Child Abuse as a Social Issue - Essay Example

Child Abuse as a Social Issue Student’s Name Institution Affiliation Child Abuse as a Social Issue Child abuse undermines the scope and magnitude of how children are supposed to experience their childhood. Every child and parent carries the images of how they expect childhood ordeals to look like. This is a period of fun, growth opportunities, innocence, and other issues enriching the life of any child. In simpler terms, child protection should entail the effective sheltering of children from negative elements that may be fostered by their vulnerability. However, many societies, including the Australian society, hold a different and harmful perception about the issue of child protection (“Australian Institute of Health and Welfare”, 2006). Societal views are devoid of core considerations that can lead to positive results in protecting children. The society has simply forgotten that there are vulnerable individuals known as children who need to be protected. Apart from the issue of ignorance, most people also hold onto beliefs that sideline children in the issue of being provided with protection. The prevalent attitude towards children is also a major cause of concern that should be addressed effectively. There is also some laxity in the entire societal values with regard to child abuse and protection (Ayre, 2001). These elements are responsible for the increase in child abuse and something must be done. The issue can be addressed effectively through informing our construction and understanding of childhood issues such as protection and abuse. A deeper understanding of these childhood aspects is likely to enhance concrete reactions towards protection and abuse as witnessed by children. These aspects portray some form of negativity, but it is evident that a positive outcome is possible if the same trends are corrected. Studies prove that ignorance and the supposed forgetfulness on childhood matters have led to prioritizing other issues other than child abuse and protection. Childhood abuse currently ranks 13th in terms of importance as compared to other societal issues that warrant immediate attention (“Australian Institute of Health and Welfare”, 2006). It is evident that people tend to be more concerned with the current price of petroleum products as opposed to the issue of child abuse. However, they immediately show some concern whenever the child abuse is mentioned. This implies that child abuse and protection are issues of great importance, but both parents and the community always ignore them. The most basic portrayal of beliefs and understanding by the community has been effective in curbing other vices, such as drink driving and family violence. However, child abuse receives little or no attention, and this stems from prevalent rates of childhood understanding. Olafson and associates (1996) found out that when prompted individuals state child abuse as an aspect of major concern and the results are the exact opposite of the same findings when not prompted. Community awareness certainly avoids child abuse and protection. Child abuse is thus regarded as an issue that affects other people’s children as opposed to the children who live near us. Individuals must certainly understand that children depict some kind of vulnerability that can be utilized by unforeseen violators. In other words, this vulnerability can lead to violations that stem from within their homes. Statistics show that biological family members are responsible for 70 percent of all abuses (”Australian Institute of Health and Welfare”, 2006). This implies that collective denial can be effective in preventing individual adults from analyzing their own beliefs on the matter. In such cases, the truth about the experiences of children is hidden from the people. Support actions, therefore, become a major problem because of the above-mentioned faults and misconceptions (Taylor, 2000). Effective prevention of child abuse certainly depends on the efforts of the entire society. It entails some shared responsibility directed towards all children in a given community. The public, thus, needs to understand, acknowledge, and feel the need to utilize resources that would address child protection. People also need to be provided with information on the issue in order to prevent the continued disengagement of the community. The mode of disseminating such information also remains a key issue to ensure that understanding is achieved. The society comprises of several individuals and professionals who certainly carry some moral obligation to ensure that children, as a vulnerable group, are protected effectively. Professionals include teachers who are obligated by the law to report cases of child abuse to the authorities (Taylor, 2000). It is, however, evident that teachers in the country have little knowledge and concern when it comes to the issue of child abuse. Teacher attitude is also cited as a major impediment, especially in child sexual abuse cases (Delaronde, King, & Bondell, 2000). Studies have addressed how prevalent social information on child abuse influences issues of major concern. For instance, reporting of childhood issues like sexual abuse greatly depend on social knowledge portrayed by teachers and other professionals. In the studies, it was identified that stereotypical attributes are influential in determining whether a given case is to be reported. Stereotypes associated with the victims, the perpetrators, and respective “family types” were identified as major impediments (Taylor, 2000). Such studies imply that social knowledge on child abuse is instrumental in determining attitudes as well as the transmission of information in issues like child sexual violations. In Britain, it was established that both teachers and sexual workers had the tendency blaming children during cases of abuse (Ayre, 2001). It was also established that the child as the victim was more likely to be blamed by the teachers. In other studies, it has also been established that adults and teachers fail to respond to child abuse cases due to the blame game that affects victims. There is every need to change our perceptions on child abuse since the prevalent situation is a major cause for alarm. This stems from the fact that teachers, clinicians, and judges fail to believe that adolescent victims of sexual abuse can tell the truth (Taylor, 2000). Victims in such cases are usually blamed for the occurrences, especially in familial abuse. These professionals certainly lack awareness on child abuse issues and the issue needs to be addressed. Victimization of adolescents and other children is a real phenomenon that occurs frequently in the society. This has prompted conclusions on how the abuse of women should be of secondary importance as compared to child abuse (Taylor, 2000). Child abuse has received greater attention in the recent past, and this has a negative effect on the perceptions of the society. The dominance portrayed by the term seemingly focuses on the child and, thus, adult perpetrators are easily ignored in the matter. Most people also contend that older children cannot be victimised, especially in terms of sexual exploits. They contend that sex between an adult and any child beyond the age of 14 does not amount to abuse (Skinner, 1999). This is a clear example of misinformation on the aspect of childhood vulnerability. Many researchers therefore argue that Victorian stipulations should take more action in curbing the vice. Negative attitudes and behaviours certainly influence the behaviour portrayed by many individuals in terms of reporting tendencies. It follows that the need to outline how mandated professionals and community members conceptualise the abuse of children and adolescents needs to be identified. Lack of knowledge and prevalent attitudes are capable of affecting the level of interaction and involvement from adults when dealing with children perceived to have been abused. An insensitive treatment of the said victims is also likely to lead to a damaged emotional well-being regardless of its intensity. When the entire community engages in stigmatizing victims of child abuse, parents and teachers are bound to change their attitudes and expectations on the same (Delaronde, King, & Bondell, 2000). This means that the wellbeing of children depends on effective sensitization of the community as far as behavioural and attitudinal changes are concerned. Training on childhood issues needs to be observed in the society in order to inform our actions. For instance, most members of the society are bound to get emotionally distressed due to getting involved with the above-named victims (Skinner, 1999). The above sentiments imply that members of the society should hear children in order to offer effective protection against child abuse perpetrators. This cannot be achieved if the mentality held by adults in any given society is not rectified. It is important to acknowledge that children and childhood are changing ideals that seemingly represent a different aspect in modern days. Children should be regarded as complete humans other than empty vessels that only depend on the lives of adults (Delaronde, King, & Bondell, 2000). It is evident that children in the community are usually silenced and marginalized and this issue escapes the attention of responsible authorities most of the time. A third of the entire population in the world consists of people below the age of 18 years. This means that children represent a bigger population and, thus, their needs should be prioritized (“Australian Institute of Health and Welfare”, 2006). It is, however, evident that their plight is rarely addressed due to the prevalent construction of childhood that is portrayed by many members of the community. Attitudes and beliefs play a major role in determining our understanding of childhood. They influence other aspects like reporting behaviour and forgetfulness of child abuse and protection issues. These aspects portray some form of negativity, but it is evident that a positive outcome is possible if the same trends are corrected. They currently depict the shape of child abuse matters in Australia and other parts of the world. In simpler terms, correcting the attitudes, beliefs, reporting behaviour, and child uplifting trends are likely to lead to positive results. This can only be achieved through changing our perceptions about childhood. References Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2006). Child Protection Australia: 2004-2005. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Ayre, P. (2001). Child protection and the media: Lessons from the last three decades. British Journal of Social Work, 31, 887-901. Delaronde, S. King, G. & Bendel, R. (2000). Opinions among mandated reporters towards child maltreatment reporting policies. Child Abuse & Neglect. 24(7), 901-910. Olafson, E., Corwin, C., & Summitt, R. (1996). Cycles of discovery and repression - trauma, amnesia and denial. Texas: Family Violence and Sexual Assault Institute. Skinner, J. (1999) ‘Teachers coping with sexual abuse issues.’ Educational Research. Winter, 41(3), 329-340. Taylor, S.C. (2000). And now your honour, for my next trick. The Australian Feminist Law Journal, 14, 121-131. Read More

Olafson and associates (1996) found out that when prompted individuals state child abuse as an aspect of major concern and the results are the exact opposite of the same findings when not prompted. Community awareness certainly avoids child abuse and protection. Child abuse is thus regarded as an issue that affects other people’s children as opposed to the children who live near us. Individuals must certainly understand that children depict some kind of vulnerability that can be utilized by unforeseen violators.

In other words, this vulnerability can lead to violations that stem from within their homes. Statistics show that biological family members are responsible for 70 percent of all abuses (”Australian Institute of Health and Welfare”, 2006). This implies that collective denial can be effective in preventing individual adults from analyzing their own beliefs on the matter. In such cases, the truth about the experiences of children is hidden from the people. Support actions, therefore, become a major problem because of the above-mentioned faults and misconceptions (Taylor, 2000).

Effective prevention of child abuse certainly depends on the efforts of the entire society. It entails some shared responsibility directed towards all children in a given community. The public, thus, needs to understand, acknowledge, and feel the need to utilize resources that would address child protection. People also need to be provided with information on the issue in order to prevent the continued disengagement of the community. The mode of disseminating such information also remains a key issue to ensure that understanding is achieved.

The society comprises of several individuals and professionals who certainly carry some moral obligation to ensure that children, as a vulnerable group, are protected effectively. Professionals include teachers who are obligated by the law to report cases of child abuse to the authorities (Taylor, 2000). It is, however, evident that teachers in the country have little knowledge and concern when it comes to the issue of child abuse. Teacher attitude is also cited as a major impediment, especially in child sexual abuse cases (Delaronde, King, & Bondell, 2000).

Studies have addressed how prevalent social information on child abuse influences issues of major concern. For instance, reporting of childhood issues like sexual abuse greatly depend on social knowledge portrayed by teachers and other professionals. In the studies, it was identified that stereotypical attributes are influential in determining whether a given case is to be reported. Stereotypes associated with the victims, the perpetrators, and respective “family types” were identified as major impediments (Taylor, 2000).

Such studies imply that social knowledge on child abuse is instrumental in determining attitudes as well as the transmission of information in issues like child sexual violations. In Britain, it was established that both teachers and sexual workers had the tendency blaming children during cases of abuse (Ayre, 2001). It was also established that the child as the victim was more likely to be blamed by the teachers. In other studies, it has also been established that adults and teachers fail to respond to child abuse cases due to the blame game that affects victims.

There is every need to change our perceptions on child abuse since the prevalent situation is a major cause for alarm. This stems from the fact that teachers, clinicians, and judges fail to believe that adolescent victims of sexual abuse can tell the truth (Taylor, 2000). Victims in such cases are usually blamed for the occurrences, especially in familial abuse. These professionals certainly lack awareness on child abuse issues and the issue needs to be addressed. Victimization of adolescents and other children is a real phenomenon that occurs frequently in the society.

This has prompted conclusions on how the abuse of women should be of secondary importance as compared to child abuse (Taylor, 2000).

Read More