will experience some form on abuse, maltreatment or household dysfunction while growing up. (Campbell, 2015).Past research has shown a relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences and substance abuse as an adult. Risk factors in the form abuse and neglect as child may cause a higher likelihood of substance abuse as an adult. Font and Jack (2015) also says that poor socioeconomic circumstances are associated with poor health conditions. Someone who scores with multiple adverse childhood experiences may report social and economic problems as an adult, such as financial hardship, homelessness and not making it through high school or an undergrad program (Font and Jack, 2015).

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:

Although the agency pushes for legal charges against adults who involve in child abuse, the agency usually goes beyond the charges. In ach and very case that is reported, the agency attempts to understand the underlying factors of the abuse. The agency has realized that parents who abused alcohol where for times more likely to abuse their children than the parents who did not abuse alcohol. In such cases, most instances of abuse occurred when the parents were intoxicated. Further, substance abuse has also been related to recurrence of child neglect and abuse. Studies have shown that parents who abuse substances are most likely to abuse their children continually that parents who do not abuse substances. In literature review, parents who are normal and who are not abusing any drugs of

The impacts of abuse are devastating. As a result of abuse, half a million youth run away from home every year. 63% of young men between the age of 15 and 20 have been incarcerated for homicide for killing their mother's abuser (Berry 9). The majority of boys present in domestic violence cases, try to protect their mothers. 62% of boys who try to protect their mothers are injured in the process. A vast number of teenagers who run away, move in with their boyfriend or girlfriend, and become pregnant at a young age. These teens are unable to care for themselves, let alone a child. In result, they end up selling their bodies for survival (Straussner 2002).

It 's difficult to comprehend that an adult, often a parent or caregiver, would intentionally hurt an infant or child. Yet nearly a million children are abused in the United States. Unfortunately that excludes children who 's incidents of child abuse are unreported and undetected. Child abuse can be defined differently from state to state, but commonly presents in the form of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, neglect and abandonment. The focus of this review is physical abuse, which is defined as non-accidental physical injury, from bruising to fractures to the most serious cases of abuse ending in death (Sink, Hyman, Matheny, Georgopoulos & Kleinman, 2010).

Every year more than 3 million reports of child abuse are made in the United States involving more than 6 million children. The amount of children abused is doubled due to the fact that a single report can include multiple children. The U.S has one of the worst records among industrialized nations, losing an average between four and seven children everyday to abuse and neglect. The sociological theories that can be used to research the issue of child abuse in the US are symbolic interactionism and the conflict theory.

There is a lot of child abuse that investigators still have yet to find out. A report of child abuse is made every ten ten seconds. In 2014, state agencies found that an estimated 702,000 victims of child abuse, but that was only the cases that they discovered. That would pack 10 modern football stadiums. (“Child”) Almost 50 countries have banned spanking children, but The United States is not one of them. (Perry) Spanking is still legal in all 50 states in The United States. (Kauffman) The United States have one of the worst records of industrialized nations, losing on average four to seven children every day due to child abuse.

National surveys suggested that 6%–7% of adolescents run away from home in the United States (Sanchez, Waller, & Greene, 2006; Tyler & Bersani, 2008). Most runaways rarely stay away from home for long periods and stay within 50 miles of home (Hammer, Finkelhor, & Sedlak, 2002). Although runaway juveniles are not a serious problem (Kim, 2006) and eventually return to parents or guardian (Milburn et al., 2007), they are victimized and exposed in deteriorate circumstances while away. There were many problems for runaway juveniles, in spite of returning after a short period of time, such as increasing their likelihood of engaging in high-risk behavior, being exploited or victimized by others, and resorting to illicit activities (Chen, Thrane, Whitbeck, Johnson, & Hoyt, 2007; Kipke, Simon, Montgomey, Unger, & Iversen, 1997; Wagner, Carlin, Cauce, & Tenner, 2001). However, few researchers explained the reason of why adolescents run away from home (Andres-Lemay, Jamieson, & MacMillan, 2005; National Runaway Switchboard, 2008; Safyer, Thompson, Maccio, Zittel-Palamara, & Forehand, 2004; Van der Ploeg & Scholte, 1997; Welsh, 1995). They claimed that the most common reason is negative family environment. Safyer et al. (2004) found that 41% of the adolescents attributed their runaway behavior to a poor relationship dynamic with their parents. Poor parenting practices and physical abuse increase the likelihood that a child will run away (Matchinda, 1999; P. Kurtz, G. Kurtz, & Jarvis,

One of the mental health issues that could occur from childhood abuse is the use of illicit drugs or alcohol abuse. Childhood abuse is related to drug or alcohol dependence, more than any other psychiatric disorder. Survivors of childhood abuse are 13 percent more likely to abuse alcohol and 26 percent likely to abuse drugs. Male child abuse victims with more six or more childhood abuse experiences are over 4000% more likely to use intravenous drugs as adults. The higher rates of substance abuse problems among adult survivors is to self-medicate from symptoms common with anxiety or depression. Childhood abuse typically ends up in addictive behaviors, but it doesn’t have to. A good support system and care from the right people will help adults abused as children to live a normal life. Along with a higher risk of addiction,

Child abuse in the United States is a growing epidemic. Every year the number of reported cases, and missing children go up. This is caused mostly by lack of education about the different types of child abuse, and the signs that go along with it. Communities need to provide more resources to better educate the public about the types of abuse, and the signs that go along with it. Child abuse and neglect can be lessened by more resources, more education and to reach out to others.

Children of various ages who face abuse either physically, emotionally, or sexually can scar a child for life. Many of these children who suffer from abuse deal with many emotions and struggle to communicate their feelings with others and can lead to anger and social problems and in so many of these cases children head down the path of delinquency. Abuse as a child can double the chances that the child will most likely grow – up as an individual who will participate in all types of crime. Child neglect or maltreatment is also link to juvenile delinquency and according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as stated in the National Bureau of Economic Research (2016) “Over a million children are victims of maltreatment annually.”

There are many who have experienced child neglect and have not suffered from behavioral problems. However, behavioral problems appears to be more likely among children who have been abused. According to the NSCAW, more than half of the youth reported for abuse are at risk for a behavioral problem. Child abuse and neglect appear to make it more likely for the child to suffer from difficulties during adolescence, juvenile delinquency and adult criminality, alcohol and drug abuse, and abusive behavior. “NSCAW data show that more than half of youth with reports of maltreatment are at risk of grade repetition, substance abuse, delinquency, truancy, or pregnancy. Other studies suggested that abused or neglected children are more likely to engage in sexual risk-taking as they reach adolescence, thereby increasing their chances of contracting a sexually transmitted disease”. Many studies have shown the connections between child abuse and future juvenile delinquency. Children who have experienced abuse are nine times more likely to become involved with alcohol and other drug abuse. Research consistently shows that children who have experienced abuse or neglect will smoke cigarettes, abuse alcohol, or take drugs during their