Violence Against Children

1016 Words3 Pages

Violence against children is a phenomenon happening worldwide, in forms of physical, psychological violence. Children are deprived of care, basic social services, health care and education, child abuse, neglect, exploitation, forced to beg, trafficked. Children are still one of the social groups at risk, facing many problems that remain unresolved. Although the consequences may vary according to the type and severity of the violence, the short and long-term consequences for children are very often serious and destructive and are costly. The laws that protect children’s rights are often not effective.

Child abuse takes a variety of forms and is influenced by a variety of factors, individual characteristics of the victim and abuser, the cultural and physical environment in which they live. While physical injuries may or may not be immediately visible, abuse can have consequences that last lifetimes. For every hour, as many as 115 children are abused. Physical consequences, such as damage to a child's growing brain, can have psychological implications such as emotional difficulties. Psychological problems are often discernible as high-risk behaviors. Depression and anxiety, for example, may make a person more likely to smoke, abuse alcohol or illicit drugs, or overeat. Consequently they can lead to long-term physical health problems such as sexually transmitted diseases, cancer, and obesity. Physical abuse is often accompanied by psychological abuse, emotional. Insults, isolation, rejection, intimidation, emotional indifference and underrating are all forms of abuse that may affect the psychological development and welfare of children, especially when coming from an adult that you respect and emotional investing, such as a parent. ...

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...g. It could be volunteering at the local community center one time a month or even as simple as paying attention to the local news in order to be aware of what is happening in your community. Action can mean so many different things. If everyone plays a small role, the change will be enormous. Let’s unite, Let’s prepare a better future for our children, where violence is not a norm, but violence is a crime.

Works Cited

1. World Health Organization (WHO). Raport of the Consultation on Child Abuse Prevention. Geneva, 29-31 March. 1999. http://www.who.int/entity/violence_injury_prevention/violence/global_campaign/en/chap3.pdf

2. Wang, C.T., Holton, J. (2007). Total Estimated Cost of Child Abuse and Neglect in the United States. Chicago: Prevent Child Abuse America. http://www.preventchildabuse.org/about_us/media_releases/pcaa_pew_economic_impact_study_final.pdf

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