Child Abuse

The topic that I have selected for the research paper is child abuse. My choice of topic was influenced by the continuous cases that are reported each year regarding child abuse from different parts of the country. Each state has established child abuse and neglect in its statutes and policies from which the child protective service agencies determine the appropriate response for allegations regarding maltreatments (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2014). However, cases of child abuse continue to be among social issues that lack permanent solutions in the United States. Statistics indicate that a total of 3.6 million cases of child abuse are reported to child protection agencies each year in the United States (National Child Abuse Hotline [NCAH]). These cases involve more than 6.6 million children because a single referral can involve multiple children. These figures are worrying because the effects of child abuse have been established and extensively published. According to the NCAH, state agencies recorded approximately 1,580 children died from child abuse and neglect in 2014, an average of four to five children on per day. A total of 702,000 victims were found culpable of child maltreatment in the same year. Basing on this statistics, it is evident that the rate of child abuse is still high despite the interventions that have been put in place making it a social issue of great concern that requires further research to identify the major causes, the best interventions, and the best approaches towards helping the victims of child abuse. 

Child abuse is a serious social issue because of its short term and long term effects. Child abuse affects the child’s health in a variety of ways. The many forms of child abuse that range from child neglect, physical maltreatment, sexual abuse, and psychological torture have been proved to affect the victims’ physical and mental health on short and long term basis. The consequences of child abuse can be categorized as physical, behavioral, societal, and psychological (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2013). Children who are abused at an early age are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases and deterred metal development as compared to those children who are brought up in appropriate social environment. According to the Center of Disease and Control and Prevention (2016), child abuse affects children’s brain ability to function normally which consequently reduces their cognitive abilities and other emotional health consequences. Traumas are also some of the consequences that arise from physical abuse that affect the victims’ health. The psychological consequences of child abuse include development of psychiatric disorders. Previous studies indicate that close to eighty percent of young adults who abused record one psychiatric disorder at the age of twenty-one which vary from suicidal tendencies, eating disorders, depression and anxiety (CDCP, 2016). The CDCP (2016) also established that child abuse is likely to impact negatively on the behavior of the victims increasing the probability of engaging in socially unacceptable behaviors like drug abuse and alcoholism, smoking, and high risk of engaging in premature sexual behaviors. Abused children also stand a higher probability of abusing marijuana and other illicit drugs as compared to those who are raised in good environments. It is frustrating to experience child abuse. The frustrations in turn contribute to delinquency and poor academic performance. Economic consequences of child abuse are those that emanate from special healthcare services to  deal with challenges attributed by child abuse. 

References

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Child Abuse and Neglect: Consequences. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childmaltreatment/consequences.html

Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2013). Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect. Retrieved from https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/longtermconsequences.pdf

National Child Abuse Hotline. Child Abuse Statistics & Facts.  Retrieved from https://www.childhelp.org/child-abuse-statistics/

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2014). Child Maltreatment. Retrieved from https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/cm2014.pdf 2014 

Research Paper – Topic Rubric Template (Based on 90 point total)