Child Abuse

Introduction

Child abuse is a serious social, political, and emotional problem in the world. This issue has become, in recent years, the focus of numerous quantitative and qualitative studies designed to identify both the causes of this problem and its effects, as well as research designed to develop prevention and intervention efforts to eliminate and reduce the problem(Cermak 385-400). The child abuse prevention center noted that each year in the United States, the abuse and neglect of children results in over twelve hundred preventable deaths and thousands of reported and unreported injuries. In the United States, approximately 2 million abused children are reported(Davies p.12-25).

Child abuse according to Dante Cicchetti and Vicki Carlson in their book Child Maltreatment is defined as "causing or permitting any harmful or offensive contact on a child's body; and, any communication or transaction of any kind, which humiliates, shames, or frightens the child". Child abuse has been a very big social issue universally.

Child abuse is a common term for three types of child maltreatment sexual abuse, physical abuse, and emotional or psychological abuse. Children are usually victims of more than one type of abuse. Children can be abused both sexually and emotionally, or they can also be physically abused and neglected. In some unusual cases, a child may suffer from more than two forms of abuse(Davies p.12-25).

Child Abuse is the worst thing a child can go through, not only on the flesh, but also on the entire structure of the mind. The mistreatment of children is deeply entrenched in history. Violence is a reflection of patriarchal tradition. The mistreatment of children through violent means is not a new problem that society has had to face. Research tends to confirm the feminist position that violence has been systemically employed [to] maintain the cultural subordination [of women]. However, there is a difference between the abuse of today and the abuse of yesterday. Today, cruelty to children is recognized as abuse whereas, in the past, it was not. The abuse of children was quite common in the past. To hit a child was completely acceptable and was considered to be the norm. It was viewed as discipline(Collings 1-6).

Neglect and Child Abuse

Neglect is the most predominant type of abuse. It is defined as the failure to provide the child with the basic necessities of life. Some examples of neglect include the failure to attend to a special need, refusal of love or warmth and abandonment. There are four types of neglect. These types include physical, emotional, educational and moral neglect. Physical neglect is refusal or delay of medical treatment, abandonment and adequate supervision.

Emotional neglect

Emotional neglect is characterized, as not responding to a child's emotional needs. Making the child feel weak and inferior as well as not being there could do this could emotionally scar the child(Bass pp.56-70).

Educational neglect

Educational neglect includes not letting a child that is of school age to go to school, as well as allowing truancy and failure to attend to a special ...