Child Abuse and Neglect

Our children are our future and their health and welfare should be one of our top priorities. Research has confirmed what anyone with common sense already knows: Children, who are fed, do better than those who are hungry. Money spent for child care and education services pay off in the long run and are less likely to be spent on special education and the criminal justice system. There is evidence that hitting children, corporal punishment, which is now illegal in many countries, can contribute to behavioral problems, encourages children to act violently, and can even lower intelligence. We also know that people with insurance stay healthier than those without, and that healthy children do better than sick children (Leon Hoffman, 2011).

Child abuse is the physical, sexual, or emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. It can be detrimental to one’s daily life, affecting not only the abused child, but also those who are associated with the child. It can have lasting effects that may carry over to adulthood and cause potential issues with relationships or perhaps within their own families as well. It is important that we learn to recognize the signs of child abuse and neglect so that we can save the lives and future of our children. Child abuse is widespread, often not reported, and is responsible for many problems involving our youth today.

In 2010, approximately one thousand five hundred thirty seven children were victims of child abuse/neglect, resulting in death. Of the number of children who died as a result of abuse or neglect, seventy nine percent were younger than four years old, while forty eight percent were younger than one year of age. Boys and girls are both victims, nearly at the same rate. Approximately 3.6 millio...

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...ccurate way (Monnica T. Williams, 2013).”

Works Cited

Leon Hoffman, M. (2011, April 19). Beyond Freud. Retrieved from Psychology Today: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/beyond-freud/201104/our-children-our-future

Monnica T. Williams, P. (2013, March 14). Overcoming the Pain of Childhood Abuse and Neglect. Retrieved from Psychology Today: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/culturally-speaking/201303/overcoming-the-pain-childhood-abuse-and-neglect safehorizon. (2010). Child Abuse: Statistics & Facts. Retrieved from safehorizon: http://www.safehorizon.org/index/what-we-do-2/child-abuse--incest-55/child-abuse-statistics--facts-304.html

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2012). U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Retrieved from safehorizon: http://www.safehorizon.org/index/what-we-do-2/child-abuse--incest-55/child-abuse-statistics--facts-304.html