Child Abuse and Neglect Essay -- Violence Against Children

There are many things in our society today that unfortunately go overlooked. One such thing that is overlooked is the number of children who are being abused. Unfortunately these children are going through life not knowing whether or not their parents will loose their temper and perhaps kill them. There are many types of child abuse, such as physical, sexual, and emotional. Physical abuse is physical injury as a result of punching, beating, kicking, biting, shaking, throwing, stabbing, choking, hitting, burning, or otherwise harming a child. Such injury is considered abuse regardless of whether the caretaker intended to hurt the child. Sexual abuse includes activities by a parent or caretaker such as fondling a child's genitals, penetration, incest, rape, sodomy, indecent exposure, and exploitation through prostitution or the production of pornographic materials. Emotional abuse is a pattern of behavior that impairs a child's emotional development or sense of self-worth. This may in clude constant criticism, threats, or rejection, as well as withholding love, support, or guidance. Emotional abuse is often difficult to prove and, therefore, Child Protection Services may not be able to intervene without evidence of harm to the child. Emotional abuse is almost always present when other forms are identified. Child abuse is a growing problem that has many causes and effects, but there are ways that we as a society can decrease the occurrence of this horrible event. Child abus...