Witnessing and Reporting Child Abuse
Witnessing and Reporting Child Abuse According to the National Children's Advocacy Center, almost three million cases of suspected child abuse and neglect are reported each year. That is nearly one child every ten seconds. A survey conducted by Children's Institute International found that about one-fourth of people in the United States has witnessed child abuse. Despite that alarming statistic, one-third of those people have reported the incident that they witnessed. There are several reasons that people put in this type of situation might give for not reporting this terrible crime that they have witnessed. Sometimes, people are afraid to report abuse or neglect because they do not want to break up a family. Sometimes, people are afraid to get involved in someone else's problem (Witnessing, 20). In fact, a recent study conducted by Prevent Child Abuse America found that 57% of people did not report because they "didn't think it was any of their business". Others gave the excuse that they did not know what the right response would be, while still others thought that they might be overreacting (Witnessing, 21) Despite the fact that many people do not report abusive behavior that they have witnessed there are several g
While reporting laws are usually clear about who is required to report suspected maltreatment, they are often vague about exactly what kinds of injuries or behaviors should be reported. In many states, these people are: doctors, nurses, dentists, mental health professionals, social workers, teachers, day care workers, and law enforcement personnel (Petit, 35). A caretaker who abuses a child often: uses harsh disciplinary actions, describes child in a negative manner consistently, is defensive, and conceals a child's injuries. The reason for this is that many local statuettes define abuse and neglect in broad terms or not at all. NeglectNeglected children may exhibit: developmental lags, unresponsive behavior, substance abuse, school absences, constant fatigue, or apathy. Emotional AbuseA child suffering from emotional abuse may exhibit: speech disorders, sleep disorders, apathy, suicidal tendencies, withdrawal, anxiety, fear, habit disorders, poor relationships, or behavioral extremes. Conditions that are specifically mentioned range from serious physical injuries to vaguely defined mental injuries and neglect (Clark, 189). Other indicators of neglect could include lack of: supervision, adequate clothing, medical, or dental care, proper hygiene, or adequate nutrition. For this reason, widespread efforts are underway in many areas to provide training to those who work with children on a regular basis (Clark, 190). As you can see, there is very little consistency in how different states handle suspected abuse cases. One of the downfalls of this legislation is that, unfortunately, many individuals who are in positions which would allow them to be the first to identify and report abuse lack adequate training in detection and reporting of suspected abuse and neglect. Since, as future teachers, we will all be responsible for keeping our eyes open for and reporting suspected child abuse among our students, it is important to know the warning signs and things to look for. follow up on every report with face to face interviews. screen out many reports by telephone without investigation. Adults who have abused or neglected a child have many places to turn for help (Reporting Child Abuse).
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