Child Abuse Essay Sample
Child Abuse Essay Sample Child abuse refers to the emotional, physical or sexual mistreatment of children. Neglect, which is a form of child abuse, is on the rise in the United States. Cases of child abuse are common in single parent families. Child abuse affects a child psychologically, emotionally and physically. This paper will discuss the forms of child abuse, causes, and the effects.
Discussion
The main types of child abuse are; psychological/emotional abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and physical abuse. Psychological abuse includes abuse such as insults, degradation, ridicule, torture of someone that somebody the child loves, destruction of personal belongings, humiliation, lack of communication, inappropriate demands, the use of very heavy criticism, labeling as well as public humiliation. Neglect is the type of abuse in which an adult refuses to meet the needs of a child. Some of these needs could be emotional needs, food, clothing or medical needs. Physical abuse is a very dangerous form of abuse which could result to injury or death of a child. It involves the direction of physical aggression at a child. Some of these forms of physical aggression include burning, kicking, slapping, chocking and so on. Child sexual abuse is the use of a child for sexual stimulation. This could include the use of children in pornography, sodomy or touching a child’s genitalia.
Substance abuse is the main cause of child abuse. Most parents or adults who are involved in child abuse, abuse drugs or alcohol. Child abuse can have very disastrous effects on children. Sexual abuse can lead to depression and other forms of disorders in the child (Cicchetti and Vicki 105). The effects of child abuse can also be carried forward to adulthood in cases where an adult can have problems interacting with people. This implies that an adult could have trust and relationship difficulties.
Conclusion
It is important for people to understand that child abuse goes beyond physical abuse. It also includes sexual abuse, psychological abuse and neglect. Most of the parents that abuse their children have substance abuse issues. Child abuse should be dealt with appropriately since it can have disastrous consequences on a child.
