Child Abuse And Prevention

Child Abuse and Prevention

Traci Ledford

Axia College, University of Phoenix

Utilizing Information in College Writing, Com 125

Lea Ann Douglas

January 11, 2007

Child Abuse and Prevention

. Child abuse is a growing problem and prevention education is the key. There are more children being abused in the United States everyday. People need to learn the sign of abuse, when it is appropriate to report abuse, how to report abuse, and what to do to prevent future abuse.

According to Webster's dictionary, child abuse is the mistreatment of a child by a parent or guardian, including neglect, physical abuse and sexual molestation. The medical definition differs fro Webster's definition only by a few words. The medical definition defines child abuse as physical injury inflicted upon a child with cruel or malicious intent. (Medterms, nd).

Neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse and sexual abuse are all forms of child abuse. Although there are different forms of abuse, neglect is the most commonly reported. Neglect means not providing the child with the basic necessities needed to live a safe and healthy life. This could mean that the child does not have proper adult supervision, the child does not have proper food to eat, the appropriate clothes for extreme weather, or if the parent leaves the child with a sitter and does not return for the child. Neglect also includes not providing the child with a safe place to sleep, eat or bathe and not taking the child to the doctor when he is sick or for regular checkups.

Physical abuse is the next most commonly reported form of child abuse. This type of abuse is defined as the intentional use of force ton a child which leads to non-accidental injury. (Physical Abuse, nd). Physical abuse includes hitting a child, pulling his hair, slapping the child, shaking, biting or shoving the child.

Sexual abuse is the third most commonly reported form of abuse. Sexual abuse is also the most publicly talked about form of abuse. Sexual abuse occurs when an adult commits a sexual act with a child. Touching a child in personal places, having penetration with a child, taking inappropriate photographs of a child, making a child perform sexual acts with another person and making a child watch tow people have sex are all types of sexual abuse.

Emotional abuse is the least most commonly reported form of child abuse. Emotional abuse is any attitude or behavior that interferes with a child's mental or social development (Child Abuse Learning Center). Emotional abuse includes yelling and screaming at the child, ignoring the child, criticizing harshly, ridiculing or rejecting the child. The abuser may tell the child negative things about himself or may not tell the child something as simple as "I Love You".

The Nation Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse (NCPCA) conducted a survey on reported cases of child abuse in 25 states. Neglect represented 62% of the reported cases; physical abuse, 25%; sexual abuse 7% and emotional abuse, 3%. (Child Abuse Statistics, nd).

The NCPCA also conducted a survey in 1996 of the substantiated cases of child abuse in 31 states. Neglect represented 60% of the substantiated cases, physical abuse, 23%; sexual abuse, 9%; and emotional abuse, 4%. (Child Abuse Statistics, nd).

There are many different signs of abuse. A few signs of physical abuse are if the child has bruises on his body that he cannot explain well, if the child does not have any friends or even have an interest in making friends, or the child may have an unexplained fear of adults. Some signs of emotional abuse are depression, hostility an unusual amount of stress for the child's age or a sudden lack of concentration. If the child shows fewer of one specific person, if the child knows more about sex than is age appropriate or is either very aggressive or very passive the child could be a victim of sexual abuse. (Child Abuse Learning Center).

The signs of neglect are somewhat easier to identify. If the child has on a short sleeve shirt without a jacket in the winter, he appears dirty of unkempt, or he seems unusually hungry are mealtime, he may be a victim of neglect. (Child Abuse Learning Center).

Each week Child Protective Services receives more than 50,000 allegations of child abuse. Two-thirds of the allegations have enough evidence to start investigations. The results of these investigations showed 2,450 children are abused everyday (Ianelli, 2006). In 1999, CPS, nearly four, confirmed an estimated 1,401 child abuse and neglect fatalities every day. (Child Abuse Statistics, nd).

A survey by the Department of Health and Human Services estimated that abuse and neglect doubled in the years from 1986 to 1993. The report estimated that over 2.8 million children were reported as abused in 1998 (Sexual Abuse Statistics, 1996). In 1999 3,244,000 children were reported to CPS as victims of child abuse (Child Abuse Statistics, 1999).

In 2002, The National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) reported that almost 1,400 children died as a result of abuse. This is about 2 children per 100,000 (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2004).

Not all cases of child abuse are reported. Reports from North Carolina and Colorado estimate that 50 to 60 percent of child fatalities are not reported as child abuse. Some of the children's deaths could have been labeled accidental or as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), but these deaths could have actually resulted from child abuse. (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2004).

A report from NCANDS shows that the rate of death had risen a little from 2000 to 2002. In 2000, it was 1.84 children per 100,000; 2001, it was 1.96 and 2002 it was 1.98. (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2004).

Not all the reports have the same statistical information, but all the reports agree than child abuse is on the rise.

There is a profile that most child abusers fit. This profile is that the person is an undereducated, underpaid adult in his or her mid-20's. This person could suffer from depression and may not handle stress very well. Most of the time the abuser has been abused himself. More often than not, when abuse occurs, the person who is taking care of the child is the person who is abusing the child. (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2004).

Abuse should be reported immediately, even if it cannot be proven and is just a suspicion. There are several agencies that