Child abusers should go to prison for life

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Many people don’t know exactly what child abuse is. Child abuse is physical maltreatment or sexual molestation of a child. Child abuse consists of three categories, physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. Some Americans even view spanking unacceptable act and others see it as an appropriate form of discipline. Well, spanking varies on a thin line. If you leave a mark and/ or aggravated and take it out on the child, that is considered abuse. When you spank after the child misbehaves and doesn’t leave a mark it isn’t abuse. Some facts about child abuse are that approximately 5 children die every day because of child abuse, most children become victims of abuse and neglect at 18 months or younger, and 14 percent of all men and 36 percent of all women in prison were abused as children. Children of all sorts of ages and races that get abused every day; some children have disorders and long term effects and sometimes these children die. Then some of these children will never feel safe in their lifetime because they know the one who abuse them are somewhere out there. The punishment for child abusers is a class X felony for great bodily harm or permanent disability to any child under the age 13. A class X felony in Illinois is short of first degree murder. The offense has a mandatory minimum sentence of 6-30 years in the Department of Corrections. A child abuser will only get a class X felony if it is aggravated battery of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault, and predatory criminal sexual assault of a child over 17 years of age and victim under 13 years old. Usually no matter what you are sentenced; if you have good behavior while in prison/jail you can let out early. For someone to get life in prison you have to get 1st degr... ... middle of paper ... ...cohol and 3.8 times more likely to become addicted to drugs. "Immediate Effects of Child Abuse." Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.” Some of the physical effects are bruises, welts,burns,difficulty in walking or sitting, sexually transmitted infections or diseases and fractures. Some developmental effects are anxiety, depression, flashbacks and difficulty concentrating. Works Cited "Child Abuse: Statistics & Facts." Safe Horizon ::. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. "A Coordinated Response to Child Abuse and Neglect: The Foundation for Practice."Chapter Six: What Are the Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect? N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2014. "YEAR 2000 ILLINOIS CRIME & PUNISHMENT CHART." YEAR 2000 ILLINOIS CRIME & PUNISHMENT CHART. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2014. "Who Abuses Children?" - Resource Sheet. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2014.

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