Each year data is collected by many government agencies, both national and local, in an attempt to better understand and ultimately prevent cases of child abuse. A report published by the Children’s Bureau titled Child Maltreatment, in 2014 reflected that, children that had yet to experience their first birthday had the highest rate of victimization at 24.4 per 1,000 children of the same age in the national population (p 12). Abuse is never acceptable, but it is extremely alarming that an age group that relies so heavily on an adult for basic needs would be so greatly represented. Perhaps though the information becomes slight more understandable when we see that the Children’s Bureau also reported that 75% of victims were subjected to neglect …show more content…
Child abuse comes in many other forms, such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, and often abuse that occurs but is not common will be labeled as “other”. In the 2014 published report “approximately 3.2 million children were subject to at least one report [of abuse]” and of those 3.2 million children, an estimated 1,580 were abused in such a way that resulted in their death. While the majority of these numbers are representative of a national problem, a little digging into the Children Bureau’s report revealed that in New York State alone in 2014, 188,058 children were investigated as having been victims of child abuse (p 44). To understand both national and local numbers and how they relate to the State of New York or anywhere else, we must first understand the different types of …show more content…
In the collected reports from all states, 702,208 cases of child abuse were investigated, of those 702,208 cases, 526,744 were indicated as cases of neglect. That is a lot of abused children, but once again we must understand what neglect is to understand what is encompassed in the 526,744 cases. Neglect, I would image can be largely tied back into the inability of a parental figure or guardian to adequately provide for the child or children in their care. This can range in failure to provide proper housing, a source of food, clean living conditions. The children’s Bureau defines neglect as “A type of maltreatment that refers to the failure by the caregiver to provide needed, age-appropriate care although financially able to do so or offered financial or other means to do so (p 120). So in 2014, 526,744 children were not given the basic necessities of life by those who were supposed to love them more than life itself. Granted not all of those cases were sustained, it remains a number that is jaw dropping. A scan of the list of states shows that no matter the state, neglect seems to be the main cause of all child abuse cases investigated. In New York neglect represented 95.4% of the cases, and in fact there were only 6 states that reported less than 50% of their child abuse cases came from neglect (Child Maltreatment p. 57). Although most states reported
Ward, H. et al, 2012. Safeguarding babies and very young children from abuse and neglect. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. P 205.
The United States defines child maltreatment as “any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death, serious injury or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm” (McCoy & Keen, 2009, p. 63). This legal definition is better understood by the idea that a caregiver repeatedly fails to provide the most basic care necessary for a child. Although abandonment is often the first thing that comes to mind when one hears the word “neglect...
Since the case of Mary Ellen Wilson in 1874, child abuse has seen it’s share of light in published news. It is disheartening to read countless stories of future generations being harmed to the extent of psychological damage or even death. Child abuse as a whole has been addressed multiple times in various news blogs, however, nothing has been done to work towards abolishing it at a larger level. The future of America is in jeopardy based on the level of abuse that children endure. Childhelp states that approximately 5 children die every day at the hands of child abuse. America struggles to find equality, and by bystanding the stripping of its youth, continual prolonging is inevitable. Raising this nation’s children in means of nurturing and care is the first step to uplifting America as a whole. In 2012 alone, 1593 of America’s children died at the hands of child abuse, 70.3% of which were younger than the age of three (Safe Horizon). In order to prevent further child abuse, the American government should address stricter child protection laws, psychological stability, and an increase the recognition of those that have released their stories.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 3.3 million referrals for alleged maltreatment were made in 2013. Out of the 3.3 million referrals, 899,000 children were officially documented as being maltreated(Child Abuse & Neglect 2015). Child abuse is the mistreatment of a child. Child abuse is recognized in several forms; physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. Children who experience any form of abuse will tend to withdraw themselves from their peers and sometimes from other family members who are not aware of what is taking place. Child abuse occurs not just in the homes of these children, but can also occur in schools, churches and after school programs. Anywhere a child is present there is a chance that abuse can occur. This paper will review the forms of child abuse, the effects of child abuse, reasons child abuse occurs and possible therapies to bring healing in the parties involved.
Two studies performed for the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect by Westat, Inc. provide an answer. In 1980 and then again in 1986, Westat conducted national studies of the incidence of child abuse and neglect. Each study used the same method: In a sample of counties, a sample of professionals who serve children was asked whether, during the study period, the children they had seen in their offices appeared to have been abused or neglected. Because the information these selected professionals provided could be matched against pending cases in the local child protective agency, Westat was able to estimate rates of nonreporting among the surveyed professionals. It could not, of course, estimate the level of unintentional nonreporting, since there is no way to know of the situations in which professionals did not recognize signs of possible mistreatment.
Children often learn by observing others and normally while growing up, they all have someone that they look up to. They are normally seen to be innocent at a young age when they do not know any better. But there are many of cases in which children do not have the luxury of being with people that love them and treat them right. In most cases, children get abused and neglected by their parents and/or guardians, urging for Child protective services to step in and save the child. Child maltreatment includes child abuse and child neglect and is a major problem in the United States. The National Bureau of Economic Research states that “Over a million children are victims of maltreatment annually” (Currie & Tekin 2006). Child maltreatment could lead a child down a path of delinquency and more should be done to stop this from happening, and providing better opportunities for children that
There are even extreme cases where children develop psychopathic disorders or tendencies. Children who are abandoned and maltreated are essentially calloused to life. They do not feel empathy, guilt, and they do not understand right from wrong. Some children kill animals, speak of killing their friends or families, hurt others and or hurt themselves. These children are often depressed, egotistic, entitled, angry, resentful, fearful and have a lack of sense of belonging. These children do not trust and are not trusted because of their actions and psychopathic thoughts. But, does this mean that we should give up on these children and just lock them away? I looked for the answers in real life cases. Mostly these children can be helped and they can go on to live some sort of a normal life. On the other hand, some can turn out to be
In Dent County alone, during the year of 2012, four children were physically abused, six were the objects of neglect, one was emotionally abused, and eleven more children were the victims of sexual abuse according to records kept by the Missouri Department of Social Services (“Child’s Division” 38). In that same year, 92,593 children were reported as being abused in the entire state of Missouri (“Child’s Division” 1). Fortunately, only 6,322 children were found to have been abused out of all of the children reported. However, an additional 7,092 were classified as ‘Unsubstantiated-Preventive Services Indicated.’ This means that not enough evidence existed to move further with prosecution, but still enough to indicate that abuse was imminent. Another 44,070 of the reports warranted an assessment of the child’s family in order to ensure the safety of the child (“Child’s Division” 5).
Child abuse in general is quite complex and at the same time one of the most challenging social issue facing people all around the USA. Child abuse cases have been recorded in all the states of the USA. The cases occur in all areas be it cities, small towns, suburbs, and even in rural areas. The vice also happens in all types of families regardless of the ethnic origin of the family or the even family income (UNICEF, 2015). It is thus important that effort is put into reducing cases of child abuse.
Child abuse is a social problem in America that has many contributed factors. Factors that contribute to child abuse and neglect includes poverty, divorce, substance use, lack of education, stress due to unemployment, mental health issues, teenage parent, and a history of child abuse in the family. It took decades for physicians to conclude that parents have been violently assaulting their children. Child abuse, child labor, juvenile delinquency, and similar social questions historically were ethical and moral problems, not strictly medical ones. (Helfer, Kempe, & Krugman, 1997). In 1962, the Journal of American Medical Association published “The Battered-Child Syndrome.” The article transformed society’s views and dates the rediscovery of child abuse as a social problem. Following this article, the U.S. Children’s Bureau adopted the first laws mandating physicians to report any suspicions of abuse and neglect to the police or child welfare. By 1974, some 60,000 cases were reported. In 1980, the number exceeded one million (Myers J. E., 2004).
We’ll start with child abuse victims and the affects and reasons of this abuse. There are four types of child abuse and I will list them in order from least to greatest, neglect, physical, sexual and emotional abuse. Neglect takes first with the NCVS having 54% reports of child neglect in 2007. Neglect is a very serious form of abuse it is the failure for a parent or guardian to provide for a child’s basic needs, including physical and educational needs. We grow and development drastically in the first twelve years of our life so when parental guidance and love is absent it affects a child’s developmental skills along with learning right from wrong. Many forms of neglect occur in larger households and with households with domestic violence. Many parents with multiple kids become too busy focusing on the older children they tend to forget the youngest one. So it’s common for a three year old to walk out of the front door and on to the street when no one is there to tell him or...
Child neglect is a form of abuse and it is rapidly increasing. Child neglect is a major issue that causes children to grow up feeling unloved or unwanted. There are many causes and effects of neglect which extremely effect the children growing up and it is an issue that needs to end.
Moving onto the two less common forms of child neglect: medical and educational. These two forms of neglect are pretty self explanatory, but can be expanded on. From basics, its obvious that children need to have proper health care, and a proper school experience. Without these basic needs, children can become extremely ill, or not grow up into a good lifestyle. This can also lead to a child not developing into the happy healthy life it should have.
Child abuse is one of the highest growing social problems in the United States. A social problem is, “a condition that a significant number of people believe to be a problem. A condition in which there is a sizable difference between the ideals of a society and its actual achievements” (Coleman et al. 2006:2). However, society has changed the way it views the issue, and is working towards finding a solution to this awful problem. Child abuse encompasses four main areas: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. Child abuse is considered a sociological phenomenon because it is a learned behavior. Learning the social patterns as to why people abuse will give a better understanding to its reasons, and also the development of society in the way that it views children. 3.6 million children were victims of abuse in the year 2006. Sixty four percent were victims of neglect, sixteen percent suffered from physical abuse, and eight percent were sexually abused. Also in 2006, 1,530 children died as a result of abuse; an average of four children everyday (Child Welfare Information Gateway 2008).
Now, this number may or may not have been known to the child protection authorities, but there is an opinion by most experts that the number is twice as high. Moreover, over a span of six years, a minimum of 786 children have died of abuse and neglect. Most of them have been starved and left to drown. The protection agencies had a purpose to know that these children were in danger. The figure mentioned is the statistic value available to the public, but the actual figure is far much higher (U.S, 1993). If we look in detail, there are approximately 6 million children involved in an annual child abuse investigation by U.S. Child Protective Services Agencies, in which 50% of the abused children suffer repeated maltreatment and almost 80% of the abused children are usually younger than three years old (By the Numbers: Child Abuse, 2012).