Child Abuse: Review of the Literature

Sparkle Taylor
University Of Texas at El Paso

Abstract

Child abuse occurs all around the world and it still become one of the most unnoticeable crimes
that is being committed every day. I am going to inform you on the different types of child
abuse, how we can stop child abuse, and finally give you statistics about child abuse. As we all
know child abuse is very bad and childrens death rates are increasing because of child abuse
think we should all take action and stop child abuse as much as we can because it is damaging
children and their futures. No one wants to see a child that is in bad condition due to child
abuse so help stop child abuse now.










Ways to Stop Child Abuse


As you know child abuse has been a problem in our society and it continues to happen
every day somewhere in the world. Child abuse is affecting and eliminating our children. Lets
not talk about the problem with child abuse instead lets talk about how we can come up with
ways to stop child abuse. As for parents in this situation, one way you can stop child abuse is by
being a nurturing parent. A nurturing parent involves meeting basic physical needs of your child
and consistently seeking to meet your childrens emotional needs. Each child is different, as is
each parent, so a nurturing relationship can take many forms. When a baby is crying and as a
parent you have to be extremely patient because it can be frustrating, annoying and even
defeating. If you have a baby that is known for long non-stop crying here are some tips on how
to sooth a crying baby: Change their diaper, feed the baby , burp the baby, make sure clothes
isnt too tight, and make sure they are not too hot or too cold. If these suggestions do not meet
the needs of the crying baby, then try these techniques: take the baby for a walk, play or dance
with the baby, and offer a pacifier. These things should calm the baby down and stop the crying.
Another way you can prevent abusing a child is just take them to someone you trust as you get
some time away from the baby, either to get some rest or just to relax for a while. Another way
to stop child abuse is to simply get involve and tell other people in the community about child
abuse, call a child abuse organization, or CPS (Child Protected Service). Promote programs in
schools is another way we can stop child abuse also. Help the schools in your community be the
source of education about child abuse, not just math, English and science. Praise and encourage
children you know because mean words will possibly make them feel sad, ugly, i loved, and
unworthy. Not all abusers are intentionally harming their children, most of them where victims
of abuse themselves. Teach them how to take care and treat a child right. You can become a
foster mom or adopt a children, let them know that they are safe and that they are in good hands
and nothing can harm them. You can stop child abuse by going to homes talking to parents also.
Building a good child abuse program can be effecting and can decrease child abuse crimes rates.
Make sure your child is with someone you trust and you know that they are not going to harm
them while you are not in the presents of them and your child. Learn to recognize the signs of
child abuse, so that when you see it you can know that it is bad and is a crime and perhaps do
something about it. Even if you think that child abuse is going around your area or in a home
near you, you should trust your instincts and call Child Protected Service. You should take action
right away because the child could be getting seriously beat or maybe even dieing of child abuse.
You should also be aware of unexplainable injuries that appears on a child body because that
also can be a huge sign that child abuse is occurring either in a home or in a school. A change in
the child behaviors is another way you can tell that child abuse is happening and hope to stop it
from happening. If a child is usually happy or excited and then all of a sudden the child is sad,
there can be a possibility that child abuse is happening. If the child is usually hyper and running
around playing with toys and then that behavior changes to a more calm and relax type of
behavior also, then child abuse maybe occurring somewhere in the child life. Another major act
that child abuse is may be existing in the childs life is if the child is doing sexual things or
speaking sexual language, you know that is not normal and something like child abuse could be
going on. All these actions that the child is viewing can all be signs of child abuse and if these
things continue to happen around you should take action now. Help save a child life and stop
child abuse from happening now.
Types Of Child Abuse
There are 4 types of child abuse, Physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and emotional
abuse. These types of abuse can seriously damage a child in the way they think, feel, and the way
they bodies are. You may not think that what you are saying to a child or doing to one is not
effecting them but it really is. In fact, the bad actions you take toward a child can also affect
them when they become adults. Physical abuse involves physical aggression directed at a child
by an adult. Physical abuse can lead to a childs death. According to the Webster dictionary
Sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent abuses a child for
sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage
in sexual activities (regardless of the outcome), indecent exposure of the genitals to a child,
displaying pornography to a child, actual sexual contact with a child, physical contact with the
child's genitals, viewing of the child's genitalia without physical contact, or using a child to
produce child pornography. Neglect is a form of abuse in which a perpetrator is responsible to
provide care for a victim who is unable to care for himself or herself. When neglect is involve a
parent might become physically or mentally unable to care for a child, such as with a serious
injury, untreated depression, or anxiety. Neglect can also damage a child but not in a physical
way. Another type of child abuse is emotional abuse and I know almost everyone heard the
saying sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me. Contrary to this
old saying, emotional abuse can severely damage a childs mental health or social development,
leaving lifelong psychological scars. Telling a child that he or she isnt no good or worthless,
calling them names, talking down on them can also cause a child to be ruin.


This chart explains the different type of maltreatment that goes in the world today and the
percentage of child abused or neglect children. Even though the chart say in 2002, all different
types of child abuse is going on right now as we speak.
In 1999 the Protection of Children Act was passed and this act is all about protecting
children from any human being that would harm them. Even pedophiles were not allow to work
with children, take care of children or even be around children. People with felonies could not
take care of their own child and could barely see them. Once child abuse became extremely
serious and dangerous to young children, child protected services (CPS), would come out to
children schools and homes. Teachers were required to report them if they see anything wrong
with the child such as bruises, scars, and how they appear or look when they come into a class.
This was a way to also stop child abuse. Still to this day child protected services does this. They
want the child to be and feel safe at all times and its their job to do so. Another reason child
abuse caught societys attention because of the health issues children were having. These health
issues include developmental problems, cognitive disabilities, mental health issues, and learning
disabilities. All these health issues were from children being abused badly. When stories on the
news came on that children were getting abused badly it became more serious around the world.
Laws were created and passed; they knew that what people were doing to their children or
someone elses was very sad and emotional. It was time to protect children from having health
issues and being seriously beaten to death. Children seem to be an easy target for abuse.
Children under English common law were considered the property of their fathers until the late
1800s; American colonists in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries carried this tradition to the
early years of the United States. (Reuters, 2013). An eight year old girl had been abused by her
foster mother in the early 1870s, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
had took over this case and argue that animal laws shouldnt be greater than child protection
laws. In 1908 foster parents had to be register and a juvenile court was created. So also in 1908,
the punishment of incest act allow the court to deal with insects instead of making it a matter for
the church. The children act in 1989 gave children the rights to protect themselves from any kind
of abuse.


Reference Page
"10 Ways You Can Prevent Child Abuse." Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse.

. (n.d) from
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/child_abuse_physical_emotional_sexual_neglect.htm Web
Site.
(n.d) from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childabuse.html Web Site:

.d) from http://www.preventchildabuse.org/index.php/about-us/history-a-general-
information Web Site:
http://www.childhelp.org/pages/statistics Web Site:

from http://home.elpasotexas.gov/police-department/crimes-against-children.php Web
Site:
http://www.casaforchildren.org/site/c.mtJSJ7MPIsE/b.5301295/k.BE9A/Home.htm