Kenning1

KyleeKenning

MIssStone
English1010period1
8December2015

ChildMaltreatment:TheHarshReality
Everyday,4to5childrendieasaresultofabuseorneglect.Morethan80%of
thesechildrenarentyetoldenoughtobeginkindergarten.(ChildAbuseStatistics)
Theheavyweightofthisstatisticisonlyhalfofwhatitshouldinactualitybe,asmore
than50%ofabuseandneglectcasesgounreported.
Thistopicisimportantbecauseitaccountsforsomuchhardshipandnegativityin
bothitsvictimsandtheworldsurroundingthem.Oftentimesthistypeofhorrendous
abuseorneglectgoesunnoticedbecausethevictimshidesowell.Anyoneyouknow
couldhavebeenabused,knownsomeonewhowasabused,ormightveevenbeenan
abuserthemselves.Childabuseisnotasubjectthatpeopleliketodiscussitsmessy
andunpredictableandbrutal.ThisiswhyItsimportant,andthisiswhyImaddressingit
today.
Preventingchildabuseandneglectisnationallyagreedtobethemostimportant
aspectinstoppingit.Ifthiscrimecouldbecaughtbeforeitevenhappens,millionsof
childrencouldbesparedthepainandhardshipitcauses.Therearemanymethodsin
preventiontoday,oneverycommononebeingsimplepublicawareness.Thereare
manyavailableapproaches,suchasTVandothermedia,thatallowpublicawareness

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campaignstoreachbroadaudiencesandpromotehealthyparentingpracticesaswell
aseducatethepubliconwhatshouldbedoneaboutsuspectedabuse.("Promising
PracticesforPreventingChildAbuseandNeglect").Publicawarenessislargely
influencedthroughmedia.TheNCPCAtookthelibertyinthelate1970storaisepublic
awarenessofchildabusethroughmediasources,suchasT.V.,billboards,andradio
ads.Bytheearly1980s,Americanswerenotonlyawareoftheproblem,but
understooditscausesandeffectsandthattheyneededtotakeactiontostopit(Daro).
Othermethodsofpreventingchildabuseincludeparenteducationprograms.These
programsseektoprovidesupporttoparentsandfamiliesbyprovidingresources,
teachingappropriatedisciplinaryandparentingmethods,andteachingaboutproper
growth,behavior,andmilestonesofyoungchildren.Anothermethodinpreventingchild
abuseishomevisitationprogramsinwhichsocialworkersvisitwithexpectingparents
orfamilieswithyoungchildren.Throughhomevisits,workerscaneducateparentson
whattheirchildisdoingandwhy,andhowtoeducatethem.Thesevisitsalsoallowany
existingabusetobediscoveredandtreatedquickly.
Somebelievethattheexistingpreventativemethodsareunsatisfactory.Itssaid
bysomethatalthoughtherehasbeenmajorsuccessinfamiliesthatareatriskforchild
abuse,somefamiliestendtoflyundertheradarbecausetheyarentseenasafamily
thatcouldprovideadifficulthomelifetoachild.Onecommonmythaboutchildabuseis
thatitonlyhappensinbadfamilies,whichisfarfromthetruth.Sometimesfamlieswho
seemtobeperfecthideaworsestorybehindcloseddoors.(ChildAbuseandNeglect).

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Otherslackfaithinpreventativestrategiesbecausemanynotallfamiliesbenefitfromor
haveaccesstoearlyintervention(Daro).
Predictingthepotentialforabuseinfamiliesisjustasimportantaspreventative
methodsandstrategies.Familiesthatarelikelytoprovideanabusiveenvironmentfor
childrensometimesgoundetected.Inordertopredictthischildabuseandneglect,we
mustbeeducatedinthewarningsignsthatareseenthroughoutfamiliesthathavethe
potentialtoprovideanabusiveenvironment,andinfamilieswhereabuseisalready
happening.InthearticleChildAbuse&Neglect,authorMelindaSmithmentionsquite
afewwarningsignsassociatedwithabuseandneglectthatallowus,asshesays,to
catchtheproblemasearlyaspossibleandgetboththechildandtheabuserthehelp
theyneed.Typicallyitsobservedthatthewarningsignsofphysicalabusearemore
obvious,suchasfrequentinjuries,cutsandbruises,andmarksofahandorbeltona
childsskin.Sadly,thesamecantbesaidforothertypesofabuse,suchasemotional
abuseandsexualabuse.Manychildrensufferingfromthesetypesofabuseare
excessivelywithdrawnandfearfulofdoingsomethingwrong,accordingtoSmith.Signs
alsoincludeachilddisplayingobviousinterestorknowledgeinsexualactsorbehavior,
orbeingunattachedtoaparentorcaregiver,sometimesevenbeingafraidofthem.You
mayalsonoticeachildwhoisneglectedathomeisfrequentlylateormissingfrom
school,orwearillfittingclothesorhaspoorhygiene.
Beingawareofthesewarningsignsplaysalargeroleinpredictingabuse.
Anotherimportantaspectofpredictionincluderiskfactors.Whatcouldcausechild
abusetohappeninoneshome?Themostcommonriskfactorbyfarisdrugand

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alcoholabusewithintheadultsofafamily.(Smith.)Thesemindalteringsubstances
affectthequalityofparentsdecisionsandputtheminastateofmindthatprevents
themfromproperlycaringfortheirchild.Thisenvironmentisveryharmfultochildren,
andisincrediblyconduciveofneglectandabuse.Poorparentingskills,lackingsupport
systems,anduntreatedmentalillnessareallexamplesofmoreriskfactorsseenin
manyabusivefamilies,parents,andadults.
Childabusecommonlyhasmanyadverseeffectsonbothvictimsandfamilies.
Itsoftenseenasalmostaclichethatanyonewhoisabused,especiallysexually
abusedasachildwillautomaticallygrowuptomistreattheirownchildren.Whilethisis
notalwaysthecase,thereissomeresearchthatgivesthisclichesomegroundtostand
on.AccordingtotheTennysonCenterforChildren,atleast30%ofchildrenwhowere
sexuallyorphysicallyabusedwillgrowuptoabuseothers.Itsalsobeenfoundthat
mostchildmolestersaremaleratherthanfemale,andthat
inboysthereisacausal
linkbetweeninvolvementinsexualactivitieswithanolderpersonandsubsequently
becominganadultperpetratorofchildsexualabuse(Glasser).
Victimsofchildabuseareleftwithscars,somemorevisiblethanothers.Children
whoarestillgrowinganddevelopinghaveahardenoughtimelearningabouttheirworld
withoutsufferingfromabuse,andthosevictimswhoarebornintoanabusive
environmentoftenfallbehindinschoolandacademicsandhavedifficultyconcentrating.
Childrenwhoareabusedsufferflashbacks,difficultysleeping,andevendepressionand
anxiety.Physicaltraumaisalsoassociatedwithchildabuse,oftenintheformof
difficultywalkingorsitting,burns,scrapes,orfractures,andevensexuallytransmitted

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infections(Stien).Insomecases,effectsofmaltreatmentduringchildhoodlastinto
adulthood,changingonesentirepersonalityandfuture.Thelongtermeffectsofchild
abusehavetheabilitytobeovercome,butoftengounrecognizedanduntreated.Many
adultsurvivorssuffermentalhealthproblems,suchaspersonalitydisorders,PTSD,
depression,andanxietydisorders.AccordingtoanAmericanrepresentativestudy
basedontheNationalComorbiditySurvey,adultswhohadexperiencedabuseasa
childwere6timesmorelikelytoexperienceposttraumaticstressdisorderand2times
morelikelytohavemajordepression(Hunter.)Childhoodmaltreatmentalsocanleadto
obesity,eatingdisorders,andsuicidalthoughtsinadults.Alcoholandsubstanceabuse
isalsoaneffecttypicalofachildabusesurvivorandisseenespeciallyinmales..These
adultvictimsmayalsosufferpersonalitychanges,suchasaggression,mistrust,and
highrisksexualbehavior.Physicallyadultsurvivorsmaysufferhigherriskofheart
disease,headaches,anddiabetes.Itsalsobeenfoundinrecentstudiesthatthosewho
wereabusedaschildrenhavemorehealthproblemsthanthosewhoweren't.(Hunter).
Childhoodmaltreatmentoftenleavelastingeffectsonthephysiologyofthebrain,
accordingtoAdultsSurvivingChildAbuse.Theirresearchhasfoundthattraumatized
childrenandadultaremuchmoresensitivetosmallamountsofstimuliduetolow
frontallobefunction.Manyalsosufferfromdecreasedcortexactivity,whichleadsto
poorproblemsolvingandlearningabilities.Abusecanalsoimpactstresshormones.
A
numberofstudieshaveidentifiedalterationsincortisolproductioninbothchildrenand
adultswhoexperiencedchildhoodabuse.Thiscausesonesnervoussystemto

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constantlyrunonhighasvictimsconstantlyliveinfearofmoredangertocome
(ImpactsofChildAbuseonPhysiologyofBrain).
Thereismuchcontroversyoverwhatconstituteschildabuseandwhatissimply
aparentusingphysicalformsofdiscipline.Disciplineisaparentalresponsetoa
specificbehavior(Smenyak),meaningachildcanexpectacertainpunishmentwhen
theyvecrossedasetboundary.Disciplinebecomesabusivewhenachildisunawareof
whatwillsettheirparentofftherulesarenotclear,andphysicalassaultcanhappenat
anytime.Mostofthisdebatebetweenabuseanddisciplineisseenwithspanking
children.Isitanecessaryeviloraformofphysicalabuse?
Thosewhobelievethatspankingandphysicaldisciplineisnotabusiveare
typicallyolderandwerespankedbytheirownparentswhentheysteppedoutofline.
Theirargumentisthatiftheyturnedoutdecentlythaneveryoneelsewilltoo.Butin
realitythispointofviewismajorlybiased,anddoesntconsiderfactsorevenreason.
Incontrasttothisuncreativeopinion,others,includingmyself,believethat
spankingandphysicalabuseiscompletelyunnecessary.Oftentimesphysical
disciplinehappenswhenparentslashout,unabletocontroltheiranger.Discipline
meanstoreacttoachild'sbehaviorinawaythatbenefitsandteachesthem.Physically
harmingachildoutofangerisselfish,andteachesyourkidsnothingbuttofearyou.
Physicaldisciplineturnsabusivewhenyourchildbecomesafraidofyouratherthan
developingarespectfortherulesandexpectationsofyourhousehold(Smenyak).
Childabuseandneglectisatopicthatcanneverbediscussedenough.
Preventativemeasureshaveseensuccessinmostareas,butunfortunatelycurrent

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effortsdontalwaysreachfamilieswhodesperatelyneedhelp.Wecanonlyhopeto
raiseawarenessofthistragicrealitybybeingawareofthewarningsignsand
symptoms.Stoppingabuseinitstracksispertinenttoendingthecycleofabuseand
evensavingthelivesofchildrenaroundtheworld.Childrensufferingfromabusesuffer
physical,emotional,psychological,anddevelopmentaldelaysandconsequences.For
manyvictimstheseproblemslastintoadulthood.Somebelievethatchildabusecanbe
seenasphysicaldiscipline,whilemanyothersunderstandthetheoryofdisciplininga
childandthelinebetweenhelpandharm.Childabuseisanepidemicthathidesbehind
closeddoorsandsilentlytakesthelivesofmillionsofchildren.Thisdoesnthaveto
happen.Educatedyourself.Dontletavictimsofchildabuseandneglectflyunderthe
radar.Decideforyourselfifyouwanttoseeabrighterfutureforeverychild,evenfor
yourownfuturekids.

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WorksCited

"ChildAbuseStatistics."ChildhelpChildAbuseStatisticsComments.Childhelp.Web.8
Dec.2015.
Daro,Deborah,andAnneDonnelly."ChildAbusePrevention:Accomplishmentsand
Challenges."DeborahDaro.ND.Web.4Dec.2015.
Glasser,M."CycleofChildSexualAbuse:LinksbetweenBeingaVictimandBecoming
aPerpetrator|TheBritishJournalofPsychiatry."CycleofChildSexualAbuse:
LinksbetweenBeingaVictimandBecomingaPerpetrator|TheBritishJournal
ofPsychiatry.BritishJournalofPsychiatry,1Dec.2001.Web.6Dec.2015.
Hunter,Cathryn."EffectsofChildAbuseandNeglectforAdultSurvivors."ChildFamily
CommunityAustralia.AustralianInstituteofFamilyStudies,2014.Web.6Dec.
2015.
"ImpactsofChildAbuseonPhysiologyofBrain."ImpactsofChildAbuseonPhysiology
ofBrain.AdultsSurvivingChildAbuse,2015.Web.6Dec.2015.
Smith,Melinda,andJeanneSegal."ChildAbuseandNeglect."ChildAbuse&Neglect:
Recognizing,Preventing,&ReportingChildAbuse.NP,1Sept.2015.Web.4
Dec.2015.
Smenyak,Sarah."TheDifferenceBetweenDisciplineandChildAbuse."
Livestrong.com.Livestrong.com,24May2015.Web.7Dec.2015.

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Stien,PhyllisT.andKendall,Joshua,PsychologicalTraumaandDevelopingBrain:
NeurobiologicalBasedInterventionsforTroubledChildren,2004,TheHaworth
MaltreatmentandTraumaPress.
"PromisingPracticesforPreventingChildAbuseandNeglect."
PromisingPractices
Network
.NP,1June2014.Web.3Jan.2016.