Preventing Child Sexual Abuse - Research Paper Example

Preventing Sexual Abuse Introduction Child victimization by sexual abuse has happened across countries. Psychologists defined sexual abuse as an unwanted sexual advancement done by perpetrators using force and power which consequentially cause psychological trauma and stress disorder to victims. Studies pointed that sexual abuses are done by fondling the child genitals, breasts and buttocks or to voyeurism to evoke perpetrator’s sexual excitement (American Psychological Association, 2012). Some of the perpetrators subject victims to verbal pressure for sex, oral or genital contact, prostitution, and pornography (American Psychological Association, 2012). Often, perpetrators are those personally known to victims and those whom they trusted. Those shocking to the senses, but there are times when perpetrators are members of the family e.g. brothers, close kins and relatives (American Psychological Association, 2012). Only about 10% of the perpetrators that can be considered as strangers and reports mentioned that 14% documented cases proved that there were 14% females that are child molesters. The pornographers often connect with victims through internet (American Psychological Association, 2012). Study further reflected that not all victimizers are adults; some of them are teens. Psychologists explained that some of these perpetrators share common characters: they were abused too; under the influence of drug abuse; find dissatisfaction in sexual relationships; has unstable emotion; or is suffering psychological problems (Ullman, Karabatsos, & Koss, 1999; Tharinger, 1990). Victims transcend in different ages (3 years old above), nationalities, culture, ethnic origin, and personal orientation. Victims usually resign to depression, fear, poor self-esteem, distress, chronic pain, destructive behaviour, suicidal tendencies, sexual dysfunction, criminality, and learning problems at school (American Psychological Association, 2012; Tharinger, 1990). Knowing and considering the increasing cases of sexual abuses done to innocent children, this paper aims to discuss the variegated ways of preventing sexual abuses. Get to Know the Risk Factors Parents and those who are working to develop a community where children and teens are not subjected to child abuses should get to know the risk factors associated to this form of abuses (Tremblay & Begin, 2000). Researchers opined that children with disability are prone to abuse and risks especially if they are blind, deaf and are mentally weak or ill. Some of those with records of victimization will likely fall as victim again (American Psychological Association, 2012; Tremblay & Begin, 2000). Some studies pointed that children who are living with one biological parent are vulnerable to risks but more so those who are living far from their biological parents (American Psychological Association, 2012; Tremblay & Begin, 2000). Those older children staying with the father may likely expose self as victim of abuses. Girls staying with step father have increased the risk of their victimization and those parents with historic experience of sexual abuse may have 10x greater experience of sexually abused children (American Psychological Association, 2012). Studies further bared that parents with a history of childhood sexual victimization are at an estimated risk 10 times greater for having a sexually abused child (American Psychological Association, 2012; Tremblay & Begin, 2000). Misguided and liberal parents have also contributed to these sad experiences of children abuse. Due to preferences and works, a parent could leave his or her children to different caretakers (Daro & McCurdy, 1994). Other parents set as bad example to children by having different sexual partners; or are involved in drug abuse; or are too stressed to care to children due to poverty; or, are violent in its relation to children (American Psychological Association, 2012). The latter could prompt children to seek care and solace from those who are close to them and thus, could likely subject self to peer pressures and sexual advances (American Psychological Association, 2012). Child rearing requires provision of sufficient care and attention (Begin & Tremblay, 2000). Responsible parenting isn’t just about sending children to school. It includes demonstrating to children good leadership, of valuing, and about nurturing virtues (Begin & Tremblay, 2000). Children Education & Justice System Preventing sexual abuses must start from those who are targeted by perpetrators. Educators at school should start strengthening the children’s knowledge on safety by teaching and adopting sexual abuse prevention programs (Daro & McCurdy, 1994). These days, the state child abuse prevention programs are focused primarily on educating preschool and elementary school children to determine the indicators of possible abuses and by teaching them the proper personal safety skills (Daro & McCurdy, 1994; Telljohann, Everett, & Price, 1997). They should be encouraged to speak up to their parents about incidences of abuses so that proper intervention and action can be undertaken for psychosocial emotional recovery and support (Daro & McCurdy, 1994). Many studies pointed that if prevention is done, effective actions and social intervention is ascertained. Experts also opined that continuing evaluation of child abuse prevention must be sustained and strengthened so that program strategies can be flexed to meet all cases on sexual abuses (Daro & McCurdy, 1994). Studies bared that child abuse prevention can only be undertaken when there is pro-active child protective system and when the federal is executing its law enforcement policy as part of the criminal justice system (Stein, Tolman, Porche, & Spencer, 2002). Of course, the latter can only be executed only when there is actual sexual abuse done but only through dispensing justice for victims’ indemnification can help restore the dignity of abused children and if the community wanted to extol justice against criminalities and exploitations. Putting behind bars the perpetrators can strategically provide preventive measures too against increasing statistics of victims’ (Daro & McCurdy, 1994). It’s hope that criminal justice system and law enforcement can reduce sexual abuse and the consequences thereof. Police should take action too to stop pornography, arrest paedophiles, and stop clubs that are offering prostitution services (Daro & McCurdy, 1994). The latter is offensive to the decency, health, and culture of the community. Advocacy and Policy Promotion Legal luminaries pointed that with the passage of laws for children and women’s protection from sexual abuses, greater work should be done to apprehend those who are sexually abusing their children to limit these perpetrators influence and threat to the lives of innocent children (Daro & McCurdy, 1994). The federal laws for abuse prevention must promote a safe state to reduce the incidents, if not, eradicate the condition that subjects children to dangers (Tharinger, 1990). State and non-state organization (civil society) can conduct strategic plans and enforcement in collaborative and cooperative measures to make the community safe for children (Stein, Tolman, Porche, & Spencer, 2002). Local governance can uphold the creation of safe day care center; engage community in drug abuse prevention program and genuine rehabilitation and reform for those who are found positive of drug and alcohol abuses; conduct information and education drive on responsible parenting with counselling; and, upholding or promotion of children and women rights (Stein, Tolman, Porche, & Spencer, 2002). In one community for instance, they were able to craft state-wide strategy for accountable leadership and collaboration for sexual abuse and violence prevention The y promote continuing informal education for professional and families to motivate them become allies in promoting a safe community that is adhering to social justice, human rights, and stakeholders for a violent-free community that are skilled on sex abuse prevention (American Psychological Association, 2012). They also conduct narrative, evaluation, survey, ethnographic, policy and practice through comprehensive documentation and research on cases pertaining to these. (American Psychological Association, 2012).These evidences can be used in the integration of experiences to educate children in schools about preventing possible abuses that could happen to them (American Psychological Association, 2012). Interagency collaboration is also undertaken by the local government to ensure that coordinated actions and resource-sharing can be done to launch an innovative support for those who have undergone to these experiences, including mounting legal action to perpetrators as component of sexual violence prevention (American Psychological Association, 2012). Expert contended that sexual violence prevention can be comprehensively undertaken via combined individual, institutional and community strategic action toward genuine social change and child-rights protection (American Psychological Association, 2012). With it, the community can facilitate transform their culture and change institutional practice that has been considered as among the many causes of the perpetuation of violence and abuses (American Psychological Association, 2012). Part of the collaborative action is capacitating the local institutions and engaging media campaigns about sex abuse literacy and exposing the systematic objectification of women and children in the society (American Psychological Association, 2012). Through it, countering the power relations approach can be done and rights-based activities cannot be subordinated as a social cause. Hence, sexual orientation and prevention of abuse can become a primary agenda of the industry, too. Caring for the Abused Another strategic community-based effort in preventing repetition of abuses is strengthening of the social workers institution as care providers. Often, women and children subjected to abuses are brought to social welfare offices for counselling and to determine what steps that should be undertaken to save those disadvantaged, manipulated, and sexually exploited (American Psychological Association, 2012). Social workers take care of these children and provide them temporary shelter for healing. Under the law, foster carers provide standard care for women and children needing psychosocial and emotional care. This institution should be supported by local government in its advocacy and commitment in standing and serving those sexually abused in the community. This social welfare desk should be strengthened to sustain its advocacy for social justice, especially for the marginalized sector. They are instrumental in influencing decision-making bodies especially in its policy advocacy for right-based issues, to protect the disadvantaged, to balance community and gender-based power, and for the enjoyment of the constitutionally guaranteed rights of all sectors in the society (American Psychological Association, 2012). Their commitment for social justice is laudable as this is undertaken in principles. They provide emotional support, document evidences in behalf of the victims for legal action, and empower survivors to enable them to be able to relate with the community in a most valuable manner when they are reintegrated back into the community (American Psychological Association, 2012). As advocates, they also speak for survivors in legislative bodies and in many interagency actions so that victims are able to avail immediate action from community-based social institutions. As carers, they also assist to compel concern agencies to provide survivors with health services, educational assistance, and provide them an environment where they can regain normalcy of feelings and when they are able to trust again (Whetsell-Mitchell, 1995).They were also facilitative to assist children in their coping mechanism against domestic violence and of ensuing confusing within. They are skilled and knowledgeable on the variegated approaches to make parents and guardians become responsible to the emotional and psychological well-being of their children (Wolfe, 1991). It’s therefore very significant for the government and its departments to always find ways to collaborate with professional care providers so that an institutionalized mechanism of sex abused prevention and programs can be developed within the country and in the community (Wolfe, 1991). With this, genuine emancipatory process for vulnerable and abused people can be attained. Others call this an a new cutting edge is strategized to complement the criminal justice system which will focus more on accountability, rehabilitation, and restitution (Wolfe, 1991). This also included preventing child sexual abuse by fostering survivor leadership and availing of mental health services for those that are subjected to child abuse. Experts said that the institution can support abused children from stresses that could often lead to cycle of sexual abuses (Wolfe, 1991). Engaging Multi-stakeholders for Safe Community One of the best ways of waging and preventing against sex abuses is conducting an inventory of policies of the country and of the community that are protective of children’s rights (American Psychological Association, 2012). In the absence of necessary policies that can provide effective justice system for the abused, stakeholders from homes, carers, legislative bodies, religious community, interagency departments, police, and civil society can compel its lawmakers to adopt international laws and instruments that extol the universal rights of children for safety environment, for education, and for their right to protection among many others (American Psychological Association, 2012). Such protection also involved cases in conflict situation where children are not spared as victims of wars and violence like what happened recently in the clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli. Pictures of children brutally killed in the crossfires are so appalling, horrendous, and heart-breaking (American Psychological Association, 2012). This form of children victimization however, needs to be discussed in a different scale. But indeed, more loquacity is needed to involve all stakeholders in implementing laws protective of children’s rights and welfare under shared power (American Psychological Association, 2012). Carers, as social workers should get engaged with national and international institution toward a more strengthened service for social justice and for the restoration of children’s dignity or self-confidence to enable them control their very lives (American Psychological Association, 2012). Authorities should realize that partnerships with these social agents is crucial and that they should be afforded with all necessary resources so that they can continue working in monitoring, documenting, advocating, supporting, and committing for the prevention of children and women abuses (American Psychological Association, 2012). It’s crucial too that there performance should be evaluated too to make their services more client-centered and in accordance to ethical standards as they exercise their mandates. Public policies must support them and enhance their abilities to sustain their intercession and positive contribution for social change (American Psychological Association, 2012). Conclusion Preventing sexual abuses is an arduous task that requires all necessary commitment not only for abuser’s personal reform but also for societal change in order to acculturate such values that protect those vulnerable children and women. The lack of family guidance and support, the culture that promotes sexual objectification, the gender roles that made victims as constant object of sexual gratification--all of these, deserved to be changed. Hence, it’s not only on the basis of psychological causes that this cycle of violence be understood. The social structures and conditions also encouraged abuses, manipulation, rape, degradation, and exploitation. It’s therefor significant that responses for prevention should not only emanate from the victims themselves but also from the social structures that are supposed to continually endeavour , toil and labor for social justice. Changes and transformation must not only start from the confines of homes to uphold responsible parenting but also from the society. Authorities from all agencies and departments must collaborate to ensure that protective laws and measures are afforded by local executives, legislative bodies, departments, social welfare offices, carers, and the community to its constituents to ensure that women and children can safely walk in the streets; share joy with their peers; attend school without fear of being harassed; take pride of their dignity; share strength with the rest of the community, and fully enjoy their universal and constitutional rights free from traumatic experiences. Media workers and the academe must also support carers and social workers in the advocacy of children’s and women’s rights, as well as, take part in educating the community for a safe environment. The media is also an instrument in shaping the best community culture where safety is guaranteed and abuses are rid of. They can also partner with law enforcers in monitoring and documenting cases for social justice and be an ally too in strengthening the criminal justice system of the country via reportage. In the enforcement of laws, the government must also allocate sufficient resources and fiscal support to social welfare and carer’s institutions to ascertain that these offices can effectively perform their roles as advocates. Of course, they can also opt to partner with international institution with similar programs and are offering funds for the implementation of projects. References American Psychological Association (2012). Child Sexual Abuse: What parents should know? Washington, D.C., US. Begin, H. & Tremblay, C. (2000). Evaluation of mother knowledge in preventing child sexual abuse. International Journal of Early Childhood, vol. 32( 2), pp. 83-90.  Daro, D. & McCurdy, K. (1994). Preventing child abuse and neglect: Programmatic interventions. Child Welfare, vol. 73(5), pp. 405-30. Telljohann, S.K., Everett, S.A., & Price, J.H. (1997). Evaluation of a third grade sexual abuse curriculum. Journal of school health, vol. 67(4), pp. 149-153. Stein, N., Tolman, D., Porche, M.V., & Spencer, R. (2002). Gender safety: a new concept for safer and more equitable schools. Journal of School Violence, vol. 1(2), pp. 35-50. Tharinger, D. (1990). Impact of child sexual abuse on developing sexuality. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, vol. 21 (5), pp. 331-337. Tremblay, C., & Begin, H. (2000). Evaluation of mother knowledge in preventing child sexual abuse, International Journal of Early Childhood, vol. 32(2), pp. 83-90. Ullman, S. E., Karabatsos, G., & Koss, M. P. (1999). Alcohol and sexual assault in a national sample of college women. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, vol. 14(6), pp. 603-625. Wolfe, D. (1991). Preventing physical and emotional abuse of children. Treatment manuals for practitioner, Guilford Press. New York, NY. Whetsell-Mitchell, J. (1995). Rape of the Innocent: Understanding and Preventing Child Sexual Abuse. Accelerated Developmen,  Washington, D.C, US. Read More