MONDAY BLUES (49)

Child abuse and its various types.

Hi Friends,

Today I am going to share my views on one of the worst kind of human rights violations, Child Abuse.

Introduction:

Child abuse is a sensitive issue which needs to be addressed immediately. According to the statistics revealed by National Children Alliance.org, around 600,000 children are abused in the USA, each year.

(https://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/media-room/national-statistics-on-child-abuse/)

According to the reports of WHO as on November 2022, it is estimated that up to 1 billion children between the ages of 2 and 17 worldwide have been neglected or  subjected to physical, sexual, or emotional  abuse in the previous 12 months.

Types of Child Abuse

Child abuse includes neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse and sex trafficking.

Neglect is the most frequent type of abuse  on a national scale. More than 75% of the victims suffered from neglect, 16% from  physical abuse, 9% from sexual abuse, and  0.2% from sex trafficking as per National Children Alliance.org.

Bullying, which includes cyberbullying, is an unwelcome hostile behaviour displayed by a child or group of children who are not the victim’s sibling or romantic partner. It entails persistent physical, psychological, or social harm and frequently occurs online, in schools, and other places where kids congregate according to the reports of the WHO.

The innocent children are also the victims of emotional or psychological violence that consists of subjecting a child to severe restrictions, harsh criticisms, mockery, threats and intimidation, prejudice, rejection, and other hostile non-physical behaviours.

Sometimes, parents expect too much from their children and often compare them with others. This leads to the development of inferiority complex and depression which might lead to suicide by the teenagers.

Statistics

( Image: BC Lost children).

( Image and info: WHO)

Impact of child abuse:

We have to be extremely vigilant as far as the reports of child abuse are concerned. Child abuse of any kind, will have a long term impact on their social and psychological behavior. According to the findings of the WHO, child abuse over a period of time, may result in

Death.

One of the top four causes of mortality for adolescents is homicide, which frequently involves firearms and knives, with boys making up more than 80% of both victims and offenders.

Serious Injury

There are hundreds of mostly male victims of juvenile violence who suffer injuries as a result of physical fighting and assault for every homicide.

Hinder the growth of the neurological system and the brain.

Early exposure to violence can have a lasting negative impact on a person’s ability to develop their brain and other aspects of their neurological system, as well as their endocrine, circulatory, musculoskeletal, reproductive, respiratory, and immune systems. As a result, violence towards children can have a severe impact on cognitive development and lead to underperformance in both academics and the workforce.

Cause unhealthy coping and health-risking behaviours.

Children who experience violence and other adversity have a much higher likelihood of taking up smoking, consuming alcohol and drugs, and engaging in high-risk sexual behaviour. Moreover, the rates of suicide, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues are higher among these groups.

Induced abortions, gynaecological issues, unexpected pregnancies, and sexually transmitted diseases like HIV.

When kids age, they can cause a variety of non-communicable diseases. The negative coping and health risk behaviours connected to violence are a big part of the elevated risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and other health disorders.

Future generations and impact opportunities.

Children who experience violence and other hardships are more likely to leave school. Their chances of getting employment opportunities will be affected.

Physical signs of abuse:

As per the reports of healthychildren.org, these are the physical indicators of a child abuse:

An infant who is immobile with any injury.

Children under the age of four who have  torso, ear, or neck bruising.

Any injury (bruise, burn, fracture, stomach, or brain injury) that does  not match how it is  claimed to have happened, cannot be  sufficiently explained, or does not match the  child’s developmental ability.

The kid speaks up about abuse or neglect.

Lack of weight gain (particularly in babies) or an unexpectedly large weight gain.

Discomfort, bleeding, or discharge from the  genitalia.

A sexually transmitted condition.

Behavioural signs

These symptoms serve as a wake up call to those whose children, nieces, or nephews exhibit abnormal behavior like :

Unusually scared or withdrawn while interacting with others.

Unknown stomach pain, a sudden onset of  bedwetting, or a relapse in bowel habits  (especially if the child has already been toilet  trained).

Trying to run away from home.

Abnormal sexual behavior that isn’t appropriate for the child’s age.

Low self-esteem.

Headaches and stomachaches that can’t be attributed to any particular reason.

Dropping grades in school.

Extreme passiveness or hostility. Insatiable affection or social withdrawal.

Great appetite and food theft.

Prevention of child abuse.

I came across an article in a website https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/safety/prevent-child-abuse that offered suggestions to prevent child abuse. These are enumerated below.

Creating awareness on the issue of child abuse by forming a group that educates the parents. If possible, share information on social media and also offer support to the possible victims and their parents.

While raising children with discipline is a must, we must exercise caution when we advise or punish them. Children are highly sensitive. We can use incentives like a trip to the park, a visit to the zoo, or their favorite place to encourage good behavior. Instead of yelling over their misdemeanors, we can give punishment like cutting back the pocket money, avoid talking to them unless they mend their ways, or spending their weekend without watching their favorite TV shows or usage of mobiles. Sometimes, silence works better than violence.

We have to teach our children how to identify an act of abuse like bullying, sexual abuse, physical violence and so on. We need to guide them to report these incidents directly to us or to the respective class teacher in the school so that it could be curbed in the initial stage itself. Some children, too, resort to bullying when they fail to get any attention at home. Such children need counselling. Mostly, young girls are the likely prey for the sexual abusers. We have to teach them the difference between a good and a bad touch. It’s applicable to young boys as well who are also under the radar of the paedophiles.

We must encourage preventative initiatives. Intervention happens all too frequently after  an abuse has been reported. More funding is  required for initiatives that have been shown to prevent abuse before it starts, like family  counselling and nurse home visits that help  parents and babies.

If we come across any incident involving a child abuse, it’s our duty to come forward and report the same to the appropriate authorities for stringent actions against the perpetrators of these inhuman crimes.

Actively contribute towards the cause of safety of children, urging lawmakers at the local and national level for a stronger legislation to safeguard the interests of the children.

Conclusion:

Our children are the future responsible citizens of the country. We should give them a healthy and safe environment so that they could trust us and also to ensure that their physical and mental health is never compromised at any cost.

Thank you so much for taking your precious to visit my website. Hope you enjoyed reading my blogs. 😊😊

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