Increasing Awareness of Child Abuse

630 Words2 Pages

In recent years, child abuse has become, for the first time, an issue worthy of much

attention. Child abuse happens everywhere; it is deeply embedded and practiced in many

various cultures and geographical locations. Everyone has his or her own opinion on the

significance of child abuse. To some, abuse merely is a topic that people have become

obsessed with. Many people believe that abuse is only an extreme word for good

discipline. These people are blind to the seriousness of child abuse. There are several very

negative effects that spur from child abuse. These effects are anything but healthy in

reference to the development of a child abused in any way.

Many parents, in every culture, use child abuse as a method of conditioning their

children to behave well. They use severe negative reinforcement too punish their children.

These parents only see the immediate effects of child abuse. Naturally, if a child is beaten

for doing something wrong, they will learn not to do it again. However, abused children

tend to develop many problems later in life.

In some cases, abused children will avoid growing close to people. They feel more

comfortable trying to hide all of their pain and suffering. An approach like this to building

relationships can lead to a lack of the true sense of intimacy and trust. A child will isolate

themselves from others and experience severe loneliness. Abused children are more likely

to bully other children around, isolating themselves from their peers (Judith 117). They

sometimes fall into the pattern of befriending people who will only betray and cause them

more pain.

Abuse to a child can be a source of very painful experiences. Children often handle

these experiences in the wrong way. Sometimes, these children try to ignore these painful

feelings, which makes it difficult to learn how to cope with them. This behavior may lead

to confusion and high stress. Children often become lost in the wavering maze of feeling

little or no emotion, then switching to being overwhelmed with emotion and not knowing

how to handle their feelings. These children may become psychologically unhealthy due to

their emotionally instability (www.childabuse.com).

Someone that was abused as a child is more likely to become an abusive parent

than someone who was not (Judith 221). In this way, abuse can carry on from generation

from generation. These families have unhealthy relationships. Family members frequently

lack the love, caring, and friendship that everyone needs.

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