Child Abuse and the Plea for Help
Child Abuse and the Plea for Help
Child Abuse and the Plea for Help
Susie sits quietly on her bed dreading the return of her mother. All of a sudden the sound of the front door banging open and slamming shut fills the silence. "SUSIE!" her mother yells, "COME HERE NOW!" her words slur together. "She's drunk again." Susie thinks as tears begin to roll down her face. All of a sudden, her bedroom door burst open. "Hello Susie." Her mother says her voice calm. "Why didn't you answer me?" she asks raising her voice. She sways, over to Susie's bed. Forcefully she grabs Susie's wrist and squeezes it, hard. "WHY DIDN'T YOU ANSWER ME?!" she screams squeezing even harder, hard enough to leave a bruise. Susie whimpers in pain. Her mother slaps her across her face, the sound echoes around the room. Another slap, then another, over and over again the slaps come. The grip on her wrist never loosens. Susie takes the pain in breathless silence. She has learned never to make a sound or it just gets worse. "I'm bored with you." Her mother finally says, releasing her wrist and walking out. The skin around her wrist is black and blue. Susie curls into a ball on her bed and sobs, wondering what she did to deserve this.
This little scenario shows a glimpse of the daily life of an abused child. Child abuse is "the mistreatment of a child by a parent or guardian, including neglect, beating, and sexual molestation." (Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary Tenth Edition).
In an interview I conducted with my dad, I asked him if he knew anyone who had been abused as a child. He answered yes. I then asked what was their behavior was like. My dad responded by saying that the person appeared to be always happy on the outside, but sad on the inside.
Child abuse mostly occurs as physical (beating, pinching biting, etc.), emotional (hurtful words, ignoring) and sexual abuse (anything from inappropriate touching to actual rape).
Children that are more vulnerable to abuse are a children that are hard to take care of, such as premature infants and children with disabilities. There is no clear reason why caregivers abuse children, but it may be linked to extreme stress or being abused as a child. Child abuse usually occurs in homes that have frequent drug and alcohol use and domestic violence.
Another question I asked my dad is if he thinks there is a way to stop child abuse. His response: "Poverty reduction, and to have access to social services such as health care, education, housing, and fighting hunger, and also to fight crime."
Remember little Susie? Even though it wasn't a real story, all over the world, real children are dealing with the same thing. Some children get it ten times worse. "As of 2008 the amount of abuse cases has risen 10% in high income countries." (www.medscape.com). "As of 2007, 1,750 children have died each year from abuse. There is no doubt that the numbers have gone up. Together we can help put a stop to child abuse by understanding child abuse, strengthening families, increasing public awareness, and joining or creating prevention programs. A wise person once said "A simple action causes a chain reaction." Our kids need us Ideas To Get Your Children Enthusiastic About Science Ten Tips To Help You Survive Traveling With Children Capital Guidelines for Kid Christmas Gifts Preparation A child's life will be saved today by a GPS tracking device ADHD Treatment - Looking At The Issues To Decide Which Treatment Can Give Your Child A Better Chance Where To Realize Wholesale Toys Natural Cures For ADHD - Giving Your Child A Better Chance Without Doubtful Drugs Are ADHD Medications The Best Answer For Your Child? Read This Article To Get The Facts To Money In On This Children Choose The Nice Blankets For Your Children Critical differences between steel kids bikes and wooden bikes Teenagers wholesome diet plan - help to excessive extra fat damage For Teenage Girls and Boys