Number Of Child Abuse Cases example essay topic

Child abuse is the "saddest and most tragic problem" in the United States today (Dolan IX). It is estimated that one to two million children is affected by child abuse each year. Victims range from ages of a few weeks to late teenage years. Child abuse has been around for hundreds and thousands of years.

In the past twenty years, however, the number of cases has been multiplying. While most child abuse cases are not fatal, some do end in death. Some researchers have even labeled child abuse an "epidemic". Because more than fifty percent of child abuse cases are not reported, the exact numbers will never be known.

In the 1970's the United States government issued a survey about the number of child abuse cases. The survey showed that there are more than 60,000 cases of child abuse in some form each year. Another survey, in 1976 showed that the annual number of cases had grown to half a million. Though this study was found to have many repeated cases, the government estimated that the number of cases had risen to 100,000 to 200,000 cases per year.

Dr. Vincent Fontana, a doctor at New York City's Foundling Hospital estimated that one and a half million children would be abused in any given year (Dolan 6). He predicted that 300,000 victims will be permanently injured, physically and / or emotionally, and that in the next five to ten year period 50,000 children will die (2,000 per year). He also predicted that it would surpass the top four leading causes of death (accidents, cancer, physical defects, and pneumonia). Child abuse can be classified into four basic groups: 1.

Physical a. Sexual b. Physical Beatings 2. Emotional 3.

Neglect 4. Moral, Educational, Etc. Physical abuse counts for twenty-four percent of all child abuse cases. Sexual abuse is twelve percent. Neglect counts the most with fifty-two percent, and emotional and educational abuse makes up the remainder. Physical abuse comes in two forms: Physical beatings and sexual abuse.

Physical includes any actions that injure a person's body (Havelin 6). Hitting, kicking slapping, punching, burning, pulling hair, and poisoning are all forms of physical abuse. The use of belts, shovels, fists, feet, whips, chains, ropes, electric cords, leather straps, canes, baseball bats, wooden sticks, brooms, scalding water, coffee and any other hot liquids have all been used in some kind of physical abuse. Physical abuse can resulting bruises, scars, and broken bones. Some may even cause death. Sexual child abuse has no real definition.

It can be characterized as "any adult that allows themselves to force or coerce a child into a sexual activity" (Understanding... 1). This may include fondling a child's genitals, masturbation, oral-genital contact, digital penetration, and vaginal or anal intercourse. Effects of sexual child abuse on the victim may include anxiety, guilt, fear, sexual dysfunction, withdrawal, and acting out. More long term effects may include anxiety went associating with the opposite sex or inappropriate sexual knowledge, sexual interest, or sexual acting out by the young victim.

Research has led researchers to believe that child sexual abuse victims are more likely to be victims of rape or physically abusive relationships as adults. Studies also show that the majority of perpetrators are family members or are known by the child. Although it is thought that homosexual men are more commonly the perpetrators, heterosexual men are actually more likely to be the perpetrator (Understanding... 4).

Emotional abuse is classified as "anything that is said or done to hurt a child's feelings or self-esteem" (Havelin 7). Words are not the only type of emotional abuse. Locking a child in a closet is also emotional abuse because it causes the child to feel negatively about themselves. Neglect is when a parent or guardian ignores or chooses not to take care of a child's physical needs.

Under law, parents must provide proper care, food, shelter, clothing and medical treatment (Havelin 6). Neglect is the most common type of abuse in the United States today, happening more than twice the amount than physical abuse. Neglect happens more than physical, sexual, and emotional or educational, etc. put together! Educational neglect is when a parent does not care enough to make sure that their child is going to school, doing their homework, and getting good grades. This hurts the child because they do not learn the importance of education and when they are adults, they may not find a good career that will help them survive. Why does child abuse happen?

There is no exact reason, but some theorists believe it can occur from political unrest and wartime affairs to the simple everyday tensions around us. We do know however that over the past twenty years, divorce rates have been rising along side the number of child abuse cases. There are often misconceptions about child abuse. Most parents of an abused child do not "team up" (Dolan 8). Most of the time the other parent does not even know about the abuse. If the parent does know, they may not interfere because they fear desert ment.

Most abusers actually love their children and may even buy things in between abuse to try and make up for it. Women are actually more often the abuser or children. This is because more children live with single mothers. Children who live with single parents are seventy-seven percent more likely to be abused or neglected than children who reside with both parents.

Women are responsible for three-fourths of neglect cases, while men are responsible for about three-fourths of sexual abuses cases. There are several reasons that researchers say are some causes for child abuse. Although there is no single explanation, researchers have come up with a few. In 1976, the American Humane Association (AHA) conducted a study of 357,533 cases of abuse and neglect and found that alcohol was involved in fourteen percent of abuse cases and eighteen percent of neglect cases.

Emotionally, children of alcoholic parents feel rejected and unwanted because their parents often forget about them while drinking. These children may also feel embarrassed of their parent's problems. Usually in these cases of abuse, older children may take care of younger children. This causes emotional and behavioral problems now or in their future. It is estimated that thirty percent of child abusers are under the influence of drugs or alcohol when the abuse happens (Havelin 19). Parents may not know how to parent.

Many young parents fall into this category. Young or first time parents may not understand child development or they might expect children do things on their own that they are not capable of doing. The younger the parent, the more likely they will abuse or neglect their children. They may not b able to handle the responsibility of working, parenting, and living a life of their own. Another reason that parents may abuse their children is that they grew up being abused. Violence is a learned behavior.

Children that are abused are six times more likely to become the abuser as a parent. Domestic violence plays a large role as well, because an adult that abuses their spouse is more likely to hit their children as well. Poverty can also lead to abuse or neglect, either because the parents cannot afford to take care of their children, or they simply cannot create a budget that includes them. Researchers have found that children from families with less than $15,000 per year income are sixteen times more likely to be physically abused, forty times more likely to be physically neglected, twenty-nine times more likely to be emotionally neglected, fifty-six times more likely to be educationally neglected (parents do not care if the child gets proper schooling or even attends), and twenty-two times more likely to be seriously injured from abuse. The abuser may lack self-esteem. Parent may feel weak or unimportant in their life.

They may therefore take their frustrations out on their children because they are smaller and weaker than they are. Children who are younger are most likely the targets of this kind of abuse. The parent may not be able to handle life's everyday problems. Financial debts, job losses, few friends and no way to "let off steam" (Dolan 27) are all things that make their future look hopeless. This may cause the parents to take it out on their children, even tho it really has nothing to do with them. There are also some cases where the child was an "accident", or the parent wanted a child of the opposite sex.

In these cases, the parents see the child as something they do not want or something that wasn't suppose to happen. The parent may also abuse the children because the child resembles or acts like someone the parent dislikes. In some cases, over discipline becomes child abuse. What may begin as a simple spanking for being bad, may become an everyday ritual and fall out of hand or they may beat the child for something that should be a smack on the hand.

Fewer than ten percent of child abusers are mentally ill. Yet, some abusers are unable to care for themselves let alone children. They may be sick or wrapped up in their own problems causing them to forget about the needs of others, most often, their children. People who are physically or mentally ill may not have the energy to be good parents. They usually do not realize they are mistreating their children. There are major ways to take action against child abuse, but people are afraid to use them.

A major one is state action. Some people, especially doctors, teachers, etc., are afraid to report child abuse because they may be sued or labeled as a "busybody" (Dolan 32). The solution to this problem is that many states require doctors to report suspicious markings on children. If they do not, they can be fined or jailed. States also protect these people from being sued, and many states are pushing for laws that cover, doctors, teachers, neighbors, nurses, etc. for being sued so that more cases can be reported. These laws have shown hope.

In Virginia, the number of reports went up sixty-one percent in the first year they were enacted. In New Jersey the number of reports went up eleven percent in three years following the passing of the law there. New approaches to child abuse come in the form of innovative programs. This approach looks at abuse as a disease and should be treated as such (Dolan 38).

The treatment comes in three forms: (1) helping the parent get rid of the problems that cause abuse, (2) preventing future trouble and (3) keeping the family together while the problems are being solved and / or getting them back together after the problems are fixed. Under this new approach, only the most severe incidents are sent to court for criminal action. In 1970, the National Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect was formed in Detroit. The organization has formed "child protection teams" with the job of looking at new child abuse cases in the city and suggesting the best ways of handling them and helping everyone overcome the problem. There are many hotline available to call if you or someone you know may be a victim of child abuse.

Each hotline is designated for particular people. The Boys Hotline is 1-800-448-3000. This hotline is for boys and girls in the United States that are victims of child abuse. Child help USA is 1-800-422-4453 and this hotline is for children and teens in the United States.

The Covenant House Nine line in a number that children who are runaways, or thinking of running away can call for help. Their phone number is 1-800-999-9999. The American Humane Association (AHA) is an organization that works with the Child Protection Agency to assist communities everywhere in developing new programs for protection or improving ones in existence. The Child Welfare League of America (CWL A) works to improve the welfare of neglected children in the United States and Canada. Patents Anonymous is a self-help organization. Members meet once a week and speak openly about their problems and why they abuse or neglect their children.

Child abuse is a serious offense in today's society. Most offenses are punishable by jail and fines, but this is not doing enough. As the number of child abuse cases increase each year, all we can do is ask, "What can we do to prevent it". Works Consulted Dolan, Edward.

Child Abuse. New York: Franklin watts, 1980. Havelin, Kate. Child Abuse: "Why Do My Parents Hit Me?" . Mankato, Minnesota: Capstone Press, 2000". Understanding Child Sexual Abuse".

Psych NET. 2001 APA Online. 9 May 2005.