Physical And Sexual Abuse example essay topic

Child Abuse Each day in the United States more than three children die as a result of child abuse. There are over five million cases of child abuse made to the child protection agencies each year, and it is estimates that there is three times this many incidents of abuse happening and not being reported. Child abuse doesn't nessarsarlly have to be physical. There are four main types of child abuse: neglect, physical, sexual and emotional. Neglect is defined as a type of abuse that refers to the failure to provide needed age-appropriate care, such as shelter, food, clothing, education, supervision, medical care and other basic necessities needed for development of physical, intellectual and emotional capacities.

Child neglect makes up 63% of all child abuse cases and is the most common form of child abuse reported to child protective services. Neglect can rage from not paying attention to the child to not providing adequate medical care. Boys are twice more likely to be neglected then girls. Some of the most common forms of neglect are: not having enough food to eat, not having medical care, not having appropriate clothing for the weather and never receiving compliment or told that you matter. Neglect usually begin at a young age and goes on until the pre-teen years. Children who are neglected tend to be very dependent and take care of themselves.

They also tend to have low self-esteem and confidence and have bad relationships with peers. Unlike physical and sexual abuse, neglect is usually characterize by an ongoing pattern of insufficient care and is usually noticed by people in close contact with the child. Physicians, nurses, day care, relatives and neighbors are frequently the ones to suspect and report neglected infants, toddlers and preschool children. Physical abuse is defined as any act which results in a non-accidental trauma or physical injury.

Physical abuse makes up 19% of all child abuse cases and is the most visible form of abuse. Approximately 54% of children death is traced back to some kind of physical abuse. One of the most common kinds of physical abuse is SBS (Shaken Baby Syndrome). This involves violent shaking of a small child, which causes the brain to bruise and the eyes to bleed. Seizures, partial or total blindness, paralysis, mental retardation, and death are results of this abuse. The main reason why this happen is because the parents become frustrated from baby crying and they don't want to hit the child so they shake it to stop it from crying.

Other types of physical abuse are one that cause physical injury that occur from punching, beating, kicking, biting, burning or otherwise harming a child. Some sign that show a child has been abused include: being shy of adult contact, lack of trust, aggressive behavior and even suicide attempts. It is good to be able to notice signs of abuse because the longer the abuse continues the more serious the injuries become and then it becomes difficult to eliminate the abusive behavior. Sexual abuse is defined as the involvement of dependent, developmentally immature children in sexual activities that they do not fully comprehend and therefore to which they are unable to give informed consent and / or which violates the taboos of society. Sexual abuse makes up 10% of all child abuse cases. It is usually very difficult for people to talk about sexual abuse and it is even more difficult for society to recognize that the sexual abuse of children of all ages, including infants, happens everyday in the United States.

Girls are sexually abused three times more often than boys. Sexual abuse is any mistreatment of a child for sexual pleasure or gratification. Sexual abuse interferes with a child's normal development, both emotionally and physically. Most sexually abused children experience severe emotional problem from their own feelings of guilt and shame, as well as the feelings society has on them. There are three types of sexual abuse, non-touching, touching and sexual exploitation. Non-touching abuse includes, exposing children to pornographic material, purposely exposing a child to the act of sexual intercourse and masturbating in front of a child.

Touching abuse includes fondling, making a child touch an adult's sexual organs and any penetration of a child's vagina or anus by an object that doesn't have a medical purpose. Sexual exploitation includes engaging a child for the purposes of prostitution and using a child to film, photograph or model pornography. All of these types of sexual abuse are extremely damaging to a child. The effect that sexual abuse can have on a child will last for a life time. Emotional abuse is defined as the regular tearing down of another human being.

Emotional abuse make up 8% of all child abuse cases. Emotional abuse is probably the least understood of all child abuse, yet it is the most common, and can be the cruelest and most destructive of all types of abuse. Emotional abuse attacks the child's mind and self-concept, this causes the child to see him or herself as unworthy of love and affection. Children who are constantly shamed, humiliated, terrorized or rejected suffer at least as much than if they had been physically assaulted.

Most of the time an emotionally abused child will show no signs of abuse. Insecurity, low self-esteem, alcohol and drug abuse, suicide and anger are some future problems that develop form emotional abuse. Every day there are million of children who are being abused physically, emotionally, sexually and neglected. Child abuse is one of the major problem in the United states. This is a very sad subject but people need to realize and be aware that it is really happening.

It can affect children in many different ways and even effect there whole life. No child deserves to go through any type of abuse.