Every year more than 5 millions of child abusing’s cases are reported. It’s a terrible fact about child abuse that all the struggles are still not enough to save children.

What is child abuse?

Child abuse is when a child is harmed, killed or emotionally hurt or at the risk of serious injury through action or verbal. There are many forms of child maltreatment, including neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, exploitation and emotional abuse.

Children are the very sensitive and important part of society. They are the future of any nation but if the child is not safe or at risk then what will be the nation development. Physical abuse of a child is when a parent or caretaker, guardian or any stranger causes any non-accidental physical injury to a child. You can feel sudden change in behaviour or physical change in child when he is abused. 28.3% of adult’s report being physically abused as a child.

Physical Abuse:

Striking, kicking, burning, biting, hair pulling, choking, throwing, shoving, whipping or any other action that injures a child is included in child abuse. Even it is not meant to give harm to a child but unintentionally the child is injured it is abuse. Physical discipline from a parent that does not injure or impair a child is not considered abuse but still always try to use non-violent alternatives to discipline your child.

What can be Physical abuse :

Bruises, blisters, burns, cuts and scratches

Internal injuries, brain damage

Dislocated joints, Broken bones, sprains

Emotional and psychological strike

Lifelong injury, or injury lead to death

Major Reasons that lead the child to abuse:

Can’t or won’t explain injury of child, or explains it in a senseless way

Aggression towards child

Nominate child liar, untrustworthy or evil

Delays or prevents medical care for child

Takes child to different doctors or hospitals

Has violent history

Signs of physical child abuse:

Physical:

Any injury to a child who is not crawling yet

Visible and severe injuries

Injuries at different stages of healing

On different surfaces of the body

Unexplained or explained in a way that doesn’t make sense

Distinctive shape

Frequency, timing and history of injuries (frequent, after weekends, vacations, school absences)

Behavioural signs:

Aggressiveness

Fear, withdrawal, depression, anxiety

Feel fear from adults

Wears long sleeves out of season

Violent themes in fantasy, art, etc.

Insomnia

Reports injury, severe discipline

Extremes Emotional Behaviour

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse occurs when an adult uses a child for sexual purposes or involves a child in sexual acts. It also includes when a child who is older or more powerful uses another child for sexual excitement. This means a child is forced or talked into sex or sexual activities by another person unwillingly. Studies show that one in four girls and one in eight boys are sexually abused till they reached to 18.

Sexual abuse of children may includes:

Non-contact abuse

Making a child view a sex act

Making children perform a sex act

Exploitation

Child prostitution and child pornography

Making a child view or show sex organs

Inappropriate sexual talk

Contact abuse

Fondling and oral sex

Penetration

Signs of sexual abuse in parent or Guardian:

Parent fails to supervise child

Unstable adult presence

Jealous/possessive parent

Sexual relationships troubled

Parent relies on child for emotional support

Signs of sexual child abuse:

Physical:

Difficulty sitting, walking, bowel problems

Bleeding, bruises, pain, swelling, itching on sensitive area

Frequent urinary tract infections or yeast infections

Any sexually transmitted disease, infection or related symptoms

Behavioural:

Shy to change clothes in front of anyone

Depressed, anxious

Eating disorders

Aggression, poor peer relationships

Lack of confidence, lack of concentration

Reveal stubborn Behaviour

Change in study report

Substance abuse, running away, recklessness, suicide attempts

Sleep disturbance, fear of bedtime, nightmares, bed wetting

Sexual acting out

Unusual or repetitive soothing behaviours

Sexual behaviour or knowledge that is advanced or unusual

Reports sexual abuse

Emotional Abuse:

When a child is abused or harmed mentally or emotionally or in social development, is called emotional Abuse. Most often it is a behavioural change that cusses damage with the passage of time. 10.6% of adult’s report being emotionally abused as a child.

Emotional abuse can include:

Rejection/ignorance: when a child is being treated as unwanted, unloved, ignored, or unimportant. Most parent don’t listen to their problem or they will cuff off in conversation that really hurts the child feelings and disturb his mental and emotional health. Some time because of unattended a child shows rude behaviour and will be given names, he will be blamed, accused, criticised, punished. these all are the actions that makes a child to lose its Self-worth.

Corrupting: Engaging child in criminal acts, telling lies to justify actions or ideas, encouraging bad habits,

Terrorising: Accusing, blaming, insulting, punishing with or threatening, harm or death, manipulating, taking advantage of a child’s weakness, yelling without reason can also lead child to Emotional disturbance.

Isolating: Keeping high restriction on child keeping, restrict him from peers and positive activities,

Signs of emotional abuse in parent are

Ignores, criticises, yells at or blames child

Giving importance and affection with one sibling over another.

Stormy relationships with other adults, disrespect for authority

violence or abuse

Mental illness, use of Alcohol

Signs of emotional child abuse:

Physical:

Poor Development

Wetting bed, pants

Disorders in speaking

Health issues like ulcers, skin disorders

Obesity and losing weight

Behavioural:

Thumb Sucking, Nail biting,

Learning disabilities and slow developmental

Complaining again and again or defensive

Extreme aggression, withdrawal

Anxieties, phobias, sleep disorders

Destructive behaviour like stealing, cheating lying

Over age Behaviour or infantile

Negligence:

Neglecting a child can be in different ways. It can be when a parent or guardian shows more love and affection towards other child or cannot give proper time, or attention when it is needed for a child development. Child can be neglect in different ways Such as

Physical neglect

Emotional neglect

Medical neglect

Educational neglect

Physical Neglect:

A child is a very sensitive bud that need much care and supervision. A child must be provided with cloths, food, Clothing and safe shelter.

Examples of physical neglect:

Deserting a child or refusing to take custody of a child who is under your care

Leaving a child repeatedly in another’s custody for days or weeks at a time

Failing to provide enough healthy food or drink

Not providing clothes according to the weather

Failing to ensure appropriate personal hygiene

Poor supervision

Keeping the child with an inappropriate caretaker

Emotional Neglect:

A child requires lot of care and affection to feel loved and be safe. If he is not treated well or shows following signs, must be treated

Examples of emotional neglect:

Not giving proper affection and emotional support

Keeping a child separate from friends and loved ones

Revealing a child to extreme or violence

Permitting a child to use drugs, use alcohol, or engage in crime

Medical Neglect:

In some situation parent may be neglect the child’s need of medical treatment because of religious or social reasons that may lead the child to danger. A child much be provided and protective with appropriate medical care for any injury or illness. Even time to time a proper medical check-up will be beneficial for a child’s proper development.

Some medical negligence’s are:

Improper treatment or neglecting a child for any type of injury or illness.

Not providing preventative medical and dental care

Failing to follow medical recommendations for a child

Not following medical prescription properly

Educational Neglect:

Parents and schools share responsibility for making sure that children have access to opportunities for academic success.

Examples of educational neglect:

Allowing a child to miss too much school

Not enrolling a child in school (or not providing comparable home-based education)

Keeping a child from needed special education services

Signs of Child Neglect

There is no “smoking gun” for most child neglect. While even one instance of neglect can cause lifelong harm to a child, neglect often requires a pattern of behaviour over a period of time.

Signs in Child

Be careful if you observe these signs in your child

Inappropriate Clothing

Often hungry, stockpiles food, seeks food

Very low body weight, height for age

Tired, sleepy,

Hygiene problems, body odour

Talks about caring for younger siblings

Untreated medical and dental problems, incomplete immunisations

Incomplete homework, frequent changes of school

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