CHILD ABUSE

Child Abuse

Child Abuse

Introduction

Child abuse is a global problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 40 million children between birth and 14 years of age are abused or neglected annually around the world. Thus, child abuse is found across all societies and cultures, almost always surrounded by secrecy and denial. The exact number of children who are abused is not known due to under recognition and underreporting.(Tower, 2009) Children are often too young to understand or to communicate what is happening.

Historical And Cultural Perspective

Cultural differences in attitudes toward child rights, child labor, and corporal punishment (physical discipline of a child such as spanking, beating, and whipping) contribute to wide cultural differences about what is considered abusive toward children. Wealthy industrialized, technology-based nations hold different perspectives. By such nations' standards, the living conditions, quality, and/or lack of water, food, and shelter for children in developing nations is commensurate with child maltreatment. In some developing nations, cultural rituals involve mutilation of children's genitals (often females only), while male children are sent off to war. The conceptualization of what is child abuse and maltreatment is subject to wide cultural variation.(Finkelhor, 2004)

Literature Review

Federal legislation provides the basis for the definition of child abuse in the United States, although each state has its own statutes as well. In 2003, the Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) was amended by the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act to define child abuse as “any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation.” A “child” is typically defined as any person under the age of 18 years, although for some state definitions of sexual abuse, the definition of the age of a child is specified otherwise.(Grapes,2001)

Types Of Child Abuse And Neglect

Child maltreatment is a general term used to encompass all types of child abuse and neglect, including physical abuse, neglect, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and exploitation. Neglect is the most common type of maltreatment, making up about 62.8% of known victims in 2000, followed by 19.3% being physical abuse cases, 10.1% sexual abuse, and 7.7% emotional abuse and neglect.(Finkelhor, 2004)

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse involves causing bodily injury to a child, including but not limited to hitting, punching, kicking, burning, beating, or shaking. Such actions are considered physically abusive whether or not the parent or caregiver intended to inflict injury.(Sgroi,2008) Physical abuse can be deliberate or can be the result of excessive corporal punishment.(Dorne,2008)

Shaken baby syndrome, known medically also as whiplash-shaken infant syndrome, involves injury caused to an infant by shaking a baby by the arms, legs, shoulders, or chest.(Tower, 2009) As a result of the shaking, the infant's head is forced forward and backward, causing the brain to collide with the inside skull. Severe brain injury and death may result. Even mild shaking of an infant can lead to injury or death.

Child Neglect

Child neglect can be physical, educational, or ...