Definitions propose four main types of child abuse namely physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and child neglect, but rarely if ever does one form of abuse occur alone. The idea in itself sounds preposterous. Physical abuse and sexual abuse never occur in the absence of emotional abuse. Beyond the obvious effects of child abuse, victims of emotional, physical, sexual and verbal abuse experience psychological damage that can lost a lifetime. The consequences of abuse may include chronic depression, anxiety, behavior problems, problems in school and so forth. Usually, the perpetrators for sexual abuse are mostly males. However, if we touch on this offense--child abuse, there could be a wide spectrum of types of perpetrators, they could be the victims' natural parents, step- parents, relatives, child-minders or even siblings. This phenomenon has shown to us that our society is full with callousness and cynicism, anger and violence and crime, drugs and disease. Hence, we should not puff at this agonizing problem. Together, everyone should have taken their own part in stopping the criminal activity, child abuse.
The idea that beating children is good for them is a long-standing theory not only in our society, but in many others. Most of the parents would have the mindset thinking that the attitude that physical pain and punishment are necessary to produce discipline and to build a strong character. Natheless, over punishing with hard materials could be considered as a crime. Often, one problem begets another. Unwanted birth can be considered a major factor contributing to the murder of infants and children and to child abuse in general. For those who do read the news everyday, there were persistent cases of murdering and forsaking infants which have made the percentage of child abuse grew higher. Among the low-income and poorly educated families, the rate of unwanted births was even higher. These unwanted babies are more likely to be abused and would not be treated as human being. They are often being beaten, bludgeoned, strangled, suffocated, poisoned or even burned simply because their parents do not welcome their existence.
Families who live in poverty can be one of the main roots leading to the occurrence of child abuse. The majority believe that the economic recession has become the major cause to the poverty of the family. Studies have been found that during economic crisis, the rate of criminal incidences was higher compared to the rate of criminal incidences during heyday. Parents are becoming more and more nervous and tense as well when they struggle to make ends meet. Tragically, they would think that the child is an additional burden to them and therefore they abuse the child or even kill them out of frustration. Psychiatric-ally, stresses and vexations faced by one person could have led to unimaginary death of others. Nathless, parents should have thought of other ways to solve the problems they are facing, and not just to play with one's life. Strong will power to conquer their emotions is of utmost importance as this can refrain oneself from acting emotionally and causes death at the end.
Children deprived of physical affection are more vulnerable to pimps and kiddy-porn peddlers. Lacking of love and physical affection in one family is one of the contributors causing child abuse. Yet, providing a happy and affectionate homes for children could be one of the effortless ways to overwhelm child abuse. It is estimated that more than a thousand of our children run away from home each year because they find their home lives intolerable. Studies found that runaway children are physically punished two-and-a-half times more frequently then non-runaway children. Children who are deprived of physical affection by their parents are more likely to receive a great deal of punishment from them. Such children will become extremely recalcitrant and vulnerable to exploitation, particularly sexual exploitation. Consequently, it would not be surprising to find these runaways involved in child prostitution and pornography. The unwanted and neglected child would become tomorrow's social offender. Hence, parents should give love and sufficient physical affection to their children so as to avoid them from becoming tomorrow's social offender.
In addition to reporting suspected child abuse cases when one has seen a parent or child-minder abusing or about to abuse a child, one can intervene effectively if one encounters a parent or caregiver abusing or about to abuse a child by striking the child or screaming at the child or taking immediate action to help the poor child. Reporting or writing to the Police Welfare authorities is also one of the ways but it would rather not so effective. There may be considerable reluctance to put a child through the trauma of police, testimony in court and so on, especially if the abuser is a member of the family. Children might have to go through mentally pain once again when they have been asked to offer testimony. Thus, intervention could be a better way compared to reporting such cases.
Child abuse is so abhorrent that all of us have to play our role in preventing this appalling problem from getting worse. Parents who are more likely to be the epitome of the children has now changed. Children are more likely to bear hatred and resentment against their parents instead of admiring their parents. Hence, we should not allow this man's inhumanity to man to keep continuing happen as we are intrinsically of the same being, human being.
