Child Abuse

Child Abuse

Introduction

Child abuse is an international problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) approximates that 40 million children between birth and 14 years of age are abused or neglected every year round the world. Thus, child abuse is discovered over all societies and cultures, nearly habitually enclosed by secrecy and denial. The accurate number of children who are abused is not renowned due to under recognition and underreporting.

In the United States solely, an approximated 879,000 children endured from abuse and neglect in 2000. In 2001, about 2,475 children were abused every day, and more than 50,000 accounts of likely child abuse and neglect were described to child protective services.

Child abuse and neglect in US manage not sway all children in the identical way. The influence of the abuse on the child in US counts on the environment, severity, and extent of time over which the abuse appeared, as well as the child's temperament, character, and grade of functioning former to the onset of the abuse. The grade of emotional support and aid obtained by the casualty is furthermore critical. Whether the child has just one affirmative, reliable, and nurturing connection with an individual in his or her life has been shown to considerably mediate or defend the child from the promise consequences of the abuse (Tower, 2007).

The Nature of the Problem

There can be little doubt that the risks to children from abuse are substantial. In 2007, over 5.8 million children in the U.S. were referred for suspected abuse, with 735,000 confirmed cases, and at least 1,586 deaths. Moreover, there is reason to believe that these numbers significantly underestimate the true incidence, with one large study finding that 21% of women and 31% of men reported having been physically abused as children. It is well established that child abuse occurs in every community and at all levels of society, although various risk factors — notably, poor economic and social conditions, as well as other forms of stress — operate to make abuse more likely (Tower, 2007).

Sequel of child abuse include bruises, lacerations, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic somatic disorders, brain injury, and acute and chronic medical care. Recent estimates for the U.S. put the total direct costs related to child abuse at >$33 billion annually, with indirect costs adding an additional $70 billion.

Both advocates and critics of the child protective system agree that investigation is ...