Essay, Research Paper: Child Abuse

Child abuse, although gruesome and unnecessary, happens ever four seconds, and a child's life is lost every seven seconds. As a society these statistics should be of great concern to us. We have to be aware of what is happening to the children in our society, because the only way to improve the situation is to be aware of it, and get involved. There are many different forms of child abuse, including sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse and many forms of neglect. We can help these children by doing even the simplest things, so, why don't we?
Child Abuse and It's Warning Signs:
Child abuse is the physical and or emotional mistreatment of a child. It includes everything from pulling hair to beating a child to death. A child abuser can be anyone, from a parent to someone you don't even know. There are many warning signs of child abuse, some of which include: crying more readily, jumping or pulling away when touched, the child begins to decline in school, show a lot of fear, guilt or anxiety, they may discuss or attempt suicide or have poor peer relationships. Although these signs may be present when child abuse is not, if a child shows any of these signs, child abuse should be an issue of concern.
Types of Abuse and Neglect:
There are many different types of child abuse. Sexual abuse is the use of a
child under age 16 for sexual purposes. Emotional abuse includes screaming, yelling, name calling, or blaming the child for adult problems such as the parent's financial state. Physical abuse is inflicting any type of physical injury on a child, whether it is intended or not. Child neglect also goes along with child abuse and has many different areas. Physical neglect is the refusal or delay in seeking health care or emergency medical services. It also includes abandonment, kicking and under aged child out of the house or not allowing a runaway to return home. Educational neglect includes allowing a school aged child to be chronically truant, not enrolling the child in school, or not attending to a child's special educational need. Emotional neglect includes extreme spousal abuse while the child is present knowledge of the child's drug or alcohol abuse or refusal or failure to provide psychological care.
Myths about Child Abuse:
There are many myths surrounding child abuse. Some people believe that children make up stories of abuse, or that the child is at fault for encouraging or allowing sexual abuse to happen. Many people also believe that the abuse is committed by strangers, or that the abuses look sleazy, cruel and unusual. All of these are assumptions are untrue.
Child Abusers:
A child abuser is an ordinary person, usually a parent, who is caught in a situation they can't handle emotionally. Most abusers feel lonely and they can't cope with personal problems, and they have low self-esteem. Many abusers were abused themselves as children, and that is the reason many abusers become abusers themselves.
Counseling For Abused Children:
There are many types of counseling for children who have been abused. Abused children who are 16 and over can go to the Sexual Assault Center. Children from ages 0 to 18 can go to Child and Family Services or the Children's Aid Society. All of these places provide either group or individual therapy sessions.
The Effects of Child Abuse:
The effects of any type of child abuse or neglect is long lasting. Children who have suffered abuse or neglect never recover, they just learn to cope. In many cases, an abused child will repeat the abuse because that's what they've learned. Abused or neglected children will have trouble forming close relationships because in most cases they were abused by people who were close to them, and don't trust anyone anymore. Many of these children become depressed, hostile, have low self- esteem and often display inappropriate sexual behavior when sexually abused.
Prevention of Child Abuse:
The only way to stop child abuse is to get educated about it and help prevent it. As a parent, there are many different ways to teach your child about abuse and help detect if you child is being abused. Talking to the child every day, and listening to what they're saying always helps. They may hint about the abuse or ask questions related to it. Get to know your child's personality traits, daily habits or mood swings, which can also act as a warning sign if they change. Teach your child about their body, and what good and bad touches are, being careful not to score them. Stress to the child that no one should touch their private parts or make them feel uncomfortable, and that they shouldn't keep secrets from their parents. If you educate yourself and your child then you're helping to prevent child abuse.
What Can We Do To Help?
There are many ways for us to get involved in the prevention of child abuse. Joining a local organization that helps abused children or you can volunteer at a library, or teach a free art or music class. We can also join or donate money to Big Brothers or Sisters, who play a major role in helping abused children.