Every now and then, we hear of scandalous cases of child abuse in the media, sometimes after so many years of agony and torture. For most children, It is only when they finally achieve the age of reason and awareness that they come to a full realization of what has been done to them. In most cases, the harm would have been done and the victim severely affected.
What actually is child abuse?
Child abuse has been defined as any form of emotional, sexual, physical, verbal harm or neglect meted out to a child by another person, be it adult or child. So many children than ever before are victims of one form of abuse or the other. Perpetrators consistently device new ways to execute their devilish acts without getting caught or suspected.
I came across some startling statistics as I was putting this piece and I thought it wise to share them with you.
- For every case of abuse reported, it has been estimated that two others go undetected.
- Close to 20% of all documented child abuse are actually cases of physical abuse.
- More than 80% of sexual abuse perpetrators are insiders – parents, relatives, house helps, siblings etc.
- One out of three girls and one out of five boys are sexually abused during childhood.
- One out of 13 kids whose parents are drug users end up suffering from some form of physical abuse.
- On a weekly basis in the United States, more than 50,000 reports of child abuse or neglect cases are reported.
- 84% of prison inmates were abused in one form or the other during their childhood days.
- According to a report in 2002, one-half of all victims of child abuse were White (54 percent), one-quarter were African American (26 percent), and one-tenth (11 percent) were Hispanic. American Indian or Alaska Native children accounted for 2 percent of victims, and Asian-Pacific Islanders accounted for 1 percent of victims.
Signs of abuse
Detecting child abuse in children can sometimes be a complicated venture. As a parent or care giver, it is your responsibility to watch your child carefully in case there are suspicious and sometimes unexplainable signs. The following are some signs that point to a red light.
Physical abuse
- Injuries such as broken bones, which will not normally occur to a child given their age
- Repeated bruises, burns, wounds which are rather unexplainable
- Signs of panic, anxiety and other forms of psychological symptoms
- Signs of been beaten by belt, rod, electric cord.
- Verbal and Emotional Abuse
- Withdrawing from attachment to parents or caregiver
- Aggression or withdrawal from the physical environment
Signs of Sexual Abuse
- Physical signs such as stained underwear
- Pain in the sex organs
- Injuries, swellings, itching, discharge, redness around the genitals
- Cryings or outbursts at the slightest provocation
- Withdrawal from normal activities
- Regressing back to habits like bed wetting even after passing that stage
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As soon as you discover that a child is being abused, it is your obligation to act fast by reporting the case or making frantic efforts to ensure that the cycle of abuse is immediately broken and the child attended to as quickly as possible. Children who are not given the proper care following sequences of abuse always end up in some form of trouble in the future. Depression, suicide attempts, anti social behaviors, panic attacks and criminal activities can be the fall outs of sexual abuse in child hood. It has also been found that children who suffer from some form of abuse during childhood grow up with a deflated self concept if they are not treated. The devastating effects of abuse may also be manifested in the quality of their jobs, their performance in school, the friends they hang out with and even in their married lives. Depending on the level of abuse, you may find it expedient to seek the professional assistance of a child therapist to help deal with the child’s predicament. But do not hesitate to intervene as quickly as possible to help the child through the process of recovery.
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