Child Abuse and its Potential Impact on Children - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages Keen and McCoy (2009) argues that ignoring the needs of children, making them feel stupid and worthless, as well as leaving them in unsupervised, dangerous situations is also considered as child abuse. Child abuse does not only occur in poor families or neighborhoods, but it happens across all economic, cultural and racial lines. Additionally, many people believe that only immoral people abuse children, but this is not so because not all child abusers abuse their children intentionally. In fact, although some children are abused by strangers, child abusers are mostly family members or people close to the family who are supposed to take care of them.
According to Kissane (2003), some abused children are likely to repeat the cycle unconsciously when they grow up because of what they experienced when young. However, many adults who experienced abuse as children usually have a strong motivation to protect their children against child abuse and become adept parents. In addition, there are several laws enacted by the state in order to protect children against abuse and neglect. Thus, this paper will explore understandings of child abuse, its causes and impact on children, as well as the principles of the current focus on safeguarding the welfare of the child and the relevant legislation and laws enacted by the state.
Child abuse and neglect happens when a child is maltreated leading to injury or risk of being harmed. Also, it involves the failure of the parent or caregiver to protect a child....
As stated by Myers (2011), physical abuse is an injury or non-accidental trauma inflected on a child by their parent or caregiver. Also, it involves the failure of the parent or caregiver to protect a child from a person who caused physical abuse on the child. It is severe and can cause serious bodily harm to a child or even death. There are several behavioral and physical indicators, which show that a child has been physically abused. Behavioral indicators in a physically abused child include behaviors such as a child being wary of adults, always frightened of parents, flinch if touched unexpectedly and extremely aggressive and withdrawn among others. Physical indicators include injuries on the child’s body that are not consistent with their explanation, facial injuries, several injuries in different stages of healing, presence of injuries on the child’s body over long time and injuries that are inconsistent with age and development stage of the child among others. Sexual abuse refers to external touching or penetration into a child’s intimate parts, indecent exposure, and oral sex with a child or any other sexual act done in a child’s presence for sexual pleasure. Sexual abuse also includes making of child pornography and use of a child for prostitution. According to DePanfilis (2006), sexual child abuse also refers to the failure of a parent or caretaker from protecting a child from being sexually abused by another person. There are several behavioral and physical signs of sexual abuse in children. Behavioral indicators include sleep disturbances and nightmares, changes in appetite, fear states such as anxiety, obsession, and depression, sexual themes in their artwork, play or stories among others. Physical ...Download file to see next pagesRead More