Sexual Abuse and Sexual Dysfunction/ - Essay Example

The recent attention these topics have received has come primarily from concern with institutionalized power inequalities as these affect various social groups (Finkelhor, 1984 pp. 78-88). This paper discusses sexual abuse & sexual dysfunction/addiction and its theories and concepts in a concise and comprehensive way. Finkelhor (1984 pp. 78-88) The statistics on child abuse in the UK are truly horrifying, at least one child dies every week as a result of an adults cruelty, and thousands more endure abuse and neglect at the hands of their carers.

Yet the known facts reveal only a fraction of the problem. This is because most cases of abuse go unreported, leaving children to suffer the pain and misery of abuse in silence. Over a quater of all recorded rape victims are children, three quarters of sexually abused children do not tell anyone at the time and around a third are not able to tell anyone about the experience later. More than 30,000 children are on child protection registers because they are at risk of abuse. Recent NSPCC research involving two thousand eight hundred and sixty nine adults revealed that one in ten of them had suffered serious abuse or neglect during childhood.

Each week more than four hundred and fifty thousand children are bullied at school. Terrifyingly these statistics are only for the UK, meaning that even more children out there are victims of abuse and cruelty Frighteningly abuse is often. Everyone has the responsibility to stand up for children. Many children are very vulnerable and too scared to tell anyone about what they are going through in fear that their abuser will find out. Thus showing how important it is for everyone to ensure that children are being cared for the way they should be, whether they know the child or not.

More disturbingly most abuse is committed by someone who the child knows and trusts. Again indicating just how important it is for everyone not just the professionals to help to protect children.Mary Marsh the NSPCC director and chief executive states: "No law can ever be enough. Protecting children from abuse or neglect can and should not be left solely to professionals and politicians. Everyone - individuals, families and communities - shares a responsibility to look out for children."This is what we should all be doing.

As much as we may like to think that we are doing our bit there are still thousands of people out there who stand back and do nothing, many people often know about abuse yet don't do anything about it and another child's life is lost.There are four internationally recognised types of maltreatment, Neglect, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse and Sexual abuse. Neglect, is seen as a failure to provide for a child's basic needs, whether it is physical, medical, or educational. Emotional abuse is seen as an inattention to a child's emotional needs, and a failure to provide psychological care.

Physical abuse is an injury, ranging from minor bruises to severe fractures or death as a result of punching beating and kicking etc. Sexual abuse includes activities by a parent or caretaker such as rape incest or