Free Essay: Sociological Perspective on Child Abuse

Many children have been negatively affected by the various child abuses from their family member, teachers or the general community. Ill-treatment or maltreatment involves the physical, sexual and emotional abuse of a child. Also, child abuse includes a situation where a care provider, and a parent, through action or failure to implement an action results in injury, death, emotional harm and risks to a more severe injury to a child. Although various cultures consider instilling discipline in children using corporal punishment as the most preferable method, the community needs to be cautious in employing this approach as too much of it will be termed as child maltreatment.

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The topic is very significant especially to sociologists and psychologists as it will help them in implementing strategies in mitigating the vice. The paper explicitly tackles the importance of studying the child abuse topic to the appropriate professionals in the future. Moreover, the discussion will provide an overview of the different types of child abuse on children. Also, the factors that contribute to child abuse and effects of child abuse will be considered in the paper outline. Lastly, the article will explain the risks and opportunities, and preventive measures that should be employed by the social workers in controlling child abuse in the community and their importance to child abuse will also form part of the discussion.

Significance of studying child abuse

There is the various importance of studying child abuse. The study of child abuse is mostly critical of care, providers, parents, teachers, children rights agency and the even the different professionals such as the psychologists and sociologists. Thorough knowledge and understanding of child abuse, the professionals, can develop effective ways to fight the vice. For instance, psychiatrists can use the knowledge in the provision of guidance and counseling to family members on dangerous effects of the child abuse. Moreover, the topic is critical in providing an insight to the parents to differentiate between the ill-treatment and discipline.

Additionally, the text is valuable in providing information on the effects of child abuse particularly to children who have witnessed the domestic violence and also those who have been affected directly. It acknowledges that there are various health risks associated with the abuse such as depression, suicidal behavior, class work difficulties, drugs and substance abuse and engagement in early sexual activities.

Moreover, the study will assist the parents to adopt effective parenting through public education, capacity building and commitment from the societies to give the financial system to the families.

Types of child abuse

There are different categories of child abuse that are observed in the community social set up. They include the following:

Physical abuse

This form of child maltreatment involves the physical harm such as beating, slapping, burning, throwing, poisoning or causing child suffocation. Therefore, physical abuse is the deliberate cause of injuries such as broken bones, cuts, burns or cuts on a child. Apparently shaking or hitting babies can result in non-accidental head injuries (NAHI). Thu, there is no god reason for abusing a child as it can results in death in severe cases.

Neglect

Unavailability of parents for their children constitutes child abuse. Similarly, neglect involves the ongoing failure to satisfy a childs basic needs. Every child requires parental care. Thus the absence of it can result in damaging effects on a childs well-being. Childrens neglect may come as a result of parents involvement in drugs and substance abuse and be too busy in the workplace. The child risks having severe depression that keeps them home lying in their beds.

Emotional or Psychological Abuse

Some parents and care providers emotionally abuse their children. The mental abuse can involve trying to scare, humiliate, ignore, and even humiliate a child. It causes a childs adverse impacts on the emotional development of the child.

Sexual exploitation or abuse

It is ethically wrong to force or even entice a child to engage in sexual activities regardless of whether it is penetrative or nonpenetrative. Rape may also include engaging a child in the pornographic literature of movies or through encouraging unwanted sexual behavior in a child.

Domestic abuse

Domestic abuse is any form of controlling, molesting, bullying, fighting or threatening conducts between people in a relationship. The domestic violence may also include the emotional, physical, sexual, financial and emotional abuse. Children should not witness any form of domestic abuse between their parents.

Child trafficking

Child trafficking is the modern day slavery where a child is recruited, transported, exploited through being forced to work with little pay and sometimes no pay. Moreover, some children are trafficked for sexual exploitation, forced marriage, domestic servitudes, criminal activities such transporting drugs, begging and pickpocketing.

Factors contributing to child abuse

Indeed, various factors contribute to child abuse. However, some are factors increases the risks and vulnerabilities of child abuse on children. The elements can be found in the parents, situation in the environmental, societal contributing factors and the features of the child themselves as the background of the contributors. Therefore, the following factors can be critical in alerting the family member to offer practical support to their family.

The parental factors

The following are the parental contributing factors to child abuse or maltreatment.

The parent has already abused the child

Unwanted pregnancy

Domestic violence background from the parent

Young mothers with low level of education who are not supported

Parents lack useful parenting knowledge and realistic objectives and expectations of the child.

Parent involvement in drugs or alcohol\

Environmental factors

House overcrowding

Poverty or lack financial resources to improve the family living conditions

Present domestic violence

Numerous stress in the family

Societal factors

Violence and conflicts in the community

The societal cultures and traditions

Child contributing factors

Chronic illness

Physical disability on the child

Poor academic results

A child who is a product of abusive relationship

Effects of child abuse on children

Child abuse is harmful and demeaning has it infringe on the right of child free from any form of violence. Thus, child abuse has led to various, developmental, psychological and physical effects.

Developmental and psychological effects.

During the early child development stage, the brain develops at a first rate. Studies show that the childs brain develops in response to the experience with the family hence their development is closely linked to the quality of the experience. Moreover, studies show that children involved in the abuses may develop effects such as anxiety, depression, difficulty in concentration, poor academic achievements, and difficulty in sleeping among others.

Physical effects

Since childrens bodies are still developing, they are more physically susceptible to injury than adults. Although there are situations when the child abusers abuse children without leaving a visible mark on the child, there are some common effects observed in children who have undergone physical or sexual abuse.

Swellings and bruises

Bone Fractures

Burns

Sitting and walking with difficulty

Sexually transmitted diseases

Poor hygiene

Dressing inappropriately

Pain, itching, bruises and bleeding in the external genital area.

Effective Strategies employed by the social worker in preventing child abuse

Many methodologies have been initiated to assist in the prevention of child abuse. Social workers in the community have a strategic role in developing effective strategies that are meant to prevent the risk factors from taking place. The following are the most promising strategies employed by the social worker.

Investment on public awareness activities

The social worker can implement this strategy through the use of various approaches such as public announcements, distribution of information brochures, use of both print and visual media, and sponsoring the public awareness campaigns that are geared to promoting healthy parenting practices.

Skillbased curricula for children

The social worker can use the education programs to teach children the necessary skills they can use to keep themselves safe from the perpetrators. For instance, children should be capable of knowing whether they have been inappropriately touched.

Parent education programs

The program is meant to create efficient discipline techniques thereby gaining knowledge and understanding the different age-appropriate conduct and the expected developmental goals. Moreover, the program is suitable when it has components that assists parents know the skills of identifying and recognizing community resources that provide family support such as economic resources.

Reference

Sturt, S. M. (2006). Child abuse: New research. New York: Nova Science Publishers.

Sheep, B. Educating to prevent child abuse. Retrieved November 10, 2016, from http://www.childmatters.org.nz/57/learn-about-child-abuse/risk-factors

Wisconsin, C. H. of. (2016). Contributing factors to child abuse. Retrieved November 10, 2016, from http://www.chw.org/childrens-and-the-community/child-abuse-prevention/prevent-child-abuse-wisconsin/information-and-statistics/contributing-factors/

Authorised. (2013, May 3). What are the effects of child abuse? Retrieved November 10, 2016, from http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/for-individuals/children,-families-and-young-people/child-protection/about-child-abuse/what-is-child-abuse/who-is-likely-to-be-abused-and-what-are-the-effects

TypeOnline, M., Print, & of, M. (2015). Effects of child abuse and neglect. Retrieved November 10, 2016, from http://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/learn/child-abuse-neglect/effects-child-abuse-neglect

Network, P. P. (2010). Effective practices for preventing child abuse and neglect. Retrieved November 10, 2016, from http://www.promisingpractices.net/briefs/briefs_childabuse.asp

Reporting child abuse. Retrieved November 10, 2016, from https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/what-to-do-if-you-are-worried-about-child/social-workers-and-child-abuse