NCJ Number
144832
Date Published
1991
Length
0 pages
Annotation
Using a video lecture, this presentation focuses on the incidence, detection, causes, and prevention of child abuse.
Abstract
Following the lecturer's statistical quotes on the high incidence of child abuse in America, a general profile of child abusers is presented. Only 10 percent of child abusers are mentally ill; most abusers have unreal expectations of their children, lack knowledge and training in parenting skills, and lack the skills and knowledge to cope with the stresses of childrearing. Many abusers believe that children must be taught to obey through physical punishment and pain. In portraying child-abuse detection procedures, the lecturer uses a doll to show the parts of a child's body that should be examined and what to look for as evidence of child abuse. Symptoms of both physical and sexual abuse are discussed. The discussion of causal factors focuses on parents abused as children; unrealistic expectations for a child's development, particularly in the area of toilet training; and seeing in the child the reflection of a person whom the parent detests, including the parent himself/herself. The discussion of sexual abuse focuses on the characteristics of the abuser. The video concludes with a brief overview of the mechanics of interviewing possible child abuse victims and the importance of educating prospective parents in parenting skills.