NCJ Number
53907
Date Published
1978
Length
23 pages
Annotation
INTENDED FOR THE AVERAGE CITIZEN, THIS PAMPHLET PROVIDES INFORMATION ON THE EXTENT AND EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE, HOW IT CAN BE RECOGNIZED, ITS CAUSES, THE NATURE OF ABUSING PARENTS AND ABUSED CHILDREN, AND HOW HELP CAN BE GIVEN.
Abstract
WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT RELIABLE STATISTICS ON CHILD ABUSE ARE NOT AVAILABLE, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 1,000,000 CASES OF CHILD ABUSE PER YEAR NATIONWIDE, RESULTING IN ABOUT 2,000 DEATHS. CHILD ABUSE OCCURS ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF SOCIOECONOMIC LEVELS IN ALL TYPES OF LOCALES. CLASSIFICATIONS OF CHILD ABUSE ARE PHYSICAL ABUSE, NEGLECT (PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL), EMOTIONAL ABUSE (OFTEN VERBAL), AND SEXUAL ABUSE. CHILD ABUSE MAY BE RECOGNIZED BY THE CHILD'S APPEARANCE AND BEHAVIOR AND THE PARENT'S OR CARETAKER'S BEHAVIOR. WHILE THE CAUSES OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT ARE ELUSIVE, FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO ABUSE AND NEGLECT ARE LISTED UNDER FOUR PRINCIPAL CATEGORIES: (1) CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIETY; (2) SOCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS; (3) FACTORS RELATED TO IMMEDIATE LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES; AND (4) INDIVIDUAL PERSONAL AND BACKGROUND FACTORS. THE EFFECTS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT ON THE CHILD INCLUDE BOTH SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL DAMAGE, WHILE ABUSING PARENTS ARE DESTROYED EMOTIONALLY BY GUILT AND DIMINISHING SELF-RESPECT. THE COMMUNITY SUFFERS BECAUSE OF THE DIMINISHED CONTRIBUTIONS THAT ABUSED CHILDREN BRING TO SOCIETY AND THE SOMETIMES VIOLENT AND DANGEROUS ACTS PERPETRATED BY ABUSED PERSONS ON INNOCENT CITIZENS. A PROFILE OF ABUSING PARENTS IS INCLUDED, AND THE REASONS WHY SOME CHILDREN ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE MISTREATED THAN OTHERS ARE LISTED. REASONS WHY THE CITIZEN SHOULD GET INVOLVED IN SUSPECTED INCIDENTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND SPECIFIC HELP THAT CAN BE OFFERED ARE DISCUSSED. WAYS TO IMPROVE CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT SERVICES IN A COMMUNITY ARE ALSO DISCUSSED. A DIRECTORY IS PROVIDED OF THE REGIONAL CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT RESOURCE CENTERS. (RCB)