Effects Of Child Abuse On Innocent Children

Protectors Turned on Innocent Adolescents

“According to research estimates, each year more than 1 million children in the United States experience some form of abuse or neglect” (Widom). Unfortunately, many children have suffered or even died from this abuse. This is an issue because these innocent children were hurt both mentally and physically by those they trust and love. Although the magnitude of sexual abuse of children in the United States is unknown, it is considered to be an escalating problem, and one that can result in serious psychological damage among victims (“child abuse”). The amount of children affected by child abuse in America has grown each year. Society must learn how to stop this problem so that child abuse decreases and

It is said that about 2,000 children die from being physically abused each year (Widom). The number of children who are suffering must decrease because victims can have emotional damage for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, people who are involved in child abuse are usually a guardian or another person in the child’s life (“child”). Those who are close to a child are usually the ones to inflict abuse on him or her . This can cause emotional and relationship problems between the child and the abuser. There are a few different forms of child abuse that can be inflicted on the child. For example, “molestation, incest, rape, prostitution, or the use of a child for pornographic reasons are all considered child abuse. Physical abuse is characterized by physical injury, usually inflicted as a result of a beating or inappropriately harsh discipline. Forms of emotional or psychological abuse are inappropriate punishment, verbal abuse, and scapegoating. Neglect can be physical, such as abandonment or failure to seek health care, or emotional, like the abuse of a spouse or another child in the child’s presence or letting a child witness adult substance abuse” (“child”). These types of abuse can create a feeling of neglect or abandonment which could cause emotional damage to the child. Child abuse is such a significant issue that efforts should be made to eliminate this

Research shows, every year more than 1 million children in the US experience abuse or neglect. Many of the children have long term effects or even die from abuse. Child abuse affects many children, but there are steps that society is taking to help these children. People must also learn how they can prevent child abuse when they see it. For example, warning signs of child abuse are bruises, lumps, welts, repeated broken bones, burns, wariness around adults, school absences, accident-proneness, poor concentration, failing academically, aggression, hanging around school before and after classes, and poor relationships with peers (Gullatt). These physical and emotional warning signs of abuse should alert people that a child is being abused. These signs will help because then they can stop abuse and help decrease the number of victims of child