short essay on child abusing

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Essays on Child Abuse

Child abuse essay covers a topic that is brutal but needs to be written about. Criminal behavior poses a threat to society, and it's especially devastating when directed towards children. This painful subject is getting a lot of public attention in the past years, and writing child abuse essays are a way of shining light on this issue. While researching for your essay you will discover heartbreaking statistics – about 1 billion children were abused within the past year. The numbers and facts you will come across are unsettling. child abuse essay samples below will help you gather information for your essays and offer some guidelines when exploring this topic. Writing essays on child abuse is challenging in many ways, so it’s understandable if you need assistance, which we can provide you with.

This project aims to assess whether the primary schools in the UK implemented Eileen Munro’s Recommendations. It critically analyses the effectiveness of child protection in UK’s primary schools. The report advocates for review on child protection targets which enable both children and social workers a freedom to apply judgment as...

The discussion section elaborates the argument on whether any of Eileen Munro’s recommendations were implemented. To begin with, let us briefly review some of the endorsements. The Munro report changes the current child protection approach that is extremely rigid and incomprehensible because of the bureaucratic procedures that leave professionals glued...

Words: 1932

Putting up child protection ensures the safeguard of children from varying harmful activities that they are exposed to from their parents or the environment they live in. It is important to address issues that affect the children as a can severely impact the young ones both psychologically and also physically....

Words: 1200

Child Protection is a fundamental issue that has been addressed at various levels of governance. The United Kingdom is one of the many countries that are still grappling with how best to protect a child from any dangerous exposure. Prof Eileen Munro was tasked to come up with a report...

Words: 1648

Sexual assault is defined as an infringement of a person's sexual space by sexual touch without consent by coercion or physical force to engage in a sexual act against the person's will. It ranges from verbal sexual insults to the physical acts such as groping, rape, and sodomy and child...

Words: 1622

An Assessment of the Brothers` ACE Score and ACE that Might Indicate Future-Offending Behaviour ACE, also known as Adverse Childhood Experiences denotes to the stressful situations that young children encounter as they grow. The child can be either directly hurt through abuse or indirectly regarding the environment, which they are situated...

Words: 3789

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In today’s world, cases of child abuse are on the raising trend globally. It’s a matter of great concern when people close to the children; physically, emotionally or sexually abuse them. In most occasions, guardians who are mentally stable and highly conscious of their actions continually and methodically abuse their...

Words: 1410

Child abuse has become a severe social and public health problem and many studies have revealed the alarming number of child abuse cases all over the world. The diverging parenting norms and standards of different cultures has made it difficult to arrive at an agreement on the definition of child...

Words: 1081

The article Preventing Child Sexual Abuse, What Parents Know? analyzes the out parental information with regards to the prevention of child abuse in Saudi Arabia. The study begins with a definition of a sexual offense which is regarded as the engagement of a child in sexual activities without...

Words: 1113

Child Abuse and Neglect Child abuse is any action performed by a parent, guardian, or caregiver that cause serious physical, sexual or emotional harm to a child. On the other hand, child neglect refers to maltreatment of a child due to failure by parent, guardian or caregiver to provide needed care....

Words: 1643

It is universally agreed among scientist, sociologist, physiologist, criminologist and other interested scholars that youths in the adolescence stage are more likely to engage in antisocial behaviors.  However, numerous studies are concerned with activities that teens are more apt to participate in the adolescent stage such as substance abuse and...

Words: 1363

Over the years elderly mistreatment has been recognized as a social problem that has affected the society at large. The magnitude of the problem is uncertain but it is increasing in the United States and other countries in the world. Elderly abuse can be referred to as an intentional act...

Words: 1001

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Essay on Child Abuse – Samples, 10 Lines to 1500 Words

Essay on Child Abuse: Child abuse is a heartbreaking reality that affects millions of children worldwide. This essay will explore the various forms of child abuse, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as neglect. We will delve into the long-term effects of abuse on a child’s physical and mental health, as well as their overall well-being. By shedding light on this important issue, we hope to raise awareness and encourage action to protect and support vulnerable children.

Child Abuse Essay Writing Tips

1. Start by defining child abuse: Begin your essay by providing a clear definition of what child abuse is. This can include physical, emotional, sexual, or neglectful abuse of a child.

2. Discuss the prevalence of child abuse: Provide statistics or research findings on the prevalence of child abuse in society. This can help to highlight the seriousness of the issue and emphasize the need for action.

3. Identify the causes of child abuse: Explore the various factors that contribute to child abuse, such as family dynamics, societal pressures, and individual characteristics of abusers. This can help to shed light on why child abuse occurs and how it can be prevented.

4. Discuss the impact of child abuse: Describe the physical, emotional, and psychological effects that child abuse can have on a child. This can help to illustrate the long-term consequences of abuse and the importance of addressing the issue.

5. Explore the signs of child abuse: Provide information on the common signs and symptoms of child abuse, such as unexplained injuries, changes in behavior, or withdrawal from social activities. This can help readers to recognize potential cases of abuse and take action to protect children.

6. Discuss prevention strategies: Offer suggestions on how child abuse can be prevented, such as through education, awareness campaigns, and support services for families in need. This can help to empower readers to take action and make a difference in their communities.

7. Highlight the importance of reporting child abuse: Emphasize the critical role that reporting suspected cases of child abuse plays in protecting children and holding abusers accountable. Encourage readers to speak up if they suspect abuse is occurring.

8. Provide resources for support: Include information on organizations or hotlines that offer support and assistance to children who have experienced abuse, as well as resources for parents and caregivers seeking help.

9. Conclude with a call to action: End your essay by urging readers to take a stand against child abuse and work towards creating a safer and more supportive environment for all children.

10. Proofread and revise: Before submitting your essay, make sure to proofread it carefully for any errors or inconsistencies. Revise as needed to ensure that your message is clear and impactful.

Essay on Child Abuse in 10 Lines – Examples

1. Child abuse is a serious and widespread problem that can have long-lasting effects on a child’s physical and emotional well-being. 2. It can take many forms, including physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. 3. Physical abuse involves the intentional use of force against a child that results in injury or harm. 4. Emotional abuse includes behaviors such as verbal insults, threats, and rejection that can damage a child’s self-esteem and mental health. 5. Sexual abuse involves any form of sexual activity with a child, including molestation, rape, and exploitation. 6. Neglect occurs when a caregiver fails to provide for a child’s basic needs, such as food, shelter, and medical care. 7. Child abuse can occur in any family, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or religion. 8. It is important for adults to be aware of the signs of child abuse and to report any suspicions to the appropriate authorities. 9. Counseling and therapy can help child abuse survivors heal from their trauma and develop healthy coping mechanisms. 10. Preventing child abuse requires a community-wide effort to educate parents, caregivers, and children about healthy relationships and effective parenting strategies.

Sample Essay on Child Abuse in 100-180 Words

Child abuse is a serious issue that affects millions of children worldwide. It can take many forms, including physical, emotional, sexual, and neglect. Children who are abused may suffer from long-term physical and psychological consequences, including anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.

Child abuse often goes unreported due to fear, shame, or lack of awareness. It is important for adults to be vigilant and report any signs of abuse to the appropriate authorities. Prevention efforts, such as education and support services for families, can help reduce the incidence of child abuse.

Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment. It is our collective responsibility to protect children from abuse and ensure that they have the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential. By raising awareness, providing support, and advocating for the rights of children, we can work towards ending child abuse and creating a safer world for all children.

Short Essay on Child Abuse in 200-500 Words

Child abuse is a serious and widespread issue that affects millions of children around the world. It can take many forms, including physical, emotional, sexual, and neglect. Child abuse can have long-lasting and devastating effects on a child’s physical and mental health, as well as their overall well-being.

Physical abuse is one of the most common forms of child abuse, and it involves the intentional infliction of physical harm on a child by a parent, caregiver, or other adult. This can include hitting, kicking, shaking, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical abuse can result in bruises, broken bones, and other serious injuries, and can have lasting effects on a child’s physical health.

Emotional abuse is another form of child abuse that can have serious consequences for a child’s mental health. Emotional abuse involves the use of words, actions, or lack of actions to harm a child’s self-esteem, self-worth, or emotional well-being. This can include constant criticism, belittling, or humiliation, as well as neglecting a child’s emotional needs. Emotional abuse can have long-lasting effects on a child’s mental health, leading to issues such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.

Sexual abuse is a particularly heinous form of child abuse that involves the sexual exploitation of a child by an adult. This can include sexual assault, molestation, or exploitation, and can have devastating effects on a child’s physical and mental health. Sexual abuse can lead to physical injuries, sexually transmitted infections, and psychological trauma, and can have long-lasting effects on a child’s ability to form healthy relationships and trust others.

Neglect is another common form of child abuse that involves the failure of a parent or caregiver to provide for a child’s basic needs, such as food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and supervision. Neglect can have serious consequences for a child’s physical and emotional well-being, leading to malnutrition, illness, and developmental delays. Neglected children may also experience feelings of abandonment, rejection, and low self-worth.

Child abuse is a complex issue that can have serious and long-lasting effects on a child’s physical and mental health. It is important for society to take a stand against child abuse and to work towards preventing and addressing this widespread problem. By raising awareness, providing support and resources for families in need, and holding abusers accountable for their actions, we can work towards creating a safer and healthier future for all children.

Essay on Child Abuse in 1000-1500 Words

Child abuse is a serious and prevalent issue that affects millions of children worldwide. It can take many forms, including physical, emotional, sexual, and neglect. Child abuse can have long-lasting and devastating effects on a child’s physical and mental health, as well as their overall well-being. In this essay, we will explore the different types of child abuse, its causes, consequences, and potential solutions.

Physical abuse is one of the most visible forms of child abuse, as it often leaves physical marks or injuries on the child’s body. Physical abuse can include hitting, kicking, shaking, burning, or any other form of physical harm inflicted on a child by a caregiver or parent. This type of abuse can result in broken bones, bruises, cuts, and other injuries that can have lasting effects on a child’s health.

Emotional abuse is another common form of child abuse that can have serious consequences on a child’s mental health. Emotional abuse can include verbal insults, threats, rejection, and other forms of psychological harm inflicted on a child. This type of abuse can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues that can persist into adulthood.

Sexual abuse is a particularly heinous form of child abuse that involves any form of sexual activity or exploitation inflicted on a child. This can include rape, molestation, incest, and other forms of sexual abuse that can have devastating effects on a child’s physical and mental health. Sexual abuse can lead to physical injuries, sexually transmitted infections, and long-term psychological trauma that can impact a child’s relationships and overall well-being.

Neglect is another form of child abuse that involves the failure of a caregiver or parent to provide for a child’s basic needs, such as food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and supervision. Neglect can have serious consequences on a child’s physical and emotional development, as it can lead to malnutrition, poor hygiene, lack of medical care, and other health issues.

There are many factors that can contribute to child abuse, including poverty, substance abuse, mental illness, family dysfunction, and social isolation. In many cases, child abuse is a result of intergenerational cycles of abuse, where parents who were abused as children go on to abuse their own children. Additionally, societal factors such as lack of access to resources and support services can also contribute to the prevalence of child abuse.

The consequences of child abuse can be devastating and long-lasting. Children who experience abuse are more likely to suffer from physical injuries, mental health issues, developmental delays, and other health problems. They are also at a higher risk of engaging in risky behaviors, such as substance abuse, self-harm, and criminal activity. In severe cases, child abuse can even lead to death.

It is crucial that we take action to prevent and address child abuse in order to protect the well-being of children and ensure their safety. One potential solution is to increase awareness and education about child abuse, its signs and symptoms, and how to report suspected cases of abuse. By educating the public about the importance of child protection and providing resources and support for families in need, we can help prevent child abuse and support children who have experienced abuse.

Another important solution is to strengthen child protection laws and policies to ensure that perpetrators of child abuse are held accountable for their actions. By implementing stricter laws and penalties for child abuse, we can send a clear message that child abuse will not be tolerated in our society. Additionally, we must provide support and resources for children who have experienced abuse, including counseling, therapy, and other services to help them heal and recover from their trauma.

In conclusion, child abuse is a serious and prevalent issue that affects millions of children worldwide. It can take many forms, including physical, emotional, sexual, and neglect, and can have devastating consequences on a child’s physical and mental health. By increasing awareness, strengthening child protection laws, and providing support for children who have experienced abuse, we can work towards preventing child abuse and ensuring the safety and well-being of all children. It is our collective responsibility to protect and support children who are vulnerable to abuse and to create a safe and nurturing environment for all children to thrive.

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Child Abuse and Neglect Essay

Introduction, events to strengthen the family.

Children are vulnerable individuals whose welfare is dependent on their parents or guardians. This exposes the children to the risk of suffering abuse and neglect from their caretakers. Hunt (2014) declares that the maltreatment of children occurs across all socio-economic, cultural and ethnic groups with negative consequences on the development of the child. Child abuse and neglect have deleterious effects on the future life of the child.

It is therefore necessary to take steps to tackle these issues and ensure the healthy emotional and physical development of the child. This paper will describe four events that can be implemented to strengthen the family and therefore reduce or eliminate incidents of child abuse and neglect.

Playgroup events can play a major role in strengthening the family on issues of child abuse and neglect is playgroups. Parents who come from the same neighborhood or those whose children attend the same school or daycare facility can form playgroups. The events provide a chance for families with similar interests and children of the same ages to connect with each other and share their experiences. Selph and Bougatsos (2013) reveal that the events are hugely beneficial to both the parents and their children.

The children are able to develop through play and interaction with their peers. The social skills and learning of the children is enhanced as they engage in play activities. Research indicates that play groups contribute to shaping family life and equipping parents with the tools necessary to engage in the challenging task of raising children (Hunt, 2014). Playgroup events provide an informal forum for parents to discuss their parenting issues and concern.

Nilsen (2010) confirms that parents are not only able to obtain important advice from their peers, but they also get to realize that other people are going through the same hurdles as they are. This is empowering especially to new parents who might feel overwhelmed by the difficulties of parenting.

These events also promote a feeling of community and each parent begins to take an interest in the wellbeing of the children of his/her friend. This makes it possible to identify incidents of abuse among children in the playgroup and take appropriate action in response.

A church/synagogue/mosque retreat activity for parents and they children can be beneficial in strengthening parents to deal with the issues of child abuse and neglect. Religion plays an important role in the lives of many individuals and they rely on their faith to inform their actions in many situations. The religious institute can therefore play a major role in promoting child safety in the community (Nilsen, 2010).

A retreat event can be planned for the parents in the congregation on a weekend. This retreat will be sponsored by the religious body, which will make it affordable to all the parents. An important advantage of faith-based events is that they possess significant resources since the congregation is made up of a variety of professionals including teachers, nurses, pediatricians, and social works. These professionals will be able to provide free advice on how to safeguard children during the retreat (Hunt, 2014).

Another benefit of the faith-based event is that it relies on the shared religious beliefs of the participants. The religious beliefs of the parents can therefore be used to exhort them to engage in good parenting practices. The religious-based family retreat will provide numerous opportunities for the families to socialize with each other.

There will be coffee breaks during which the parents and children will interact with each other and exchange contacts. Veteran parents will share their experiences and provide advice to the younger parents. The faith-based event will therefore serve as a good opportunity for the parents to establish social support systems.

Technological events can play a part in mitigating child abuse and neglect in the society. Specifically, parents can make use of online forums to learn about appropriate parenting practices and acquire skills for protecting their children against abuse. The online forum should be designed to attract parents who wish to improve the safety and wellbeing of their children. This technological tool can include a facilitator who will initiate discussion topics and moderate the discussions taking place on the website.

Online forums enable parents to express their concerns and issues in a safe environment. Through online forums, parents can be linked to numerous resources for strengthening families. Nilsen (2010) documents that there is a correlation between exposure to educational resources and a decrease in incidents of child abuse and neglect. Parents are also able to gain tangible benefits from the online events. Through the event, parents are made aware of the community resources available to them as they raise their child.

Nilsen (2010) asserts that information on available community resources is of great importance especially to parents who are at-risk of neglecting their children due to limited economic resources. A benefit of online events is that they are accessible to many parents at their convenience.

Parents do not need to adjust their schedules in order to participate in these events. This is an important factor since most parents might be overwhelmed by obligations that make it impossible for them to engage in events that require them to be physically present at venues outside their home or work setting.

Parents can enroll on home visitation programs to assist in the prevention of child abuse and neglect. The home visitation event should be voluntary and semi-formal in nature. An important feature of these events is that Nurses or Educators, who possess expert knowledge on childhood development, carry them out. These experts are able to convey to the parents professional information on subjects such as positive parenting practices.

Selph and Bougatsos (2013) reveal that such events can be of great service to pregnant women as well as families with young children. Through the home visitation, the parents are provided with information about their child’s development. The professionals can also help parents to gain a better understanding about age-appropriate behavior for their children. The home visitation events should be developed with cultural factors in mind.

Different cultures have varying values and customs that influence how the parents deal with their children. Nilsen (2010) asserts that the professionals engaging in the visitation must demonstrate sensitivity to cultures whose values and customs are different from their own. The strengths of the specific culture should be exploited to increase the safety of the child. In cultures were extended family bounds are strong, the visitation events can be scheduled to include some of the members of the extended family.

These members can be equipped to provide assistance to at-risk children and parents within their family. Parents who enroll in home visitation events are well equipped to engage in positive parenting and as a result, they engage in fewer acts of physical aggression towards their children (Promising Practices Network, 2010).

Child abuse and neglect have a lasting negative impact on the lives of children. This paper set out to discuss events that can be used to strengthen families and therefore mitigate or prevent these damaging issues from happening.

The paper has described playgroup events, faith-based activities, technological events, and home visitation programs that can be used to strengthen families. By implementing these events, the family will be equipped to prevent child abuse and neglect therefore ensuring the healthy psychological and physical wellbeing of the child.

Hunt, K. (2014). Safeguarding children – the need for vigilance. Practice Nurse, 44 (6), 18-22.

Nilsen, B. A. (2010). Week by Week: Plans for Documenting Children’s Development. NY: Cengage Learning.

Promising Practices Network. (2010). Promising Practices for Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect . NY: RAND Corporation.

Selph, S. & Bougatsos, C. (2013). Behavioral Interventions and Counseling to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect: A Systematic Review to Update the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation. Annals of Internal Medicine, 158 (3), 179-190.

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Home — Essay Samples — Mental Effects Of Child Abuse

Mental Effects of Child Abuse

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Published: Mar 18, 2021

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Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect (1993)

Chapter: 1 introduction, 1 introduction.

Child maltreatment is a devastating social problem in American society. In 1990, over 2 million cases of child abuse and neglect were reported to social service agencies. In the period 1979 through 1988, about 2,000 child deaths (ages 0-17) were recorded annually as a result of abuse and neglect (McClain et al., 1993), and an additional 160,000 cases resulted in serious injuries in 1990 alone (Daro and McCurdy, 1991). However tragic and sensational, the counts of deaths and serious injuries provide limited insight into the pervasive long-term social, behavioral, and cognitive consequences of child abuse and neglect. Reports of child maltreatment alone also reveal little about the interactions among individuals, families, communities, and society that lead to such incidents.

American society has not yet recognized the complex origins or the profound consequences of child victimization. The services required for children who have been abused or neglected, including medical care, family counseling, foster care, and specialized education, are expensive and are often subsidized by governmental funds. The General Accounting Office (1991) has estimated that these services cost more than $500 million annually. Equally disturbing, research suggests that child maltreatment cases are highly related to social problems such as juvenile delinquency, substance abuse, and violence, which require additional services and severely affect the quality of life for many American families.

The Importance Of Child Maltreatment Research

The challenges of conducting research in the field of child maltreatment are enormous. Although we understand comparatively little about the causes, definitions, treatment, and prevention of child abuse and neglect, we do know enough to recognize that the origins and consequences of child victimization are not confined to the months or years in which reported incidents actually occurred. For those who survive, the long-term consequences of child maltreatment appear to be more damaging to victims and their families, and more costly for society, than the immediate or acute injuries themselves. Yet little is invested in understanding the factors that predispose, mitigate, or prevent the behavioral and social consequences of child maltreatment.

The panel has identified five key reasons why child maltreatment research should be viewed as a central nexus of more comprehensive research activity.

Research On Child Maltreatment Is Currently Undervalued And Undeveloped

Research in the field of child maltreatment studies is relatively undeveloped when compared with related fields such as child development, so-

cial welfare, and criminal violence. Although no specific theory about the causes of child abuse and neglect has been substantially replicated across studies, significant progress has been gained in the past few decades in identifying the dimensions of complex phenomena that contribute to the origins of child maltreatment.

Efforts to improve the quality of research on any group of children are dependent on the value that society assigns to the potential inherent in young lives. Although more adults are available in American society today as service providers to care for children than was the case in 1960, a disturbing number of recent reports have concluded that American children are in trouble (Fuchs and Reklis, 1992; National Commission on Children, 1991; Children's Defense Fund, 1991).

Efforts to encourage greater investments in research on children will be futile unless broader structural and social issues can be addressed within our society. Research on general problems of violence, substance addiction, social inequality, unemployment, poor education, and the treatment of children in the social services system is incomplete without attention to child maltreatment issues. Research on child maltreatment can play a key role in informing major social policy decisions concerning the services that should be made available to children, especially children in families or neighborhoods that experience significant stress and violence.

As a nation, we already have developed laws and regulatory approaches to reduce and prevent childhood injuries and deaths through actions such as restricting hot water temperatures and requiring mandatory child restraints in automobiles. These important precedents suggest how research on risk factors can provide informed guidance for social efforts to protect all of America's children in both familial and other settings.

Not only has our society invested relatively little in research on children, but we also have invested even less in research on children whose families are characterized by multiple problems, such as poverty, substance abuse, violence, welfare dependency, and child maltreatment. In part, this slower development is influenced by the complexities of research on major social problems. But the state of research on this topic could be advanced more rapidly with increased investment of funds. In the competition for scarce research funds, the underinvestment in child maltreatment research needs to be understood in the context of bias, prejudice, and the lack of a clear political constituency for children in general and disadvantaged children in particular (Children's Defense Fund, 1991; National Commission on Children, 1991). Factors such as racism, ethnic discrimination, sexism, class bias, institutional and professional jealousies, and social inequities influence the development of our national research agenda (Bell, 1992, Huston, 1991).

The evolving research agenda has also struggled with limitations im-

posed by attempting to transfer the results of sample-specific studies to diverse groups of individuals. The roles of culture, ethnic values, and economic factors pervade the development of parenting practices and family dynamics. In setting a research agenda for this field, ethnic diversity and multiple cultural perspectives are essential to improve the quality of the research program and to overcome systematic biases that have restricted its development.

Researchers must address ethical and legal issues that present unique obligations and dilemmas regarding selection of subjects, provision of services, and disclosure of data. For example, researchers who discover an undetected incident of child abuse in the course of an interview are required by state laws to disclose the identities of the victim and offender(s), if known, to appropriate child welfare officials. These mandatory reporting requirements, adopted in the interests of protecting children, may actually cause long-term damage to children by restricting the scope of research studies and discouraging scientists from developing the knowledge base necessary to guide social interventions.

Substantial efforts are now required to reach beyond the limitations of current knowledge and to gain new insights that can improve the quality of social service efforts and public policy decisions affecting the health and welfare of abused and neglected children and their families. Most important, collaborative long-term research ventures are necessary to diminish social, professional, and institutional prejudices that have restricted the development of a comprehensive knowledge base that can improve understanding of, and response to, child maltreatment.

Dimensions Of Child Abuse And Neglect

The human dimensions of child maltreatment are enormous and tragic. The U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect has called the problem of child maltreatment ''an epidemic" in American society, one that requires a critical national emergency response.

The scale and severity of child abuse and neglect has caused various public and private organizations to mobilize efforts to raise public awareness of individual cases and societal trends, to improve the reporting and tracking of child maltreatment cases, to strengthen the responses of social service systems, and to develop an effective and fair system for protecting and offering services to victims while also punishing adults who deliberately harm children or place them in danger. Over the past several decades, a growing number of state and federal funding programs, governmental reports, specialized journals, and research centers, as well as national and international societies and conferences, have examined various dimensions of the problem of child maltreatment.

The results of these efforts have been inconsistent and uneven. In addressing aspects of each new revelation of abuse or each promising new intervention, research efforts often have become diffuse, fragmented, specific, and narrow. What is lacking is a coordinated approach and a general conceptual framework that can add new depth to our understanding of child maltreatment. A coordinated approach can accommodate diverse perspectives while providing direction and guidance in establishing research priorities and synthesizing research knowledge. Organizational mechanisms are also needed to facilitate the application and integration of research on child maltreatment in related areas such as child development, family violence, substance abuse, and juvenile delinquency.

Child maltreatment is not a new problem, yet concerted service, research, and policy attention toward it is just beginning. Although isolated studies of child maltreatment appeared in the medical and sociological literature in the first half of the twentieth century, the publication of "The Battered Child Syndrome" by C. Henry Kempe and associates (1962) is generally considered the first definitive paper in the field in the United States. The efforts of Kempe and others to publicize disturbing medical experience with child abuse and neglect led to the passage of the first Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act in 1974 (P.L. 93-247). The act, which has been amended several times (most recently in 1992), established a governmental program designed to guide and consolidate national and state data collection efforts regarding reports of child abuse and neglect, conduct national surveys of household violence, and sponsor research and demonstration programs to prevent, identify, and treat child abuse and neglect.

However, the federal government's leadership role in building a research base in this area has been complicated by changes and inconsistencies in research plans and priorities, limited funding, politicized peer review, fragmentation of effort among various federal agencies, poorly scheduled proposal review deadlines, and bias introduced by competing institutional objectives. 1 The lack of comprehensive, long-term planning for a research base has resulted in a field characterized by contradictions, conflict, and fragmentation. The role of the National Center for Child Abuse and Neglect as the lead federal agency in supporting research in this field has been sharply criticized (U.S. Advisory Board, 1991). Many observers believe that the federal government lacks leadership, funding, and an effective research program for studies on child maltreatment.

The Complexity Of Child Maltreatment

Child maltreatment was originally seen in the form of "the battered child," often portrayed in terms of physical abuse. Today, four general categories of child maltreatment are generally recognized: (1) physical

abuse, (2) sexual abuse, (3) neglect, and (4) emotional maltreatment. Each category covers a range of behaviors, as discussed in Chapter 2.

These four categories have become the focus of separate studies of incidence and prevalence, etiology, prevention, consequences, and treatment, with uneven development of research within each area and poor integration of knowledge across areas. Each category has developed its own typology and framework of reference terms, revealing certain similarities (such as the importance of developmental perspectives in considering the consequences of maltreatment) but also important differences (such as the predatory behavior associated with some forms of sexual abuse that do not appear in the etiology of other forms of child maltreatment).

In addition to the category of child maltreatment, the duration, source, intensity, timing, and situational context of incidents of child victimization are now recognized as important factors in studying the origin and consequences of child maltreatment. Yet information about these factors is rarely requested or recorded by social agencies or health professionals in the process of identifying or documenting reports of child maltreatment. Furthermore, research is often weakened by variation in research definitions of child maltreatment, bias in the recruitment of research subjects, the absence of information regarding circumstances surrounding maltreatment reports, the absence of measures to assess selected variables under study, and the absence of a developmental perspective in many research studies.

The co-occurrence of different forms of child maltreatment has been examined only to a limited extent. Relatively little is known about areas of similarity and differences in terms of causes, consequences, prevention, and treatment of selected types of child abuse and neglect. Inconsistencies in definitions often preclude comparative analyses of clinical studies. For example, studies of sexual abuse have indicated wide variations in its prevalence, often as a result of differences in the types of behavior that might be included in the definition adopted by each research investigator. Emotional abuse is also a matter of controversy in some quarters, primarily because of broad variations in its definition.

Research on child maltreatment is also complicated by the fragmentation of services and responses by which our society addresses specific reports of child maltreatment. Cases may involve children who are victims or witnesses to single or repeated incidents of child abuse and neglect. Sadly, child maltreatment often involves various family members, relatives, or other individuals who reside in the homes or neighborhoods of the affected children. Adult figures may be perpetrators of offensive incidents or mediators in intervention or prevention efforts.

The importance of the social ecological framework of the child has only recently been recognized in studies of maltreatment. Responses to child abuse and neglect involve a variety of social institutions, including commu-

nities, schools, hospitals, churches, youth associations, the media, and other social structures that provide services for children. Such groups and organizations present special intervention opportunities to reduce the scale and scope of the problem of child maltreatment, but their activities are often poorly documented and uncoordinated. Finally, governmental offices at the local, state, and federal levels have legal and social obligations to develop programs and resources to address child maltreatment, and their role is critical in developing a research agenda for this field.

In the past, the research agenda has been determined predominantly by pragmatic needs in the development and delivery of treatment and prevention services rather than by theoretical paradigms, a process that facilitates short-term studies of specialized research priorities but impedes the development of a well-organized, coherent body of scientific knowledge that can contribute over time to understanding fundamental principles and issues. As a result, the research in this field has been generally viewed by the scientific community as fragmented, diffuse, decentralized, and of poor quality.

Selection of Research Studies

The research literature in the field of child maltreatment is immense—over 2000 items are included in the panel's research bibliography, a portion of which is referenced in this report. Despite this quantity of literature, researchers generally agree that the quality of research on child maltreatment is relatively weak in comparison to health and social science research studies in areas such as family systems and child development. Only a few prospective studies of child maltreatment have been undertaken, and most studies rely on the use of clinical samples (which may exclude important segments of the research population) or adult memories. Both types of samples are problematic and can produce biased results. Clinical samples may not be representative of all cases of child maltreatment. For example, we know from epidemiologic studies of disease of cases that were derived from hospital records that, unless the phenomenon of interest always comes to a service provider for treatment, there exist undetected and untreated cases in the general population that are often quite different from those who have sought treatment. Similarly, when studies rely on adult memories of childhood experiences, recall bias is always an issue. Longitudinal studies are quite rare, and some studies that are described as longitudinal actually consist of hybrid designs followed over time.

To ensure some measure of quality, the panel relied largely on studies that had been published in the peer-reviewed scientific literature. More rigorous scientific criteria (such as the use of appropriate theory and methodology in the conduct of the study) were considered by the panel, but were not adopted because little of the existing work would meet such selection

criteria. Given the early stage of development of this field of research, the panel believes that even weak studies contain some useful information, especially when they suggest clinical insights, a new perspective, or a point of departure from commonly held assumptions. Thus, the report draws out issues based on clinical studies or studies that lack sufficient control samples, but the panel refrains from drawing inferences based on this literature.

The panel believes that future research reviews of the child maltreatment literature would benefit from the identification of explicit criteria that could guide the selection of exemplary research studies, such as the following:

For the most part, only a few studies will score well in each of the above categories. It becomes problematic, therefore, to rate the value of studies which may score high in one category but not in others.

The panel has relied primarily on studies conducted in the past decade, since earlier research work may not meet contemporary standards of methodological rigor. However, citations to earlier studies are included in this report where they are thought to be particularly useful and when research investigators provided careful assessments and analysis of issues such as definition, interrelationships of various types of abuse, and the social context of child maltreatment.

A Comparison With Other Fields of Family and Child Research

A comparison with the field of studies on family functioning may illustrate another point about the status of the studies on child maltreatment. The literature on normal family functioning or socialization effects differs in many respects from the literature on child abuse and neglect. Family sociology research has a coherent body of literature and reasonable consensus about what constitutes high-quality parenting in middle-class, predominantly White populations. Family functioning studies have focused predominantly on large, nonclinical populations, exploring styles of parenting and parenting practices that generate different kinds and levels of competence, mental health, and character in children. Studies of family functioning have tended to follow cohorts of subjects over long periods to identify the effects of variations in childrearing practices and patterns on children's

competence and adjustment that are not a function of social class and circumstances.

By contrast, the vast and burgeoning literature on child abuse and neglect is applied research concerned largely with the adverse effects of personal and social pathology on children. The research is often derived from very small samples selected by clinicians and case workers. Research is generally cross-sectional, and almost without exception the samples use impoverished families characterized by multiple problems, including substance abuse, unemployment, transient housing, and so forth. Until recently, researchers demonstrated little regard for incorporating appropriate ethnic and cultural variables in comparison and control groups. In the past decade, significant improvements have occurred in the development of child maltreatment research, but key problems remain in the area of definitions, study designs, and the use of instrumentation.

As the nature of research on child abuse and neglect has evolved over time, scientists and practitioners have likewise changed. The psychopathologic model of child maltreatment has been expanded to include models that stress the interactions of individual, family, neighborhood, and larger social systems. The role of ethnic and cultural issues are acquiring an emerging importance in formulating parent-child and family-community relationships. Earlier simplistic conceptionalizations of perpetrator-victim relationships are evolving into multiple-focus research projects that examine antecedents in family histories, current situational relationships, ecological and neighborhood issues, and interactional qualities of relationships between parent-child and offender-victim. In addition, emphases in treatment, social service, and legal programs combine aspects of both law enforcement and therapy, reflecting an international trend away from punishment, toward assistance, for families in trouble.

Charge To The Panel

The commissioner of the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requested that the National Academy of Sciences convene a study panel to undertake a comprehensive examination of the theoretical and pragmatic research needs in the area of child maltreatment. The Panel on Research on Child Abuse and Neglect was asked specifically to:

The report resulting from this study provides recommendations for allocating existing research funds and also suggests funding mechanisms and topic areas to which new resources could be allocated or enhanced resources could be redirected. By focusing this report on research priorities and the needs of the research community, the panel's efforts were distinguished from related activities, such as the reports of the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, which concentrate on the policy issues in the field of child maltreatment.

The request for recommendations for research priorities recognizes that existing studies on child maltreatment require careful evaluation to improve the evolution of the field and to build appropriate levels of human and financial resources for these complex research problems. Through this review, the panel has examined the strengths and weaknesses of past research and identified areas of knowledge that represent the greatest promise for advancing understanding of, and dealing more effectively with, the problem of child maltreatment.

In conducting this review, the panel has recognized the special status of studies of child maltreatment. The experience of child abuse or neglect from any perspective, including victim, perpetrator, professional, or witness, elicits strong emotions that may distort the design, interpretation, or support of empirical studies. The role of the media in dramatizing selected cases of child maltreatment has increased public awareness, but it has also produced a climate in which scientific objectivity may be sacrificed in the name of urgency or humane service. Many concerned citizens, legislators, child advocates, and others think we already know enough to address the root causes of child maltreatment. Critical evaluations of treatment and prevention services are not supported due to both a lack of funding and a lack of appreciation for the role that scientific analysis can play in improving the quality of existing services and identifying new opportunities for interventions. The existing research base is small in volume and spread over a wide variety of topics. The contrast between the importance of the problem and the difficulty of approaching it has encouraged the panel to proceed carefully, thoroughly distinguishing suppositions from facts when they appear.

Research on child maltreatment is at a crossroads—we are now in a position to merge this research field with others to incorporate multiple perspectives, broaden research samples, and focus on fundamental issues that have the potential to strengthen, reform, or replace existing public policy and social programs. We have arrived at a point where we can

recognize the complex interplay of forces in the origins and consequences of child abuse and neglect. We also recognize the limitations of our knowledge about the effects of different forms of social interventions (e.g., home visitations, foster care, family treatment programs) for changing the developmental pathways of abuse victims and their families.

The Importance Of A Child-Oriented Framework

The field of child maltreatment studies has often divided research into the types of child maltreatment under consideration (such as physical and sexual abuse, child neglect, and emotional maltreatment). Within each category, researchers and practitioners have examined underlying causes or etiology, consequences, forms of treatment or other interventions, and prevention programs. Each category has developed its own typology and framework of reference terms, and researchers within each category often publish in separate journals and attend separate professional meetings.

Over a decade ago, the National Research Council Committee on Child Development Research and Public Policy published a report titled Services for Children: An Agenda for Research (1981). Commenting on the development of various government services for children, the report noted that observations of children's needs were increasingly distorted by the "unmanageably complex, expensive, and confusing" categorical service structure that had produced fragmented and sometimes contradictory programs to address child health and nutrition requirements (p. 15-16). The committee concluded that the actual experiences of children and their families in different segments of society and the conditions of their homes, neighborhoods, and communities needed more systematic study. The report further noted that we need to learn more about who are the important people in children's lives, including parents, siblings, extended family, friends, and caretakers outside the family, and what these people do for children, when, and where.

These same conclusions can be applied to studies of child maltreatment. Our panel considered, but did not endorse, a framework that would emphasize differences in the categories of child abuse or neglect. We also considered a framework that would highlight differences in the current system of detecting, investigating, or responding to child maltreatment. In contrast to conceptualizing this report in terms of categories of maltreatment or responses of the social system to child maltreatment, the panel presents a child-oriented research agenda that emphasizes the importance of knowing more about the backgrounds and experiences of developing children and their families, within a broader social context that includes their friends, neighborhoods, and communities. This framework stresses the importance of knowing more about the qualitative differences between children who suffer episodic experiences of abuse or neglect and those for whom mal-

treatment is a chronic part of their lives. And this approach highlights the need to know more about circumstances that affect the consequences, and therefore the treatment, of child maltreatment, especially circumstances that may be affected by family, cultural, or ethnic factors that often remain hidden in small, isolated studies.

An Ecological Developmental Perspective

The panel has adopted an ecological developmental perspective to examine factors in the child, family, or society that can exacerbate or mitigate the incidence and destructive consequences of child maltreatment. In the panel's view, this perspective reflects the understanding that development is a process involving transactions between the growing child and the social environment or ecology in which development takes place. Positive and negative factors merit attention in shaping a research agenda on child maltreatment. We have adopted a perspective that recognizes that dysfunctional families are often part of a dysfunctional environment.

The relevance of child maltreatment research to child development studies and other research fields is only now being examined. New methodologies and new theories of child maltreatment that incorporate a developmental perspective can provide opportunities for researchers to consider the interaction of multiple factors, rather than focusing on single causes or short-term effects. What is required is the mobilization of new structures of support and resources to concentrate research efforts on significant areas that offer the greatest promise of improving our understanding of, and our responses to, child abuse and neglect.

Our report extends beyond what is, to what could be, in a society that fosters healthy development in children and families. We cannot simply build a research agenda for the existing social system; we need to develop one that independently challenges the system to adapt to new perspectives, new insights, and new discoveries.

The fundamental theme of the report is the recognition that research efforts to address child maltreatment should be enhanced and incorporated into a long-term plan to improve the quality of children's lives and the lives of their families. By placing maltreatment within the framework of healthy development, for example, we can identify unique sources of intervention for infants, preschool children, school-age children, and adolescents.

Each stage of development presents challenges that must be resolved in order for a child to achieve productive forms of thinking, perceiving, and behaving as an adult. The special needs of a newborn infant significantly differ from those of a toddler or preschool child. Children in the early years of elementary school have different skills and distinct experiential levels from those of preadolescent years. Adolescent boys and girls demon-

strate a range of awkward and exploratory behaviors as they acquire basic social skills necessary to move forward into adult life. Most important, developmental research has identified the significant influences of family, schools, peers, neighborhoods, and the broader society in supporting or constricting child development.

Understanding the phenomenon of child abuse and neglect within a developmental perspective poses special challenges. As noted earlier, research literature on child abuse and neglect is generally organized by the category or type of maltreatment; integrated efforts have not yet been achieved. For example, research has not yet compared and contrasted the causes of physical and sexual abuse of a preschool child or the differences between emotional maltreatment of toddlers and adolescents, although all these examples fall within the domain of child maltreatment. A broader conceptual framework for research will elicit data that can facilitate such comparative analyses.

By placing research in the framework of factors that foster healthy development, the ecological developmental perspective can enhance understanding of the research agenda for child abuse and neglect. The developmental perspective can improve the quality of treatment and prevention programs, which often focus on particular groups, such as young mothers who demonstrate risk factors for abuse of newborns, or sexual offenders who molest children. There has been little effort to cut across the categorical lines established within these studies to understand points of convergence or divergence in studies on child abuse and neglect.

The ecological developmental perspective can also improve our understanding of the consequences of child abuse and neglect, which may occur with increased or diminished intensity over a developmental cycle, or in different settings such as the family or the school. Initial effects may be easily identified and addressed if the abuse is detected early in the child's development, and medical and psychological services are available for the victim and the family. Undetected incidents, or childhood experiences discovered later in adult life, require different forms of treatment and intervention. In many cases, incidents of abuse and neglect may go undetected and unreported, yet the child victim may display aggression, delinquency, substance addiction, or other problem behaviors that stimulate responses within the social system.

Finally, an ecological developmental perspective can enhance intervention and prevention programs by identifying different requirements and potential effects for different age groups. Children at separate stages of their developmental cycle have special coping mechanisms that present barriers to—and opportunities for—the treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. Intervention programs need to consider the extent to which children may have already experienced some form of maltreatment in order to

evaluate successful outcomes. In addition, the perspective facilitates evaluation of which settings are the most promising locus for interventions.

Previous Reports

A series of national reports associated with the health and welfare of children have been published in the past decade, many of which have identified the issue of child abuse and neglect as one that deserves sustained attention and creative programmatic solutions. In their 1991 report, Beyond Rhetoric , the National Commission on Children noted that the fragmentation of social services has resulted in the nation's children being served on the basis of their most obvious condition or problem rather than being served on the basis of multiple needs. Although the needs of these children are often the same and are often broader than the mission of any single agency emotionally disturbed children are often served by the mental health system, delinquent children by the juvenile justice system, and abused or neglected children by the protective services system (National Commission on Children, 1991). In their report, the commission called for the protection of abused and neglected children through more comprehensive child protective services, with a strong emphasis on efforts to keep children with their families or to provide permanent placement for those removed from their homes.

In setting health goals for the year 2000, the Public Health Service recognized the problem of child maltreatment and recommended improvements in reporting and diagnostic services, and prevention and educational interventions (U.S. Public Health Service, 1990). For example, the report, Health People 2000 , described the four types of child maltreatment and recommended that the rising incidence (identified as 25.2 per 1,000 in 1986) should be reversed to less than 25.2 in the year 2000. These public health targets are stated as reversing increasing trends rather than achieving specific reductions because of difficulties in obtaining valid and reliable measures of child maltreatment. The report also included recommendations to expand the implementation of state level review systems for unexplained child deaths, and to increase the number of states in which at least 50 percent of children who are victims of physical or sexual abuse receive appropriate treatment and follow-up evaluations as a means of breaking the intergenerational cycle of abuse.

The U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect issued reports in 1990 and 1991 which include national policy and research recommendations. The 1991 report presented a range of research options for action, highlighting the following priorities (U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, 1991:110-113):

This report differs from those described above because its primary focus is on establishing a research agenda for the field of studies on child abuse and neglect. In contrast to the mandate of the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, the panel was not asked to prepare policy recommendations for federal and state governments in developing child maltreatment legislation and programs. The panel is clearly aware of the need for services for abused and neglected children and of the difficult policy issues that must be considered by the Congress, the federal government, the states, and municipal governments in responding to the distress of children and families in crisis. The charge to this panel was to design a research agenda that would foster the development of scientific knowledge that would provide fundamental insights into the causes, identification, incidence, consequences, treatment, and prevention of child maltreatment. This knowledge can enable public and private officials to execute their responsibilities more effectively, more equitably, and more compassionately and empower families and communities to resolve their problems and conflicts in a manner that strengthens their internal resources and reduces the need for external interventions.

Report Overview

Early studies on child abuse and neglect evolved from a medical or pathogenic model, and research focused on specific contributing factors or causal sources within the individual offender to be discovered, addressed, and prevented. With the development of research on child maltreatment over the past several decades, however, the complexity of the phenomena encompassed by the terms child abuse and neglect or child maltreatment has become apparent. Clinical studies that began with small sample sizes and weak methodological designs have gradually evolved into larger and longer-term projects with hundreds of research subjects and sound instrumentation.

Although the pathogenic model remains popular among the general public in explaining the sources of child maltreatment, it is limited by its primary focus on risk and protective factors within the individual. Research investigators now recognize that individual behaviors are often influenced by factors in the family, community, and society as a whole. Elements from these systems are now being integrated into more complex theories that analyze the roles of interacting risk and protective factors to explain and understand the phenomena associated with child maltreatment.

In the past, research on child abuse and neglect has developed within a categorical framework that classifies the research by the type of maltreatment typically as reported in administrative records. Although the quality of research within different categories of child abuse and neglect is uneven and problems of definitions, data collection, and study design continue to characterize much research in this field, the panel concluded that enough progress has been achieved to integrate the four categories of maltreatment into a child-oriented framework that could analyze the similarities and differences of research findings. Rather than encouraging the continuation of a categorical approach that would separate research on physical or sexual abuse, for example, the panel sought to develop for research sponsors and the research community a set of priorities that would foster the integration of scientific findings, encourage the development of comparative analyses, and also distinguish key research themes in such areas as identification, incidence, etiology, prevention, consequences, and treatment. This approach recognizes the need for the construction of collaborative, long-term efforts between public and private research sponsors and research investigators to strengthen the knowledge base, to integrate studies that have evolved for different types of child maltreatment, and eventually to reduce the problem of child maltreatment. This approach also highlights the connections that need to be made between research on the causes and the prevention of child maltreatment, for the more we learn about the origins of child abuse and neglect, the more effective we can be in seeking to prevent it. In the same manner, the report emphasises the connections that need to be made between research on the consequences and treatment of child maltreatment, for knowledge about the effects of child abuse and neglect can guide the development of interventions to address these effects.

In constructing this report, the panel has considered eight broad areas: Identification and definitions of child abuse and neglect (Chapter 2) Incidence: The scope of the problem (Chapter 3) Etiology of child maltreatment (Chapter 4) Prevention of child maltreatment (Chapter 5) Consequences of child maltreatment (Chapter 6) Treatment of child maltreatment (Chapter 7)

Human resources, instrumentation, and research infrastructure (Chapter 8) Ethical and legal issue in child maltreatment research (Chapter 9)

Each chapter includes key research recommendations within the topic under review. The final chapter of the report (Chapter 10) establishes a framework of research priorities derived by the panel from these recommendations. The four main categories identified within this framework—research on the nature and scope of child maltreatment; research on the origins and consequences of child maltreatment; research on the strengths and limitations of existing interventions; and the need for a science policy for child maltreatment research—provide the priorities that the panel has selected as the most important to address in the decade ahead.

1. The panel received an anecdotal report, for example, that one federal research agency systematically changed titles of its research awards over a decade ago, replacing phrases such as child abuse with references to maternal and child health care, after political sensitivities developed regarding the appropriateness of its research program in this area.

Bell, D.A. 1992 Faces at the Bottom of the Well: The Permanence of Racism . New York: Basic Books.

Children's Defense Fund 1991 The State of America's Children . Washington, DC: The Children's Defense Fund.

Daro, D. 1988 Confronting Child Abuse: Research for Effective Program Design . New York: The Free Press, Macmillan. Cited in the General Accounting Office, 1992. Child Abuse: Prevention Programs Need Greater Emphasis. GAO/HRD-92-99.

Daro, D., and K. McCurdy 1991 Current Trends in Child Abuse Reporting and Fatalities: The Results of the 1990 Annual Fifty State Survey . Chicago: National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse.

Fuchs, V.R., and D.M. Reklis 1992 America's children: Economic perspectives and policy options. Science 255:41-46.

General Accounting Office 1991 Child Abuse Prevention: Status of the Challenge Grant Program . May. GAO:HRD91-95. Washington, DC.

Huston, A.C., ed. 1991 Children in Poverty: Child Development and Public Policy . New York: Cambridge University Press.

Kempe, C.H., F.N. Silverman, B. Steele, W. Droegemueller, and H.R. Silver 1962 The battered child syndrome. Journal of the American Medical Association 181(1): 17-24.

McClain, P.W., J.J. Sacks, R.G. Froehlke, and B.G. Ewigman 1993 Estimates of fatal child abuse and neglect, United States, 1979 through 1988. Pediatrics 91(2):338-343.

National Commission on Children 1991 Beyond Rhetoric: A New American Agenda for Children and Families . Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

National Research Council 1981 Services for Children: An Agenda for Research . Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect 1990 Child Abuse and Neglect: Critical First Steps in Response to a National Emergency . August. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. August. 1991 Creating Caring Communities . September. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

U.S. Public Health Service 1990 Violent and abusive behavior. Pp. 226-247 (Chapter 7) in Healthy People 2000 Report . Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The tragedy of child abuse and neglect is in the forefront of public attention. Yet, without a conceptual framework, research in this area has been highly fragmented. Understanding the broad dimensions of this crisis has suffered as a result.

This new volume provides a comprehensive, integrated, child-oriented research agenda for the nation. The committee presents an overview of three major areas:

• Definitions and scope —exploring standardized classifications, analysis of incidence and prevalence trends, and more.
• Etiology, consequences, treatment, and prevention —analyzing relationships between cause and effect, reviewing prevention research with a unique systems approach, looking at short- and long-term consequences of abuse, and evaluating interventions.
• Infrastructure and ethics —including a review of current research efforts, ways to strengthen human resources and research tools, and guidance on sensitive ethical and legal issues.

This volume will be useful to organizations involved in research, social service agencies, child advocacy groups, and researchers.

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• Contemp Clin Dent
• v.5(2); Apr-Jun 2014

Child abuse: A classic case report with literature review

Arthur m. kemoli.

Department of Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, University of Nairobi, Kenya

Mildred Mavindu

Child abuse and neglect are serious global problems and can be in the form of physical, sexual, emotional or just neglect in providing for the child's needs. These factors can leave the child with serious, long-lasting psychological damage. In the present case report, a 12-year-old orphaned boy was physically abused by a close relative who caused actual bodily and emotional trauma to the boy. After satisfactorily managing the trauma and emotional effects to the patient, in addition to the counseling services provided to the caregiver, the patient made a steady recovery. He was also referred to a child support group for social support, and prepare him together with his siblings for placement in a children's home in view of the hostile environment in which they were living.

Introduction

For a long time, child protection in general has been perceived as a matter for the professionals specializing in social service, health, mental health, and justice systems. However, this problem remains a duty to all, and more so a concern for other social scientists such as anthropologists, economists, historians, planners, political scientists, sociologists, and humanists (e.g., ethicists, legal scholars, political theorists, and theologians) who contribute to the understanding of the concepts of and strategies in child protection and the responsibility for adults and institutions with roles in ensuring the safety and the humane care of children under their care. Child abuse, therefore, is when harm or threat of harm is made to a child by someone acting in the role of caretaker.[ 1 , 2 ] It is a worldwide problem with no social, ethnic, and racial bounds.[ 3 ] Child abuse can be in the form of physical abuse, when the child suffers bodily harm as a result of a deliberate attempt to hurt the child, or severe discipline or physical punishment inappropriate to the child's age. It can be sexual abuse arising from subjecting the child to inappropriate exposure to sexual acts or materials or passive use of the child as sexual stimuli and/or actual sexual contacts. Child abuse can also be in the form of emotional abuse involving coercive, constant belittling, shaming, humiliating a child, making negative comparisons to others, frequent yelling, threatening, or bullying of the child, rejecting and ignoring the child as punishment, having limited physical contact with the child (e.g., no hugs, kisses, or other signs of affection), exposing the child to violence or abuse of others or any other demeaning acts. All these factors can lead to interference with the child's normal social or psychological development leaving the child with lifelong psychological scars. Lastly, child abuse can be in the form of child neglect, when an able caregiver fails to provide basic needs, adequate food, clothing, hygiene, supervision shelter, supervision, medical care, or support to the child.[ 4 ]

It is usually difficult to detect child abuse, unless one creates an atmosphere that would encourage disclosure by the child being abused.[ 5 ] Nonetheless, a good medical and social history may help to unravel the problem. Signs and symptoms of child abuse commonly include subnormal growth of the child, unexplained head and dental injuries, soft-tissue injuries like bruises and bite marks, burns and bony injuries like broken ribs, in the absence of a history pointing to the cause or causes of the trauma. The present case report describes a child who was abuse by a very close relative, and who caused physical and psychological trauma to the young lad.

Case Report

Peter, a 12-year-old boy, accompanied by his maternal aunt, presented at the local university Dental Hospital (Pediatric Dental Clinic) in Kenya in October 2012, with a complaint of a large, painful left facial swelling related to the left upper incisors. He had been referred from a local rural hospital where he had been taken by the same aunt, for treatment of the swelling. The swelling had occurred only 2 days prior to visiting the local hospital, and 4 days before presenting himself at the University Dental Hospital. Enquiry about the causes of the swelling provided unclear answers. Family history indicated that the young boy was a first-born among three siblings (9-year-old girl, 5-year-old boy), and that their single parent (mother) had been deceased for 6 years due to HIV-related complications. The three children had moved to live with their maternal grandparents and their seven sons. The patient had no adverse past medical history and had never consulted a dentist previous to the present problem. The boy was in grade seven in a local primary school and had the aspiration of becoming a medical doctor in future. It was not possible to establish from the aunt or the boy the situation of the patient's other siblings.

An extra-oral examination showed a young boy with a normal gait, sickly, unkempt, rather withdrawn, and small for his age. He had asymmetrical face due to the swelling involving his left submandibular region and spreading upwards to the inferior orbital margin, febrile (39.1°C), a marked submandibular lymphadenopathy on the left side, the skin overlying the swelling was warm, shiny and fluctuant, and the lips were dry and incompetent (2 cm) and as shown in [Figures ​ [Figures1a 1a – c ]. However, the temporomandibular joint movements were normal. The patient was also found to have a big, healing scar on the dorsal surface of the left foot, the cause of which was also unclear [ Figure 1 ].

(a) Frontal and (b) lateral (c) profiles of the patient showing the facial asymmetry with the left submandibular to infra-orbital and the healing scar on the foot

Intra-oral examination revealed a young boy in the permanent dentition with un-erupted third permanent molars, poor oral hygiene with heavy plaque deposits on the tongue and a generalized but moderate inflammation of the gingiva. There was a grade three mobility in relation to 11, 12, 21, 22 and a grade two mobility in relation to 23, 24, 25 (Miller mobility index). There was intramucosal swelling in relation to 21-24 extending labially/buccally (measuring 4 cm × 3 cm) and palatally (measuring 3 cm × 2 cm). On elevation of the upper lip, active discharge of pus mixed with blood and some black granules could be seen emanating from the abscess. There were no alveolar/bone fractures elicited, but carious lesions were present on 46 (occlusal), 47 and 37 (buccal). Orthodontic evaluation showed Angles class I molar relation on the left and edge to edge tending to class II on the right side. The canines were in class I relationship bilaterally. There was an anterior over-jet of 3 mm (11/21), an overbite of 20%, coincidental dental/facial midline and crowding on the upper right arch with 15 palatally displaced as can be seen in Figure ​ Figure2a 2a – c .

(a) Intra-oral photographs of the patient showing the labial and (b) palatial swelling in relation to displaced 21 and 22 (c), generalized marginal gingival inflammation, palatally displaced 15, moderate dental plaque deposits and a moderate anterior dental crowding in the lower dental arch

For investigations, orthopantogram, intra-oral periapical 11, 12, upper and lower standard occlusal and bite wing radiographs were taken and examined. In addition, clinical photographs, study models, and vitality tests for the traumatized teeth were undertaken. A diet and nutrition assessment, full blood count, stool microscopic analysis for ova and cyst and bacterial culture and sensitivity were also undertaken.

The results of the radiographs showed un-erupted with potential impaction of 48 and 38, an upper midline radioluscence, widened periodontal space in relation to 11, 21 (with a mesial tilt), 22, occlusal caries on 46 and buccal caries on 47 and 37. There was the presence of root fractures involving the apical one-third of 21, 22. Vitality tests conducted on the traumatized incisors showed false positive (may be due to the presence of infection). The blood analysis showed the presence of neutrophilia (suggestive of bacterial infection), mild iron deficiency, but he was sero-negative. From the diet chart, the boy was generally on a noncariogenic diet that lacked the intake of fruits and animal proteins. Nutritional assessment revealed a boy with a height of 144 cm, a weight of 28 kg, and a body mass index (BMI) of 13.5 Kg/m 2 (below 5 th percentile (given the ideal BMI should be 17.8 Kg/m 2 in the 50 th percentile).

From the history adduced and the results of the investigations, a diagnosis of child abuse and neglect was reached, with the boy having suffered traumatic injuries resulting in facial cellulitis, Ellis class VI fracture involving 21, 22 associated dentoalveolar abscess and subluxation of 11, 12. In addition, there were dental carious lesions on 46 (occlusally), 47 and 37 (buccally) and a relatively severe malnutrition. The patient had also moderate plaque induced gingivitis, mild anemia (microcytic and iron deficiency), mild dental fluorosis, potentially impacted 48 and 38 and crowding in the upper right and lower anterior arches.

The objective of treating the boy was to eliminate the pain, infection, improve the general and oral health, restore carious teeth, improve esthetic and report the child abuse and neglect to the relevant authorities. In the initial phase of treatment, the patient was admitted for 4 days and placed on dexamethasone 8 mg stat, cefuroxime 750 mg 3 times a day, metronidazole 500 mg 3 times a day, diclofenac 50 mg tablets alternating 4 hourly with oral paracetamol 1000 mg 3 times a day, to run for 5 days. Patient was also placed on chlorhexidine mouthwash 10 ml twice daily for 7 days and ranferon (hematinics) 10 ml to be used twice a day for 1 month. The second phase of treatment included incision and drainage of the abscess, followed by the splinting of the mobile teeth in the upper dental arch using semi-rigid splint of 0.6 mm stainless steel round wire for 4 weeks while. Root canal treatment of 11, 21, 12, and 22 followed thereafter.[ 6 ] A referral of the patient was made the child support center in the main referral hospital, plus the patient was placed on future recalls to determine whether the patient would have overcome the problem and the oral health was maintained in good condition.

The third phase of treatment involved interceptive orthodontics with the extraction of 15 to relieve the crowding in the area. Oral hygiene instructions were availed to the patient and the guardian, placement of fissure sealants was done for the premolars and molars to help reduce plaque retention on these teeth, preventive resin restorations were placed on 37, 46, and 47. The root fractures involving the apical one-third of 21 and 22 meant that the two teeth were to be initially dressed using non setting calcium hydroxide, and after healing, root canals are filled in the usual manner [ Figure 3 ].

Postobturation intraoral periapial radiograph showing the restoration on 12, 11, 21, and 22

Nutrition evaluation had initially been done and when the patient was re-evaluated after 1 month, he had gained bodyweight up to 1 kg. The child support center continued to carry out psychotherapy, and during one of the sessions, the patient confessed to having undergone physical abuse and threatened not to divulge any information by one of the uncles. The center considered placing the boy into a children's home, probably together with his siblings. Radiographic examinations evaluation after 3 months indicated some external apical root resorption taking place on 21 and 22. Further follows-ups were to continue.[ 7 ] After 10 months, the oral health and general heath of the patient had remarkably improved as shown in Figure 4 .

Posttreatment photographs taken after 10 months showing improved oral health of the patient and the glimmer of confidence in the patient as shown in a-d respectively

All types of child abuse and neglect leave the affected child with long-lasting scars that may be physical or psychological, but they are the emotional scars that leave the child with life-long effects, damage to the child's sense of self, the ability to build healthy relationships and function at home, work or school. This situation can in turn result in the child turning to alcohol or drugs to numb the painful feelings. On the other hand, the exposure by the child to violence during childhood can increase vulnerability of that child to mental and physical health problems like anxiety disorder, depression, etc.,[ 8 , 9 ] and make victims more likely to become perpetrators of violence later in life.[ 10 ] The oral cavity can be a central focus for physical abuse due to its significance in communication and nutrition.[ 3 , 11 ]

A neglected and abused child like the one described here, can become helpless and passive, displaying less affect to anything whether positive or negative in his or her encounters.[ 12 ] The patient described was vulnerable to abuse as he already lacked the parental protection in his early life, and was living in a poor, but large family where competition for available resources must have been stiff. The abuser, therefore, his own uncle, probably did not like their presence gave him the assumption that the children would grow up to take away what he probably thought would be his dues from the family.

In Kenya and even in many other countries, data on the prevalence of child abuse is still scarce. A Kenyan study undertaken in 2013 showed that violence against children was very high, with 31.9% and 17.5% female and male, respectively reporting having been exposed to sexual violence, 65.8% and 72.9% female and male respectively to physical violence. In the same study, 18.2% and 24.5% female and male, respectively had been abused prior to attaining 18 years of age, and only 23.8% female and 20.6% male reported not having experienced any form of violence during childhood.[ 13 ] Child abuse in Kenya, therefore, appears to be a rampant problem within the society. In all cases of abuse reported in the literature, the perpetrators were most often well-known to the children. The motive of child abuse has not always clear, just as it was the case with the patient described here. The patient under study here hailed from a family with low socio-economic background where providing for extra needs in the family could have been a problem. Even during treatment of the patient the family found the cost of treatment to be very high and unaffordable to them, and a waiver of the cost had to be sought and obtained from the University Dental Hospital. Further, the child having been orphaned with the death of their single parent (mother) left these children unprotected and vulnerable to such abuse from uncles who may have been competing for same needs in an already crowded family. It is possible that factors as poverty, social isolation, and familial disruption could have contributed to the abuse meted by this boy.[ 1 ] The fact that the problem was established at this stage, it probably provided the patient and his siblings with the opportunity to get early support and avert serious health problems for them. The referral to the local child protection authority was done to attain this goal and also to have the children monitored consistently for their safety from further child abuse. The child protection agency was indeed considering placing them in the custody of a children's home, though sadly, according to a report by the Kenyan Government, the utilization of these support services had not been very high,[ 13 ] for reasons unknown.

The treatment of the patient was carried out in a humane manner, and assistance provided whenever possible to have the full treatment completed. The problem of nutrition was still a difficult one for this large family with a poor background. Nonetheless, the guardian was still briefed on the issue, and informed about the importance of a balanced diet for optimal growth and immunity boosting for such young child, and suggestions for alternative cost-effective foods for the child. It was hoped that the support services of giving the patient and probably his siblings a new home would help the young child to grow and develop normally without fear of abuse.

The management of child abuse can be complicated, and often require a multidisciplinary approach, encompass professionals who will identifying the cause of the abuse or neglect, treatment of the immediate problems and referral of the child to the relevant child protection authority for action. Counseling services for the child and the caregivers should form part of the management regime. In the present case, the objectives were met and the patient got full benefits of this approach.

Source of Support: Nil

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Essay on Child Abuse

Child abuse is any intentional harm or mistreatment of a child, including physical, sexual, emotional, and neglect. It can have serious consequences for a child’s physical and mental health, as well as their future development and relationships. Child abuse is a serious issue that affects a child’s well-being in many ways ( Steele et al., 2023). It can cause immediate and long-term harm to a child’s physical, emotional, and mental health. Some forms of child abuse, such as physical abuse, can result in physical injuries and long-term physical health problems. Sexual abuse can lead to emotional trauma, depression, and sexual health problems. Emotional abuse can cause low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. Neglect can result in malnutrition, developmental delays, and behavioral problems.

Moreover, the effects of child abuse can persist into adulthood and affect future relationships, career choices, and overall quality of life (Seddighi et al., 2021). Children who have experienced abuse are also at higher risk of engaging in self-destructive behavior and becoming involved in the criminal justice system. It is important to understand that child abuse can happen to any child, regardless of their background, and can occur in any setting. It is also important to note that child abuse is committed by strangers and people known to the child, such as family members, caretakers, or teachers. It is crucial that child abuse is recognized, reported, and addressed promptly to prevent further harm and promote the child’s well-being.

Reasons for child abuse can vary and include: Substance abuse by a parent or caregiver can lead to impulsive and violent behavior towards a child. Mental health issues: Mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can increase the likelihood of child abuse. Poverty: Financial stress, unemployment, and lack of resources can lead to feelings of hopelessness and desperation, increasing the risk of child abuse. Family violence: Children who grow up in homes where violence is present are more likely to become victims of child abuse (Steele et al., 2023). Lack of knowledge and skills: Parents and caregivers who lack knowledge and skills on appropriate child-rearing practices are more likely to resort to physical or emotional abuse.

There are also cultural and societal factors that can contribute to child abuse. For example, in some cultures, physical punishment is accepted as a form of discipline, and this can increase the likelihood of physical abuse. Societal attitudes towards child-rearing, such as the belief that children should be seen and not heard, can also contribute to emotional abuse. Child abuse can also result from intergenerational cycles of abuse, where children who have been abused are more likely to abuse their children (Steele et al., 2023).

It is important to understand that child abuse is never the child’s fault and that abusive behavior is a choice made by the abuser or caregiver. Seeking help and support is crucial in breaking the cycle of abuse and promoting the child’s well-being. Support services such as counseling, support groups, and educational programs can help individuals overcome the reasons behind their abusive behavior and learn appropriate child-rearing practices (Christian et al., 2018).

Consequences of child abuse can include Physical health problems: Children who are physically abused may experience injuries, disabilities, and chronic health conditions. Mental health problems: Child abuse can lead to various mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Difficulty in relationships: Children who have been abused may struggle to trust others and form healthy relationships in the future. Poor academic performance: Children abused are more likely to struggle in school and have lower educational attainment (Lines et al., 2023). Increased risk of criminal behavior: Children who have been abused are more likely to engage in criminal behavior and substance abuse later in life.

Society must recognize the signs of child abuse and take steps to prevent it. This can involve providing support and resources to families in need and increasing public awareness about the issue. Child abuse can have severe and long-lasting effects on children’s physical, emotional, and psychological well-being. Everyone must play a role in identifying and reporting child abuse cases (Seddighi et al., 2021). This can involve being aware of the signs of abuse, such as bruises, injuries, changes in behavior, and difficulty concentrating.

Individuals can also take steps to prevent abuse by volunteering with organizations that support families and children and by spreading awareness about the issue through conversations and social media. It is also important for schools, healthcare providers, and law enforcement to have proper training in recognizing and reporting abuse (Lines et al., 2023). Governments can play a role in providing funding for resources and services that can help prevent and respond to abuse. Addressing child abuse requires a comprehensive and collaborative approach that involves everyone in society. Working together can create a safer and more supportive environment for children to grow and thrive.

Some other consequences of child abuse can be: Impact on brain development: Child abuse can affect the normal development of a child’s brain, leading to cognitive and behavioral issues. Low self-esteem: Children who are abused often have low self-esteem and negative self-image, which can affect their ability to develop healthy relationships and lead fulfilling lives (Christian et al., 2018). Difficulty in forming attachments: Children who are abused may have trouble forming attachments to others and struggle to develop healthy relationships in adulthood. Risk of substance abuse: Children who have been abused are more likely to turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with their experiences. Victimization: Children who have been abused are more likely to become victims of abuse or violence later in life, in intimate relationships, or other areas of their lives.

Child abuse can devastate children, including physical injuries, emotional trauma, and long-term developmental problems. To prevent child abuse, it is important to understand the various forms it can take, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. Preventing child abuse requires a multi-faceted approach that involves education, community support, and the provision of resources for families (Zeanah & Humphreys, 2018). This includes providing access to mental health services and support for parents struggling to provide for their children. It also involves educating the public about the signs of child abuse and the importance of reporting any suspected cases to the appropriate authorities.

Schools and community organizations can also play a role in preventing child abuse by promoting safe and supportive environments for children. This can include educational programs for children and parents on healthy relationships, consent, and boundaries. In addition, community leaders and policymakers can work to create laws and policies that protect children from abuse and provide support for victims and their families. This may include funding for child protective services, strengthening penalties for child abuse, and improving access to resources for families in need. Overall, preventing child abuse requires a collective effort from all members of society (Caron et al., 2020). Working together can create a safer and more supportive environment for children and help break the cycle of violence.

Caron, F., Plancq, M. C., Tourneux., P., Gouron, R., & Klein, C. (2020). Was child abuse under-detected during the COVID-19 lockdown? Archives de pédiatrie, 27(7), 399-400.

Christian, C. W., Levin, A. V., ABUSE, C. O. C., Flaherty, E. G., Sirotnak, A. P., Budzak, A. E., … & Suh, D. W. (2018). The eye examination in the evaluation of child abuse. Pediatrics, 142(2).

Lines, L. E., Kakyo, T. A., Hutton, A., Mwashala, W. W., & Grant, J. M. (2023). How are responses to child abuse and neglect conceptualized in Australian policy? Children and Youth Services Review, 145, 106794.

Saini, S. M., Hoffmann, C. R., Pantelis, C., Everall, I. P., & Bousman, C. A. (2019). A systematic review and critical appraisal of child abuse measurement instruments. Psychiatry Research, pp. 272, 106–113.

Seddighi, H., Salmani, I., Javadi, M. H., & Seddighi, S. (2021). Child abuse in natural disasters and conflicts: A systematic review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 22(1), 176-185.

Steele, B., Neelakantan, L., Jochim, J., Davies, L. M., Boyes, M., Franchino-Olsen, H., … & Meinck, F. (2023). Measuring violence against children: a COSMIN systematic review of the psychometric and administrative properties of adult retrospective self-report instruments on child abuse and neglect. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 15248380221145912.

Zeanah, C. H., & Humphreys, K. L. (2018). Child abuse and neglect. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 57(9), 637–644.

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Cause and Effect of Child Abuse

This essay will explore the causes and effects of child abuse. It will examine factors leading to abuse, its immediate and long-term psychological impacts on children, and the importance of preventive and supportive measures. Also at PapersOwl you can find more free essay examples related to Abuse.

How it works

Abuse impacts an individual negatively and follows them the rest of their life. Child abuse is horrific as the abuse is often from the very person that is supposed to protect the child. The abuse isn’t always physical but can be mental, sexual, and neglectful. Many factors can influence a child’s reaction to the traumas that they experience such as age, how far developmentally they are, the type of abuse, how long the abuse went on, how severe, and the relationship to perpetrator.

Child abuse is a major problem in the world today. There are several causes such as domestic violence, substance abuse, and inadequate parenting skills but the effects always affect the victims psychologically, physically, and mentally during the abuse and later in life.

One of the many causes of child abuse is domestic violence. If a child lives in a household were violence is present, they often become victims of violence as well. The anger between parents can be projected on to a child if the child begins to cry, tries to protect the abused parent, or just reminding the abuser of the other parent. Some of the effects from this type of abuse is the physical injury to the child such as shaken baby syndrome. Shaken baby syndrome often causes swelling in the brain, possibly internal bleeding of the brain, blindness, or mental retardation. With any injuries to a child’s brain at such a young age may result in cognitive issues as they get older. The brain is still developing so any injuries during this time can be detrimental for the child’s cognitive future. The child could also receive broken bones which if not healed properly will cause issues physically as they get older.

As the child grows older, they can begin to feel isolated and think no one understands or is in the position to help them escape the situation that they are in. Children that feel isolated also tend to have low self-esteem, depressed, have anxiety, eating disorders, mental health issues, and often find their selves contemplating suicide.

Another cause of child abuse is substance abuse. When a parent is so dependent on a substance, they do not have the ability to care for their children the way that they should be. An addictive parent will put their drug needs before their own needs for shelter and food, as they are only searching for their next fix to sustain that ultimate high. Drugs and alcohol can contribute to maltreatment of children. The early exposure to drugs allows a child to think the behavior they are seeing is normal and may experience drugs and alcohol a lot earlier than other children their age. Children also are left up to their own devices in these situations.

Without the parental interaction and support these children tend to suffer academically as they score lower on tests and have issues developing language outside of normal school settings. Other effects of this type of abuse is the higher probability of the child dropping out of school, becoming delinquent, early teen pregnancy, and becoming involved in criminal activity which leads to arrest. Children that experience this type of abuse can also be aggressive as they have no outlet or guidance on how to deal with their emotions in a positive way.

Inadequate parenting skills is another cause of child abuse. A lot of parents when finding out they will be bringing another life into the world get excited and begin to research and participate in classes to help them become a better parent. However, some parents have no desire to be parents but do not take the precautionary measures to prevent pregnancies and often do not believe in abortions or not able to get one because of financial reasons. Some parents even have children to gain government benefits that wouldn’t be available to them otherwise. Some parents are unable to manage the physical and emotional needs to care for the child.

When parents are stressed, they often take their frustrations out on their children both physically and verbally. Relationship issues and financial obligations are the main stressors that many parents face. Some parents just do not have the basic knowledge of the development of a child and may have unrealistic expectations of their role as a parent or the capabilities of the child. The effects of these abused children prevent them from being able to form positive attachments. Being able to attach to the parent or caregiver is important as it is a guideline for relationships in the future. The primary attachment is the person that cares for a child whether it be a parent, friend, relative, or foster/adoptive parent.

This person is to protect, comfort, and guide the child in their life. Without this attachment being positive, the child finds it hard to trust and can be often distressed in situations when they are being asked to trust someone. It is extremely difficult to trust people when the person they are supposed to trust first was never a positive model in their life. Later in life as adults, these children are more likely to not be able to form and maintain strong relationships and have very unhealthy relationships with people.

As you can see child abuse is very damaging to children no matter when they are abused in their life. Children that experience these life scarring events can prevail and make a better life for themselves. However, not all children have the capacity or help to be able to overcome the trauma. These scars may not be seen physically forever but mental scars will always be there. The ultimate effect of abuse is death which occurs more today than one would like to admit. There are classes in place to help parents become better parents. Children that are abused more than likely grow up and repeat the same pattern of abuse if there is no intervention. It is society’s duty to be able to identify and help not only the children that experiences the abuse but also help the abuser understand the effects that last far longer than the abuse itself.

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Child Abuse Essay Example

Many parents are not aware of the signs of child abuse. This is largely due to the fact that they do not want to believe it could happen or they are in denial. Abuse can manifest itself as an extreme lack of empathy, which is also known as coldness. There are other signs to look for including a decline in school performance, mood swings, and aggressive behavior. If you suspect your child has been abused there are several resources available to help find out if it truly happened and get them to help if necessary.

• Thesis Statement
• Introduction

Essay Example On Child Abuse

Thesis Statement Every kind of child abuse is harmful to better cognitive development which can create multiple social issues. Introduction Child abuse is an umbrella term that covers so many aspects. It is not just limited up to torturing or dismantling a child on a physical basis but mental and sexual harassment is also a part of it. Sometimes in many cases, parents are found to be guilty of such major problems in society. The goal of different types of child abuse also differs in every situation. For instance, parents abusing their child by forcing him to work at minor age are backed by the financial crisis of the family. Similarly, mental torture could be given to a child for performing below the par in his studies. All these pressures restrict the proper growth of children which leads to many crises in society. Get Non-Plagiarized Custom Essay on Child Abuse in USA Order Now Main Body Child abuse is rising with increasing poverty and competition among people. To become the survivor of this cut-throat competition, it becomes a necessity for people to push their minor children into the workforce. Here are some important points that will highlight the issue of child abuse in a deeper sense. Who is Responsible for Child Abuse? We cannot blame a single person for the problem of child abuse. As discussed above child abuse could be described in multiple dimensions. A person who abuses a child sexually cannot be justified on any grounds but pushing children to work at a minor age can be justified with poverty. Here are some forces that are responsible for child abuse. Society –  Multiple social customs based on the cast restrict children to take admission to the school. These customs are mainly gendered biased for girls and transgender. As a result of which these children have to work at a very low age. Social Institutions –  Social institutions like a police departments, education centers are also biased towards the punishment of culprits who are responsible for child abuse and giving admission to students of lower strata respectively. Class System –  Class system is another big reason for child abuse in society due to different rights for the people of different classes. Poverty –  Poverty is the most challenging reason that is difficult to cope up with for child abuse. Parents are sending their children and wards to labor at a very small age due to poverty. These were the main reasons behind child abuse that must be uprooted from society. We cannot imagine a society that is ideal and does not involve child abuse at any point without mitigating the issue of poverty in it. How to Deter the Issue of Child Abuse Child abuse is a problem that needs to be addressed very carefully. This is the high time when professionals and intelligentsia of society should take some major steps to reduce and eradicate this problem. Here are some suggestions that could be used for handling the problem of child abuse by people. Equal Distribution of Economic Resources – The economic resources of a region or country must be distributed evenly among the citizens. This is very important to maintain equality among people of different communities. When there will be no crisis for money the issue of child abuse could be managed at some level. No Injustice on the Grounds of Cast and Gender –  By reducing the injustice on the grounds of cast and gender we can send all the children to school easily. Thus child labor would no longer exist in society. Awareness about Child Abuse in the Society –  Child abuse awareness campaign in the different parts of the world is also important. Parents are not mindful of the fact many times that their children are exploited on sexual as well as physical grounds by the rich when. Often poor children are taken away by the rich businessmen and merchants in the name of the job. But the wages paid to these children are negligible as compared to the work they have to do. When parents would be aware of this fact they will not send the children for manual labor. Conclusion We should work together in a union to fight against the problem of child abuse. Children are the main pillar of any nation for economic and social growth. If they will be harassed and given major traumas in their very childhood, it can disturb society with their growth. Intelligentsia of society should discuss some relevant points to deter with this serious problem effectively. Only then a bright and stable future of a country or nation could be presumed by the citizens. Buy Customized Essay on Child Abuse At Cheapest Price Order Now

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An eye opening essay on child abuse

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What is child abuse?

• Types of Child Abuse

Signs of Child Abuse

Child abuse and neglect, types of neglect, consequences of child abuse and neglect, child abuse essay, a thorough essay on child abuse, its types, and signs.

The world is a beautiful place to live in. It is the biggest blessing that we as human beings have got from the almighty. Thus, it is our duty to protect the beauty and integrity of our world. One auspicious element of human life, as well as the world, is childhood. Children are not only the hope for the future but also instrumental for maintaining our present happy status. These young minds are the source of betterment and newness in the world today and the time to come. Well, Each one of us knows the value of children and respects their individuality. But, few sick-minded people ill-treat children and take undue advantage of their credulity. They not only make these children work under unhealthy conditions but also load them with hard work. It is looking at these dark truths of the society that governing bodies passed certain laws to protect children's rights. These rights stand against any act that supports child abuse or affects mental or physical health.

Our society is full of evil-minded people, at one place, where there are saints and positive people who love to spread the word of love and brotherhood. Others think only about their individual benefits. These are self-centered people. One obnoxious act that money-minded beasts do is to involve little children in employment activities. They make such children do laborious tasks in the mining, cracker, or construction works. These people take away the very childhood from the lives of these children. Many people also forcibly make children indulge in sexual, begging, or house help activities. They snatch away the ingenuity and innocence from the life of children and dominate their everyday lives.

As per the data provided by UNICEF, 1 in every 10 children is subjected to child abuse. This accounts for 152 million in the world. Adding to the adversity, more than half of these children work in harsh conditions which are completely against the healthy lifestyle norms for a human being. (Child labor, 2020)

Types of Child Abuse:

When we talk about child abuse, we usually perceive that child abuse is related to physical abuse or violence as a tool to abuse. But this is not the complete scenario. To understand child abuse, you need to evaluate the various patterns of the behavior being observed. According to these patterns, you can take a deeper dive into understanding the various types of child abuse. As per a survey, out of 61% of the adults, approximately 1 out 6 reported that they had faced more than four types of abuse. The different kinds of child abuse faced by children worldwide help you gain clarity about the issue. Further, to help you enlighten your knowledge, given below are some different types of child abuse that we come across in our daily lives: (Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences |Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC, 2020)

Physical Abuse

Undoubtedly, physical abuse is one of the most common behaviors, including hitting someone physically, slapping, hitting, etc. Physical abuse is non-accidental harm caused by an adult to a child. It makes someone feel unsafe and frightened. Also, it leaves behind scars or marks on the body. These scars give an idea that a particular person may be suffering through physical abuse. In fact, this particular abuse accounts for 25% of child abuse cases, which falls second in practice after child neglect. Further, physical abuse can also be of various types. One, for example, is excessive discipline/punishment to the child. It usually starts with threats or light physical push and keeps on getting worsened with time. Experiencing this form of abuse in childhood can have long-term impacts on the child. (Understanding Child Physical Abuse | Kids Helpline, 2020)

Emotional or verbal abuse

Mostly invisible, but it is one of the most lethal ways to destroy someone’s self-confidence. It is done with the use of harsh and derogatory remarks. In emotional abuse, there is significant harm to the child’s self-esteem. Various examples are preferential treatment, yelling, ignoring their opinion, etc. After facing this kind of treatment, a child usually feels left out, thus negatively impacting his personality. (6 Different Types of Abuse - REACH, 2020)

Sexual Abuse

Using coercion or force as a mode to involve a child in sexual activities is called sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is not just limited to sex. A child is called to be sexually abused even if the child's actions are so controlled that the other person is sexually aroused. Adding on, sexual abuse may include incidents like rapes, comments on the character of a person based on their sexual preferences or performances. According to a study, more than 120 million girls under 20 have been exposed to sexual abuse (Child maltreatment, 2020). Moreover, children exposed to consistent sexual abuse tend to suffer from traumatic stress, gynecological and sexual health issues.

Mental abuse

Also known as psychological abuse, this type harms the mental state of the child’s mind. It may or may not hurt him physically, but it is emotionally hurtful. A child facing mental abuse always fears sharing personal experiences with other people. Also, he spends most of his time thinking about the drained emotional state of mind. Constant exposure to mental and psychological abuse results in negative impacts on mental health, daily routine, and the children's decision-making abilities.

Cultural abuse

Differentiating a child based on caste, appearance, culture, language, or preferences is also a form of abuse. For example, a child in school is always left out of the conversations because he doesn’t speak the same language. This hampers the growth of the child and puts him in a secluded state of mind. This kind of abuse is largely seen in schools and colleges. Moreover, the practice of bullying or ragging is a form of cultural abuse, which is generally carried out by remarking on a child’s individualistic identity.

Economic/Financial abuse

Since abuse is all about control, gaining financial control over someone and then using the same control as abuse is equally destructive. Keeping control over the budgets, expenses and not letting another person have financial independence badly affects a person's daily life. This abuse is generally practiced in factories or offices, where children of younger age are paid less money but are made to work for longer hours. This makes a child aggressive and violent in nature.

A child suffering from any kind of abuse may show various signs. These signs may be either in the form of altered behavior or change in the physicality of the child or even both. It is very important to observe these early signs of child abuse so that the damage can be controlled. Here are some of the important signs of abuse that may help you to detect if someone is suffering from abuse. (Redirecting, 2020)

Changes in Behaviour

A significant change in the behavior of the child is the first and most common sign of abuse. In many cases, you notice that a child may stop liking certain things or hobbies that used to make him happy earlier. Also, a child suffering from abuse may become introverted and start showing different emotions such as aggression or unexpected anger. Further, a depressed or constantly low sound along with a feeling of being scared to open up in public are other changes to note that might be a result of child abuse.

A child suffering from abuse may have some unexplained injuries. There may be marks of burns or bruises which can be a sign of abuse. Furthermore, the child may also try to give some unconvincing reasons for the marks and injuries. This can help you get close to the fact that the respective child is suffering from abuse. Here it becomes the responsibility of the parent to cross-check these facts and save their child from abuse before it starts impacting the child's life.

Changes in sleeping pattern

A child suffering from abuse may show changes in sleeping patterns. The child may experience nightmares or show fear from the darkness. This change in sleeping habits gives a sign that something is not going well in his life.

Changes in eating habits

Another significant way to identify child abuse is to observe the changes in the eating habits of the child. The child may tend to eat less, become weak and there is always a lack of interest in eating those dishes which used to be his favorites at some point in time.

Child abuse and neglect are interrelated to each other. In most cases, child neglect is the root cause of child abuse. According to a survey, out of all the reported cases of child abuse, approximately 61% of the victims were suffering from neglect. In other words, if child neglect is controlled, there can be a significant drop in the number of child abuse cases. (National Child Abuse Statistics from NCA, 2020) Hence, it is very critical to understand the importance of keeping a check on the basic necessities of the child. This is to assure that the child does not feel left out or neglected.(Child Abuse and Neglect, 2020)

Further, one thing not to forget is that love and care are the fundamentals that a child needs in his life. Therefore, child neglect is certainly a failure to meet the expectations of the child. The care, love and other facilities that a child wants should be given to him. It is when a child is left unattended for a longer duration as a routine, this makes him prone to child abuse. For example, If a child is deprived of proper facilities, clothing, food, and other things. He may start feeling low on confidence about himself. In addition to this, the child starts doubting his own personality thinking that he lacks something due to which he is neglected. Thus the child is pushed towards a pessimistic thought process. A child who has faced abuse and neglect is likely to pass on this behavior to the next generations and the cycle keeps on continuing. Therefore, it is crucial to recognize abuse and neglect at a very early stage to break this cycle.(Neglect, 2020)

Therefore it is very important to focus on the grooming and supervision of the child. For this, parents should ensure that there is proper two-way communication with the child. Furthermore, listening to him makes him feel safe and secure. Also, it gives him an assurance that he can share his life issues with his parents. It should be made sure that he feels comfortable in sharing his problems without any hesitation.

Neglects can be of many types and to understand various types of neglect, you should be able to recognize the early signs of neglect. This can be done by proper parenting and supervision. The identification of signs is important so that they can be amended well in time. It is the early identification of problems that can save the child from suffering in the future (Neglect, 2020). Though neglects cannot be specifically categorized, but broadly they can be discussed in the points given below:

Physical Neglect

It is crucial to understand the basic needs of a child via proper supervision. A routine check should be kept to ensure that child needs are met. Physical neglect is a failure to meet basic needs such as clothing, food, and household facilities. At times, a child has a demand for example any kind of food, and parents do not provide him because it may not be good for the child's health. When the child is denied, parents should also make sure to tell their child why consuming that food is bad for him and convince him for the same. Additional efforts should be made to assist him with an alternative that is good for him.

Medical Neglect

Medical neglect is the inability to meet the medical needs of the child. It also includes proper nutrition; healthcare services like vaccines and proper dental care. It should be made sure that all the recommendations given by the doctors or nutritionist are well followed. This further assures that a child is not deprived of his daily nutritional needs and healthcare facilities.

Emotional Neglect

Emotional neglect is the failure to establish a relationship of mutual bond and trust with the child. Sometimes, a child wants to share something that may or may not be relevant. But what’s more relevant is that whatever he wishes to share or talk about should be heard. This helps in building a strong emotional bond with the child and the child starts feeling protected. If the parents neglect the emotional needs of a child, then, the child may start feeling left out. Moreover, if the parent fails to form a bond, the child may try to find someone else to share it with, which makes him prone to potential abuse.

Educational Neglect

It means to overlook proper education and schooling facilities for the child. Furthermore, parents should be well aware of their child's interest in education, i.e., subjects and field of study. If these interests are ignored, and the child is forced to study some other course or subject in which he has no interest, this also becomes a part of educational neglect. Therefore, parents should ensure that they provide good educational facilities to the child, which is very important for the child's growth.

Types of neglect are not limited to these four points only. Neglect may exist in any form and it is important to recognize it well in time. In most cases, children suffer mental stress and they lose their natural ability to deal with stress. The child denies learning new skills and tends to oppose them with aggression. Proper communication, a strong emotional bond, and a good lifestyle make sure that a child is not neglected in any aspect. It has to be kept in mind that only parents can save their children from abuse. It is crucial to remember that effective two-way communication helps the child to share his issues. (Child Abuse and Neglect, 2020)

Furthermore, parents should try to ensure their children that nothing can go wrong if they share their problems with them. Parents should try that their child is not neglected in any phase of life and good parenting is a solution to it. This can be done by creating a happy family atmosphere. Also, the establishment of good socio-economic status helps the child to grow with good memories, habits, and an optimistic approach towards life.

First and the most important thing, neglecting the act of child abuse and not acting against it is in itself a crime. You are meant to report a crime if you witness a child labor act. If you don’t do so, the consequences of child abuse as well as neglect are similar. The results of child abuse are hard as well as harsh for the child and his family. The consequences range from mental imbalance to the loss of zeal to live and love. In fact, the severity of the abuse often lands the child in a state where he does not wish to reveal his real self to the world. Following is a brief account of the aftereffects of child abuse on his life:

Physical consequences

The marks and the scars on the body of the child speak for themselves. But, more than that child abuse has many negative impacts on the health of the children. These children often develop diseases like diabetes, lung diseases, brain hemorrhage, malnutrition, arthritis, heart attack, back and vision problems among many others. One basic reason for such chronic health diseases is the absence of a healthy lifestyle. We, as human beings are dependent on food and water. The mere absence of any of these necessities can take our breath away from us. Now, the children working in coal, mining, or cracker factories or not given proper food, forget about nutritious diets. Further, the water they drink is not clean and the environment they breathe in is full of toxic chemicals. All these things together impact strongly on the health of these little children. Moreover, the maltreatment that these children have to go through as a part of child abuse, imposes dangerous implications on their health in the future. (2020)

Psychological consequences

The psychology of a child is very different from that of a grown-up. The marks you leave on his mind in the beginning years of his growth are there to remain for his lifetime. You as a human must remember a few of the happiest and saddest moments of your childhood. The sad ones still have the power to bring tears to your face. But, think about the children who did not have any reason to smile. The atrocities they have faced continuously over the years make them weak mentally. It takes away their confidence and the zeal to live. In fact, it gives them an unrecoverable mental setback, which they find very difficult to heal from. This results in the poor growth of the child’s mind and they often refrain themselves from any new contact in the society. (2020)

Behavioral consequences

A child is often referred to as the pot, which can be shaped in a multitude of ways. It is his childishness that helps him learn and adopt various things at the same time. But, what about the children who have been taken advantage of and from whom society has taken the right to be a child. Their very identity is lost, which is what impacts wrongly on the behavioral response of the child. Such children who have been through abusive life or instances in the past often are not able to trust humanity. They avoid making new relationships or even contacts with the people around them. (2020)

Societal consequences

In addition to avoiding making contact with new people, a child who has faced child abuse in the past also distances himself from society. He does not believe in any of the promises given by his schoolmates or teachers. This distancing lays a strong impact on his personality in society. You must have seen a variable difference in the attitude of the children who are chirpy and smiling in the class in comparison to the ones who merely focus on the studies. There is always a story in the past of the latter ones. This forces them to stay secluded and not open themselves up very easily with the people or children around. (2020)

This section details an essay on child abuse. If you are a college student, you must be aware of the fact that essay assignments are a very important part of college life. At the same time, it is not very easy to write lengthy essays. Therefore, this section helps you in compiling a complete essay that gets you HD grades in your college assignment. Also, for any other topics, you may need to cover, you can go through our elaborative list of sample essays covering a wide range of niches.

Child abuse- the biggest crime against humanity!

Introduction.

Childhood is the most precious time of everyone’s life. It is the only time, we always wish to visit back once again in our lifetime. The friends we make, the memories we develop and the bonds we share all are priceless. Some stay with us forever, while others leave us with the passage of time. But the sad fact is that not every child is blessed with the butterflies of childhood. Some have to face the harsh realities of life, from the very beginning. In most cases, it is the unstable financial conditions of the home, that generally forces a person to fall prey to child abuse. He keeps on taking the cruelties of the other person just to ensure the free flow of money at his place. This essay details the various reasons for child abuse and the changes we as a society should adopt to eradicate this issue.

The first and the foremost reason for child abuse is neglect by parents. It is the duty of every parent to take proper care of their children. The reasons for financial depression and the inability to meet the needs of the family, cannot justify the neglect towards children. The same has been reported by a study, The Great Recession and risk for child abuse and neglect, done by research scholars. The results of the study indicated that there is a direct connection between the economic disparities and the risk of abuse and neglect on children. The study has been conducted during the time of recession experienced by America and the world around. (Schneider, Waldfogel, and Brooks-Gunn, 2017) However, the fact is that every child of the world should get the love he deserves. It is his right to be loved and given the opportunity to grow in independence. The parents can not take away the childishness from their children due to their inability to meet the financial needs of the family. A child is at the initial stage of his mental development. He not only needs better guidance but also needs emotional support. The very support from the parents to move ahead and stay stable in life is instrumental for the morale of a child. Along with feeling secure, the motivation also strengthens his urge to stay connected with his parents. Moreover, the parents need to extend care in addition to proper emotional bonds. There are few areas, which he needs assistance for, thus the parents should be available for that. Also, the laugh, happiness, and cuddling he deserves should not be taken away from him. The very essence of his childhood should be kept intact and it is the duty of the parent only, to do so.

The second biggest reason for child abuse is the stress that the parents go through. This particular stress and instability of the job push a parent to become harsh towards his child. In fact, when a parent starts getting addicted to drugs or alcohol, then he often mistreats his child sexually. The cases of sexual abuse by parents of the child have been believed to grow substantially in recent years. As per reports in 2017 by America nspcc.org, in 80.1% of cases of child abuse, the parents are the abuser. (Child Neglect - American SPCC, 2020) This includes the sexual assault made by the parents. Though, the non-earning capability of the parents might be a troublesome issue for them. But, they have no right to yell, shout, scold or even beat their children on the lame excuse of being stressed. Though, neglect and scolding by parents have been practiced for a very long time. (Child Neglect - American SPCC, 2020) But, the repercussions of the same have multiplied negatively due to the exposure of online resources to little children. To bring this in control, 1974 Public Law 93-247, a law known as the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) was established. This law made it compulsory for different states to bring in actionable practices to control the growth of child abuse. (Child Abuse and Neglect - Causes of Abuse and Neglect, Effects of Abuse on Children, Prevention of Child Abuse, 2020).

Moving forward, the third common reason for child abuse is unawareness. Many children are unaware of the assault being done on them. They are the young minds who are used to experiencing neglect and disregard from people around them. The exposure to bewilderment is so high that they become insensitive to the wrong done on them. As per the studies, it is believed that every one in four girls and one in every 8 boys is exposed to sexual abuse, even before they turn 18. (Child Abuse, 2020) This very fact is an eye-opener for society. It shows the level of sick-minded people we have in our world. This not only makes it unhealthy and unsafe for the children. But, it is also a fact that hampers the growth of the society in total. The fact that a girl child is not safe in our society has to be dealt with great care and precision. For this, the biggest reason for unawareness should be dealt with. Children from the very beginning of their adolescent age should be made aware of the ways in which they can be harmed. More care needs to be taken for the smaller children who are unable to differentiate between right and wrong. Along with introducing them to the difference, they also need to be told how to protect themselves if they come across a person with wrong intentions. Moreover, sexual child abuse is even more common among children who are mentally unstable. It is because of their inability to understand the wrong done on them, that the criminal oppresses them with the worst treatment. Even, such children have been seen to repeatedly fall prey to such horrendous people. (Child Abuse, 2020). Therefore, there is an immediate need to make such children aware of the abuse and how they can protect their rights.

To conclude, it can be said that the world is a place filled with mixed breeds of human beings. There are humans who can die for their children as well as the monsters who kill and eat their own children. Any form of disparity or violence against children is a heinous act of child abuse. No human, not even the parents of the child has the right to mistreat the children in any way. Whether it is in the form of slap or scolding. The lame excuses for beating the child are invalid in the present scenario. We, the people of the world today need to take a stand against any kind of child abuse. Whether it is mental, physical, or sexual, every abuse is detrimental to the growth of a child therefore unacceptable. We need to together raise our voices against the wrong and make sure that no child is subdued with the negativity of the horrific people.

The right of every child to live and laugh should be respected and given due consideration. The awareness of the rights and wrongs done to children should be a lesson given to them at a very early age. In addition to this, strict laws should be made against the people who get involved in child abuse. For this, we as a community as well as the children themselves have to stand against this social evil and together make a difference.

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Guest Essay

What Happens When Abusive Parents Keep Their Children

By Naomi Schaefer Riley

Ms. Riley is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and the author of “No Way to Treat a Child.”

In February 2023, Phoenix Castro was born in San Jose, Calif., suffering from neonatal opioid withdrawal after being exposed to fentanyl and methamphetamine in her mother’s womb.

Her mother was sent to jail and then ended up at a drug treatment facility. But her father, who had multiple drug arrests, was allowed to take the newborn to his San Jose apartment, even though a social worker had warned that the baby would be at “very high” risk if she was sent home. The county’s child protection agency had already removed the couple’s two older children because of neglect.

Three months later, Phoenix was dead from an overdose of fentanyl and methamphetamine.

The ensuing uproar, chronicled in detail by The Mercury News, focused on new efforts by the county to keep at-risk families together. In the past, children often would be removed from unsafe homes and placed in foster care, and newborns like Phoenix in all likelihood would not have been sent home.

Those policy changes led to a “ significant ” drop in removals of children from troubled homes in the San Jose area, according to the state’s social services agency. They reflected a larger shift in child welfare thinking nationwide that has upended the foster care system. Reducing the number of children placed in foster care has been hailed as an achievement. But leaving children in families with histories of abuse and neglect to avoid the trauma of removing them has had tragic results.

We need to ask whether avoiding foster care, seemingly at all costs — especially for children in families mired in violence, addiction or mental illness — is too often compromising their safety and welfare.

The use of foster care has been in decline even as more children are dying from abuse and neglect in their homes. In recent years, the number of children in foster care fell by nearly 16 percent while the fatality rate from abuse and neglect rose by almost 18 percent. Many factors were and are at work, among them caseworker inexperience, a lack of resources and the high bars for removing children from their homes that have been erected by child welfare agencies, policymakers and judges.

What is clear from a sampling of states that release fatality reports in a timely fashion is that we are seeing deaths of children in cases in which they had been allowed to remain in homes with records of violence, drug use and neglect.

In Minnesota, a children’s advocacy group’s study of 88 child fatalities in the state from 2014 to 2022 found that “many of these deaths were preventable” and were the result of a “child welfare philosophy which gave such high priority to the interests of parents and other adults in households, as well as to the goals of family preservation and reunification, that child safety and well-being were regularly compromised.”

The prioritization of family preservation has been advanced by states and the federal government and by the nation’s largest foundation focused on reducing the need for foster care, Casey Family Programs.

Three ideas seem to have guided the effort: the child welfare system is plagued by systemic racial bias, adults should not be punished for drug addiction, and a majority of children in the system are simply in need of financial support and social services.

This effort was bolstered in 2018 with the passage by Congress of the Family First Prevention Services Act , which enables states to use federal funds “to provide enhanced support to children and families and prevent foster care placements through the provision of mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment services” and other programs.

The push certainly has been well-intentioned. There was a sense that child welfare authorities had overreacted to concerns about a crack baby epidemic in the 1980s. Mothers were arrested and babies and children taken away. The number of children in foster care more than doubled between 1985 and 2000. There was also deep concern — concern that persists — that Black children in particular were bearing the brunt of being removed from their homes and sent to foster care, which can cause its own upheaval for children.

In some states, the reductions in the number of children in foster care were drastic. But there are limits to how much those numbers can be reduced without putting children in grave danger.

In Santa Clara County, Calif., where Phoenix Castro died, an inquiry the previous year by the California Department of Social Services into the county’s child protection agency found “multiple” instances of “children placed into protective custody by law enforcement,” only to have the county agency “immediately” place “the children back in the care of the unsafe parent.” (In what appears to be an about-face by the county, The Mercury News reported that in the last two months of 2023, the number of children removed from their homes was triple the two-month average for the previous months of that year.)

In an email to Santa Clara County’s Department of Family and Children’s Services staff in 2021, explaining the new emphasis on keeping families together, the director at the time described the move as part of the county’s strong commitment “to racial justice and to healing the historical wounds underlying disproportionate representation of children of color in the child welfare system.”

As much as racial disparities in foster care are deeply troubling — Black children are twice as likely as white children to spend time in foster care — Black children also suffer fatalities from abuse and neglect at three times the rate of white children. Which means that policies intended to reduce disproportionality by reducing foster care may actually be resulting in more deaths of Black children.

Foster care is not a panacea. The trauma children suffer from suddenly being removed from their home and their siblings, to be placed in a strange home with a caregiver they don’t know, is well documented. But the alternative, allowing a child to remain in a dangerous home, should never be an alternative.

Naomi Schaefer Riley is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and the author of “No Way to Treat a Child.”

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• About Child Abuse and Neglect
• Risk and Protective Factors
• Public Health Strategy

About Child Sexual Abuse

• Child sexual abuse is a serious public health problem and an adverse childhood experience (ACE).
• Child sexual abuse can have a long-term impact on health, opportunity, and well-being.

What is child sexual abuse?

Child sexual abuse refers to the involvement of a child (person less than 18 years old) in sexual activity that violates the laws or social taboos of society and that he or she 1 :

• Does not fully comprehend.
• Does not consent to or is unable to give informed consent to.
• Is not developmentally prepared for and cannot give consent to.

Quick facts and stats

Many children wait to report or never report child sexual abuse. Therefore, the numbers below likely underestimate the true impact of the problem. Although estimates vary across studies, the research shows:

• About one in four girls and one in 20 boys in the United States experience child sexual abuse. 2 3
• About 90% of child sexual abuse is perpetrated by someone known and trusted by the child or child's family members. 4
• The total lifetime economic burden of child sexual abuse in the United States in 2015 was estimated to be at least $9.3 billion. 5

Experiencing child sexual abuse can affect how a person thinks, acts, and feels over a lifetime. This can result in short- and long-term physical, mental, and behavioral health consequences, 6 such as...

Physical health consequences:

• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs). 7
• Physical injuries. 8
• Chronic conditions later in life, such as heart disease, obesity, and cancer. 9

Mental health consequences:

• Depression. 10
• Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. 10

B ehavioral consequences :

• Substance use/misuse, including opioid misuse. 11
• Risky sexual behaviors, meaning sex with multiple partners or behaviors that could result in pregnancy or STIs. 9 12
• Increased risk for perpetration of sexual violence. 13 14
• Increased risk for suicide or suicide attempts. 15

Experiencing child sexual abuse can also increase a person’s risk for future victimization. For example, women who experienced child sexual abuse are at two to 13 times increased risk for experiencing sexual violence in adulthood. 16 17 18 Additionally, people who experienced child sexual abuse are at twice the risk for experiencing non-sexual intimate partner violence. 19

Child sexual abuse is preventable. Adults are responsible for ensuring that children have safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments. Resources for child sexual abuse have mostly focused on treatment for victims and criminal justice-oriented approaches for perpetrators. These efforts are important after child sexual abuse has occurred. However, little investment has been made in preventing child sexual abuse.

Effective evidence-based strategies are available to proactively protect children from child sexual abuse, but few have been widely disseminated. More resources are needed to develop, evaluate, and implement evidence-based child sexual abuse primary prevention strategies. These strategies can help ensure that all children have safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments.

What CDC is doing

CDC surveillance systems, violence prevention initiatives, and efforts to support partners in the field have increased our understanding of child sexual abuse. However, there are still critical gaps.

Additional efforts in child sexual abuse prevention are needed to:

• Improve surveillance systems and data collection for monitoring child sexual abuse.
• Increase our understanding of risk and protective factors for child sexual abuse perpetration and victimization.
• Strengthen existing and develop new evidence-based policies, programs, and practices for the primary prevention of child sexual abuse.
• Increase dissemination and implementation of evidence-based strategies for child sexual abuse prevention.

CDC has developed Resources for Action, formerly known as "technical packages," to help states and communities use the best available evidence to prevent various types of violence.

Additionally, in September 2020, CDC awarded a total of $766,367 to two awardees. This funding opportunity is to support the rigorous evaluation of an approach (program, policy, or practice) for the primary prevention of adult-perpetrated child sexual abuse.

• World Health Organization. (2003). Guidelines for medico-legal care for victims of sexual violence. Geneva, Switzerland: Author.
• Finkelhor, D., Shattuck, A., Turner, H. A., & Hamby S. L. (2014). The lifetime prevalence of child sexual abuse and sexual assault assessed in late adolescence. Journal of Adolescent Health, 55 (3):329-33. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.12.026.
• Gewirtz-Meydan, A., & Finkelhor, D. (2020). Sexual Abuse and Assault in a Large National Sample of Children and Adolescents. Child Maltreatment, 25(2), 203-214. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559519873975
• Finkelhor, D., & Shattuck, A. (2012). Characteristics of crimes against juveniles. Durham, NH: Crimes Against Children Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/CV26_Revised%20Characteristics%20 of%20Crimes%20against%20Juveniles_5-2-12.pdf
• Letourneau, E. J., Brown, D. S., Fang, X., Hassan, A., & Mercy, J. A. (2018). The economic burden of child sexual abuse in the United States. Child Abuse & Neglect, 79 , 413-422.
• Merrick, M. T., Ford, D. C., Ports, K. A., Guinn, A. S., Chen, J., Klevens, J., & Ottley, P. (2019). Vital Signs: Estimated Proportion of Adult Health Problems Attributable to Adverse Childhood Experiences and Implications for Prevention—25 States, 2015–2017. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 68 (44), 999.
• Norman, R. E., Byambaa, M., De, R., Butchart, A., Scott, J., et al. (2012). The Long-Term Health Consequences of Child Physical Abuse, Emotional Abuse, and Neglect: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PLOS Medicine 9 (11): e1001349. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001349
• Leeb, R. T., Lewis, T., & Zolotor, A. J. (2011). A review of physical and mental health consequences of child abuse and neglect and implications for practice. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 5, 454–68.
• Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D., ... & Marks, J. S. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14, 245-258.
• Putnam, F. W. (2003). Ten-year research update review: Child sexual abuse. J ournal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 42, 269-278.
• Tang, S., Ports, K. A., Zhang, K., & Lin, H. C. (2020). Adverse childhood experiences, internalizing/externalizing symptoms, and associate prescription opioid misuse: A mediation analysis. Prevention Medicine, 134 . doi:10.106/j.ypmed.2020.106034.
• Mosack, K. E., Randolph, M. E., Dickson-Gomez, J., Abbott, M., Smith, E., & Weeks, M. R. (2010). Sexual risk-taking among high-risk urban women with and without histories of childhood sexual abuse: mediating effects of contextual factors. Journal of child sexual abuse, 19 (1), 43–61. https://doi.org/10.1080/10538710903485591
• Widom, C. S. & Massey, C. (2015). A prospective examination of whether childhood sexual abuse predicts subsequent sexual offending. JAMA Pediatrics, 169 (1):e143357
• Ogloff, J., Cutajar, M., Mann, E., & Mullen, P. (2012). Child sexual abuse and subsequent offending and victimisation: A 45 year follow-up study. Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 440. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology.
• Bebbington, P. E., Cooper, C., Minot, S., Brugha, T. S., Jenkins, R., Meltzer, H., & Dennis, M. (2009). Suicide attempts, gender, and sexual abuse: Data from the 2000 British Psychiatric Morbidity Survey. American Journal of Psychiatry, 166, 1135-1140.
• Arata, C. (2002). Child sexual abuse and sexual revictimization. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice, 9, 135-164.
• Cloitre, M., & Rosenberg, A. (2006). Sexual revictimization: Risk factors and prevention. In V. M. Follette & J. I. Ruzek (Eds.), Cognitive-behavioral therapies for trauma (pp. 321-361). New York, NY: Guilford.
• Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J., & Lynskey, M. T. (1997). Childhood sexual abuse, adolescent sexual behaviors and sexual revictimization. Child Abuse & Neglect , 21 , 789-803.
• Whitfield, C. L., Anda, R. F., Dube, S. R., & Felitti, V. J. (2003). Violent childhood experiences and the risk of intimate partner violence in adults: Assessment in a large health maintenance organization. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 18, 166-185.

Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention

Child abuse and neglect can have long-term impact on health, opportunity, and well-being. CDC works to understand the problems of child abuse and neglect and prevent them.

For Everyone

Public health.

FBI encourages victims to speak out about sexual abuse allegations against former gymnastics coach

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - A former coach at a local gymnastics center is behind bars, accused of sexually abusing children.

According to Cabell County Prosecuting Attorney Jason Spears, the Cabell County Grand Jury returned a multi-count indictment against Lance C. Spencer, 55, of Huntington, charging him with multiple counts of sexual abuse by a custodian and multiple counts of sexual abuse by a person in a position of trust to a child.

Former gymnastics coach charged with child sexual abuse

Cabell County Sheriff Chuck Zerkle said deputies first learned of the sexual misconduct allegations in 2022 after a victim reported them to the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

U.S. Center for SafeSport is a nonprofit organization that investigates and responds to abuse and misconduct allegations.

“We encourage anyone concerned with athlete safety to check the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s Centralized Disciplinary Database (CDD), a first-of-its-kind public resource listing those who have been restricted or banned from Olympic and Paralympic sport. The CDD is a unique and important tool for parents, employers, and those vetting volunteers for youth-serving organizations. Reports of abuse and misconduct in sport can be made on our website ,” according to a spokesperson for SafeSport.

According to the indictment, the abuse involves at least three victims and happened during several years including 2003, 2004, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, and 2021. The alleged incidents happened at a home and at Bozhi’s Gym Nest, where Spencer worked as a gymnastics coach.

Spencer was arrested early Wednesday morning following a joint investigation by the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI.

Cabell County Sheriff Chuck Zerkle is encouraging anyone who may have been abused to come forward.

“They have to search their soul and know that will continue if something isn’t done,” Zerkle said.

Prosecuting attorney Jason Spears said West Virginia has no statute of limitations on a crime such as sexual abuse.

“The sheriff’s department, the FBI, and the prosecutor’s office our goal is to protect the public and we won’t stop until we do that,” Spears said.

The FBI has set up a hotline for any potential victims to contact them related to this case. Please call 1-800-CALL-FBI for assistance.

“In cases like this, sometimes the first person that comes forward is the hardest, but that may give the courage to someone else to say, hey, you know what I was in those shoes as well and to come forward. It will be investigated as relentlessly until we know it’s done and justice is done,” Spears said.

The FBI’s Pittsburgh Division is also asking for anyone who believes they have been a victim of Lance Spencer to submit their information on a short online form . “Due to the volume of possible victims, we ask for your patience as it may take significant time before you are contacted by law enforcement,” the agency stated.

Here is a QR code that will take you to that form:

WSAZ reached out Wednesday afternoon to Bozhi’s Gym Nest for a statement, and they released the following:

“We are unaffiliated with the former employee. We parted ways with him when allegations first surfaced from SafeSport. We are distancing ourselves from this and we have cooperated fully with SafeSport and the investigation.”

Copyright 2024 WSAZ. All rights reserved.

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