Child Abuse

Child abuse is a social problem that affects millions of children each year. Child abuse is deliberate and willful injury to a child. The keyword in the definition is deliber-ate.

There are four different forms of child abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect. Physical abuse is also one of the easiest types of abuse to detect.

Child abuse is one of the major issues that our country is faced with, yet we may neglect to bring this to the attention of the entire nation. It is often over looked because everyone has a different view on what exactly defines child abuse.

Child abuse has been around for as long as any one can remember. The link be-tween substance abuse and child abuse has strengthened over the years. This problem is very serious. It not only messes up a child’s lift, but the parent’s life too.

There are many laws that deal with child abuse. In the U.S. we have the “Megan’s Law,” which allows the public to view pictures and information of convicted sexual offenders. The volunteers for children act 1998 is where any business dealing with children would be able to use a national fingerprint based criminal history check on all employees. There are no statutes that clearly distinct between what is and what is not considered child abuse. One law requires all physicians and other public officials to re-port to local police any situation in which they suspect a child is being abused. Child abuse is considered a felony.

The question that arises is what are parents to do? You always hear older figures saying that they gave their children a beating when they got into trouble. As a parent it should be my right to discipline my child as long as I’m not hurting them severely. I have spanked my children, but it is not out of anger it is because they did something wrong. Now, you could be sent to jail if you spank your child. If a