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Child Abuse Happens Everyday, What Can You Do? ​  By Kelly Jobe ​ = =

=** Introduction **=

Each year more than three million children are reported abused, and more than one million cases were substained. According to //World Health//, that is 1.5% of children were confirmed victims. The problem of abused children is growing and has grown by 18% since 1990. We as a society need to be educated about abuse, recognize abuse, and know what to do about abuse. If the children, our future’s shapers, are at the hands of unloving and abusive people what will become of our future? Surely not something pleasant, but if we can learn more about abuse and how to help the victims then our future will be bright.

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=What is abuse? =

Abuse among children can come in different forms, the most common are: physical, emotion, and sexual. ** Physical abuse **, according to //World Health//, is physically hurting a child with the intention to harm. These children are battered, beaten, and injured by his or her caretaker. In most cases, the abuser is the head male figure in a family. This type of abuse is most present in children under the age of two, and is received from their parents. ** Emotional abuse ** “has been defined as the rejection, ignoring, criticizing, isolation, or terrorizing of children, all of which have the effect of eroding their self-esteem”, as said by Dr. Richard D. Krugman. This type of abuse is verbal and combined with different types of abuse sometimes, therefore is hard to prove and is rarely reported. On the other hand, ** sexual abuse ** is a completely different type of abuse. Sexual abuse, where the victims are usually girls, is any activity with an underage child that gives sexual gratification to the adult or abuser, according to Dr. Johnson. These activities can be sexual touching, having a child expose their private parts, allowing a child to watch pornography, or sexually penetrating a child. With this type of abuse, the victim is more often a girl and the abuser is related to them. Numbers wise, “20 to 25% of females and 10 to 15% of males report that they were sexually abused by the age of 18 years.” (Child Abuse). Although each one of these types of abuse are different, they all have serious effects on each and every one of the victims.



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=**Recognizing Abuse** =

To help stop child abuse, not only do we need to understand abuse, we need to be able to recognize when abuse is taking place. With ** physical abuse **, unexplained bruises and or scrapes and marks on the body can point to physical abuse. But, in some physical abuse the signs are not always visible at a glance. Instead a victim might have bone or head fracture. Because ** emotional abuse ** can happen many places, the signs can be spread out in a victim’s life. He or she may be losing sleep, have constant headaches, lose self-esteem, or school and home disappearances. All those signs can be linked back to abuse of the emotions that may or may not be combined with other types of abuse. ** Sexual abuse ** can be identified with some physical signs, but there are more mental signs. The physical signs are injuries to a victim’s private parts and or a sexually transmitted disease. But, those are rarely there to be found by a professional to indicate sexual abuse. Other signs that point to sexual abuse are suicidal acts, poor school grades, or anxiety (Child Abuse). With each type of abuse there are signs that correspond with it, in knowing these signs we can better help victims of abuse.



=Helping Victims = When abuse has occurred in a teen or child’s life getting help is a major priority. Help can come in different forms for victims and witnesses. If you have witnessed or have suspicion that a child is being abused you can call hotlines such as 1800-4-A-CHILD. These hotline calls are anonymous and can help in many ways. The hotline can provide insight to the abuse given a situation, and counsel a child is he or she is being abused. They are also there to answer questions on child behavior, listen to your problems, and give you suggestions on what to do. According to law, anyone who works with children is obligated to report any suspicion on child abuse they see. Other help through professionals can be beneficial to victims and abusers, but to get professional help someone needs to step up and point the problem out. This person can be the victim, the abuser, or a witness. No matter who you are, if you know of someone being abused, you need to speak up and help the victim as best as you can.



=Conclusion = Everyday so many kids are abused and many cases go unreported. But, if we can understand that abuse can come in come in many ways, then we can begin to recognize when abuse is taking place. Then, we can take action and report abuse to help everyone involved with the issues that are created after abuse. All in all, child abuse effects more kids then we see and we need to begin to help everyone who needs it. So, if you or someone you know is being affected by child abuse, do the right thing and get them the help they need.

=**Helpful Links** =

~This link: [] is a good website to visit for people who want to help abuse victims and learn more about abuse.

~This link: [] is a great website to help prevent and strengthen families.

~This link: [] is an organization that is focused on preventing abuse and is a good website for people who want to help abuse victims.

~This link: [] has more information on abuse and has projects for people to help and an e-newsletter you can receive through email.

~This link: [] is a website that can explain what kinds of help there are for abuse victims and also a place for people to donate to their organization in ending child abuse.

=**Works Cited** =

"Child abuse." //World of Health//. Online ed. Detroit: Gale Group, 2007. //Student Resource Center - Gold//. Web. 5 Feb. 2010. "Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act Passed, January 31, 1974." //DISCovering U.S. History//. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. //Student Resource Center - Gold//. Web 5 Feb. 2010. Dvorak, Petula. "Summer Is No Vacation for Abused Kids." //Washington Post// 25 Aug 2009: B.1. //SIRS Researcher.// Web. 05 February 2010. “The Effects of Domestic Violence on Children (sidebar)”. //Issues & Controversies// //On File//. Web. 30 January 2010. Monsebraaten, Laurie. "Why Did 90 Children Die?." //Toronto Star// 23 Feb 2009: A.1. //SIRS Researcher.// Web. 05 February 2010.