The Effects of Child Abuse

             According to William A. Check, "When an innocent, vulnerable child is brutalized by a person that he or she may love or trust, child abuse occurs" (13). Child abuse is the mistreatment of a child by a parent or another adult. This occurs when an authority figure allows a child to suffer through external or internal bruises, burns, fractures, wounds, brain damage, poisoning, or anything that will result in permanent injury or death. Child abuse is broken down into four categories: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and child neglect, and failure to thrive (Check, 16). Physical abuse happens when an angry or frustrated parent strikes, shakes, throws a child, or reacts in any way that causes intentional physical injury. On the other hand, sexual abuse is the involvement of an adult with a child in performing any form of sexual activity without the child's proper consent. In emotional abuse and child neglect, the child is shouted at and verbally abused. Finally, failure to thrive is a type of neglect with young infants, in which the child suffers and fails to develop appropriate mental and emotional skills. It is important to identify the causes of child abuse in order to prevent any child from becoming a victim.
             Over the years, views about the cause of child abuse have changed. Many people believe that abused children grow up to be abusive adults. However, research has shown that not all abused children grow up to become abusers (Zigler, 454). Child abuse has many causes. Zigler believes that stress is one cause of child abuse because "parents who are unemployed, very isolated, or under great stress for other reasons are more likely to abuse their children than parents who do not have such problems. In addition children
             who are difficult to care for, such as premature infants and handicapped children, create more stress for parents" (454-455). Unwanted pregnancy is another cause of ...

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The Effects of Child Abuse. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 01:57, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/6734.html