The topic of child abuse has continued to be divisive in modern culture. Abuse is linked to an increase in cases of children dying in questionable conditions and displaying severe internal and external injuries. A similarly unsettling pattern is the observation of some children's abnormal psychic development. Significant scholarly investigation, political discussion, and popular outrage have all focused on this issue. Child maltreatment is linked to situations like juvenile deliquesce and full-blown criminals. In actuality, many child abuse victims endure suffering at the hands of close family members, parents, and members of their local social circle. (Jones, 2015). However, the unfavorable consequences of child abuse continue to serve as the foundation for finding the right solution. This essay therefore seeks to address the perpetrators, types of abuse, symptoms and effects of abuse on children.
It is painful to note that most cases of abuse are undertaken by the parents. Such cultures that associate discipline with spanking have had severe effects on the children (Leahy 2015). While some parents feel that spanking is a light punitive measure with prospects of better behavioral outcome among children, it actually instills fear. Individuals entrusted with child care such as au pair have applied physical shaking of children with subsequent brain damage, physical injury that cause death (Haberman 2015). As such the misconception of using shaking, spanking, and shouting as light disciplinary measures exposes the children to irreparable cognitive breakdown, physical pain and extreme cases, death. Hatred from parents that have conceived children under abusive circumstances such as rape has been noted as responsible for neglect and mistreatment that significantly affect the children (Lemoncelli 45).
Literature review indicates that there are various symptoms of child abuse. Spanking of children progressively instill fear, self-pity, and eventual meltdown. The psychological breakdown that victims of abuse experience manifests itself in various ways. In fact, the controversial shaken baby syndrome is one such outrageous manifestation of repeated abuse (Haberman 2015). The tenderness of the child's body exposes it to triad in case of severe or repeated shaking. Brain damage, internal bleeding are extreme physical effects of child abuse. Sexual abuse on children damages their genitalia, inflict psychological insecurity and live with the children into adulthood. The observed withdrawal behavior is a symptom of silent abuse that sets a series of psychological inconsistencies.
The effects of child abuse are unlimited. Children exposed to physical beating, uncontrolled spanking, and shaking can end up suffering internal bleeding, breaking bones, diverse physical deformities and even death (Leahy 2015). It is such an inhuman and irresponsible act for a person in charge of a young life to inflict such unwarranted pain. Sexual abuse against young children has resulted into a larger size of psychopaths that resort to violence, murder, and other forms of heinous offenses in a bid to restore self-worth. Observed recidivism among offenders has shown close association with repeated bullying, mistreatment, and other forms of child abuse (Jones,2015). The future of victims of violence tends to turn out violent (Gould, 2017). Some of the children that suffered neglect and abuse show deviant behavior which is made worse by incarceration instead of early remedial measures.
Child abuse is destructive to the society. The future of young people is condemned as their cognitive and psychological growth is retarded by abuse in the hands of people they innocently trust. Sexual violence meted on children live with them and significantly changes their view on such important issues as interpersonal relationships and personal growth (Gould, 2017). Physical deformities and death from child abuse is a total disrespect to the sanctity of life and the parental obligation. Restrictive legal measures, moral campaigns, and medical research need to be put in place to curb child abuse.
Works cited
Leahy, Meghan. "The overwhelming evidence against spanking." Washington Post, 5
Nov. 2015. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, db16.linccweb.org/login?url=http://link
.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A433736686/OVIC?u=
lincclin_mdcc&xid=bed7a973. Accessed 15 July 2017.
Haberman, Clyde. "Shaken Baby Syndrome: A Diagnosis That Divides the Medical
World." New York Times, 14 Sept. 2015, p. NA(L). Opposing Viewpoints in
Context, db16.linccweb.org/login?url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A428512
834/OVIC?u=
lincclin_mdcc&xid=93181dfc. Accessed 15 July 2017.
Jones, Abigail. "The Hunt for Child Sex Abusers Is Happening in the Wrong Places;
When it comes to child abuse, fear everyone but the stranger." Newsweek, 3 July
2015. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, db16.linccweb.org/login?url=http://link.gale
group.com/apps/doc/A419368502/OVIC?u=
lincclin_mdcc&xid=4f518fe2. Accessed 15 July 2017.
Gould, Chandre. "Today's Child Abuse Creates Tomorrow's Criminals." Opposing
Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2017. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, db16.li
nccweb.org/login?url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/VBHCKG100029537/OV
IC?u=lincclin_mdcc&xid=10a24027. Accessed 15 July 2017. Originally published
as "Why societies must protect children if they want fewer criminals," The
Conversation, 15 Sept. 2016.
Lemoncelli, John J. Healing from Childhood Abuse: Understanding the Effects, Taking Control to Recover. Santa Barbara, Calif: Praeger, 2012. Print.
