Essay About Type Of Child Abuse And Sexual Abuse

Child Abuse
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Any type of Child Abuse, carried out for
a long period of time, may cause long-term mental damage. In this paper I intend
to explain child abuse in intimate detail. I hope to inform you of the exact
definition of abuse and its various types. I hope to enlighten you on pertinent
facts and information on the causes and effects of this cruel act. I will also
show you statistical information showing that continued abuse against a child
may cause long-term mental damage. I will also show improvements being made over
the years to improve and prevent child abuse. Child Abuse is defined as
intentional use of physical force or intentional omission of care by a parent or
caregiver that causes a child to be hurt, maimed, or killed. Child abuse covers
a wide range of harmful actions, which generally vary with the age of the child.
The term child abuse covers a wide range of behavior, from actual physical
assault to simple neglect of a childs basic needs. Child abuse is also
sometimes called child maltreatment. Infants and preschool children are most
likely to suffer deliberately inflicted fractures, burns, and bruises. This is
known as the battered-child syndrome. Although the extent of child abuse is
difficult to measure, it is recognized a s a major social problem, especially in
industrialized nations. It occurs in all income, racial, religious, and ethnic
groups and in urban and rural communities. It is, however, more common in some
groups, especially those below the poverty line. There are several different
types of child abuse, and some children experience more than one form: Physical
abuse includes deliberate acts of violence that injure or even kill a child.
Unexplained bruises, broken bones, or burn marks on a child may be signs of
physical abuse. Other signs include: Physical Indicators *Unexplained bruises or
welts *Unexplained burns *Unexplained fractures and sprains *Unexplained head
injuries *Unexplained lacerations or abrasions *Poisoning, inappropriate drugs,
food or drink *Confinement Behavioral Indicators *School absence correlates with
appearance of injury *Behavioral extremes, i.e. overly compliant, passive or
undemanding, aggressive, withdrawn *Easily frightened, fearful *Wary of physical
contact or touch *Poor social relations *Afraid to go home *Destructive to self
and/or others *Chronic runaway *Complains of soreness or moves uncomfortably
*Wears clothing inappropriate to weather to cover body Sexual abuse occurs when
adults use children for sexual gratification or expose them to sexual
activities. Sexual abuse may begin with kissing or fondling and progress to more
intrusive sexual acts, such as oral sex and vaginal or anal penetration. Common
signs of sexual abuse are: Physical Indicators *Difficulty walking or sitting
*Torn clothing, *Stained or bloody underwear *Pain or itching in genital area
*Venereal disease, especially in preteens *Pregnancy Behavioral Indicators
*Sudden reluctance to go someplace or be with someone *Inappropriate displays of
affection *Sexual acting out *Sudden use of sexual terms or new names for body
parts *Uncomfortableness or rejection of typical family affection *Sleep
problems, including: insomnia, nightmares, refusal to sleep alone or suddenly
insisting on a night light *Regressive behaviors, including: thumb-sucking,
bed-wetting, infantile behaviors or other signs of dependency *Extreme
clinginess or other signs of fearfulness *A sudden change in personality
*Problems in school *Unwilling to participate in or change clothing for gym
class at school *Runs away from home *Bizarre or unusual sophistication
pertaining to sexual behavior or knowledge, including sexual acting out *Reports
sexual assault by parent or guardian Not all child abuse is physical. Emotional
abuse is one of the most common and harmful forms of child abuse. Making fun of
a child, name-calling, always finding fault, and showing no respect can damage a
childs self-esteem. The Child *May find it hard to make friends *May avoid
doing things with other children and being places where hes expected to love
*May tend to be pushy and hostile *Might have a hard time learning, be overly
active, or have problems such as bed-wetting or soiling *Might act falsely grown
up, having to care for adults or others far beyond what should be expected for
the childs age *May become gloomy and depressed, unable to enjoy himself. He
might do things that work against himself *Could become self-destructive,
injuring herself, or even attempting suicide Other types of emotional abuse are
confinement, such as shutting a child in a dark closet, and social isolation,
such