Exposing Child Abuse and Neglect

In 2012 it was reported that over five million children were abused and neglected in the United States. More than five children die each day as a result of abuse and neglect. (Prevent Child Abuse America). There are many factors that cause child abuse and neglect. The parent factor states that parents who have been abused physically, sexually, or emotionally or were neglected, as children will do the same to their children. Stress plays a major role in the parent factor. Overly stressed parents often take their frustrations out on their children. Alcohol and drug abuse also play a major role in the parent factor. Another factor is the child factor. It states that some children are more vulnerable to abuse or neglect than others from parents or guardians due to their age, size, emotional stability, as well as their social development. A third factor is the family factor states that the situations that occur in the family can increase the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. That was the case with young Dave from the above passage. Because his mother no longer got the attention she needed from his father she began to take out her anger and frustrations on him. Finally, the environmental factor states abuse and neglect is often caused by a combination of the previous three factors (U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources). When dealing with the issue of child abuse and neglect several questions are often raised: when does disciplining a child turn into child abuse, what happens to these children that survive the abuse and neglect, and is there a solution to stopping child abuse?

Whenever the issue of child abuse and neglect is raised, the statement is often made that I have the right to discipline my child however I see fit. Parents often feel that disciplining their children is a right that they have. My mother would often tell me, “I brought you into this world and I sure will take you out.” Now days the government tells the children that if their parent or guardian put their hands on them the children have the right to call the police on the parents. This leads to the question when is it okay and how do I discipline my child? Children should only be disciplined to let them know that their actions or behavior in a certain situation was not acceptable. There are many ways to discipline a child. One way is to put the child in time out wh...

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... of abuse has made you pay. I never knew how you felt; Your self-esteem so low. I only knew you crept away, And never let your feelings show. I never knew what I could do; That I could help somehow. That all you needed was a friend; Just someone to be your pal. But now I know that I can help; I can make a difference, too. I’ll shout with you, and All the rest can’t say, “I never knew.” (Pelzer 175).

Child abuse and neglect is greatly affecting the lives of young children. It is a dangerous epidemic that seems to be growing by the day.

Work Cited

Landau, Elaine. Child Abuse: An American Epidemic. New Jersey: Silver Burdett

Press, Inc. 1984

Prevent Child Abuse America. Child Abuse and Neglect Statistics. 2014.

http://www.menweb.org/throop/abuse/studies/child-ma.html

Pelzer, Dave. A Child Called “It”. California: Health Communications, Inc. 1995.

U.S. Department of Heath and Human Resources. Child Abuse & Neglect. 2014

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/focus-areas/child-abuse-neglect

Walker, C. Eugene, Bonner, Barbara L., and Kaufman, Keith L. The Physically and

Sexually Abused Child Evaluation and Treatment. New York: Pergamon Books,

Inc. 1988.