Physical abuse: When a parent might physically harm their child by hitting, punching, kicking them etc...
Sexual abuse: Where a parent might expose their child to sexual terms, or come into sexual contact for their own pleasure.
Emotional abuse: When a parent might try to involve the child into something that they wouldn't feel comfortable doing, such as a crime. Or when a parent might make the child feel unworthy of their accomplishments.
Neglect: When a parent might ignore or forget about their child, or they won't take care of them properly/satisfy their needs.
You might be wondering if there is any reason behind abusing kids, well, there are a number of reasons why people might not think it's wrong, or not realize that they are hurting someone:
- mental illnesses
- stress
- financial problems
- psychological problems
- drugs/alcohol
- people who have been abused as kids.
Did you know that out of all the people in prison, 84% were abused as kids?
History of the Issue:
The history of child abuse goes way back (not just in the U.S.) Most of the incidences of abuse was all based on the fact that children were considered property of their parents. Fathers also had control over the family so they could decide whether to kill/hurt their children of they wanted to. Also, ancient Romans would kill weak/deformed babies because they thought that the devil was inside them.
How to Tell if Someone is Being Abused:
Emotional abuse:
- scared of doing something wrong
- extremes in behavior
- not attracted to parent/parents
- acts inappropriately
Physical abuse:
- many injuries- patterns (belt marks)
- always alert
- inappropriate clothes to cover up injuries
Neglect:
- clothes are filthy/unfitted
- hygiene is always bad
- untreated illnesses
- always left alone
- always missing school
Sexual abuse:
- trouble walking or sitting
- knowledge and/or interest in sexual acts
- doesn't want to change in front of others
- pregnancy, STD's
- runs away from home
What Should You do if You are Being Abused?:
If you are being abused and are scared of taking action, the best thing you can do is talk to someone you trust about it. Maybe they will have some good ideas as to what you could do. If the abuse gets worse, call 911. Remember that you are not the only one in the world being abused, other people are sharing the same pain. Don't keep it to yourself!!!!
