*Old and unedited research assignment from freshman year in college*
Abstract
The purpose of
this paper is to discuss the problem of child abuse in the Midwest
and to defend the most plausible solution. Effects of child abuse are the
following psychological problems, social problems, sexual problems, physical
complaints, eating disorders, denial and repression, re-experiencing, and
over-irritation. The causes of child abuse are the following individual-related
factors, family-related factors, and social and cultural factors. The most
plausible solution to child abuse includes three levels of prevention: primary,
secondary, and tertiary. Two reasons exist for the inferiority of this package
solution: abusive parents are not always caught, and abusers are not parents.
Four reasons exist for the superiority of this package solution: parental
support groups, cost-effective education programs, effective for all ages, and
fewer false accusations.
Joey’s
[surname not given] story is particularly morbid. Joey was sexually abused
beginning on Christmas Day at seven years old. The abuse came from both his
mother and stepfather. The tragedy started when Joey’s stepfather told the
excited boy he had some “special gifts hidden in the bathroom” (Child Abuse, p.
1). Joey ran electrified and blissfully into the bathroom. His stepfather
slammed the door behind them and raped the innocent child.
Joey
is currently receiving treatment and therapy at Tennyson Center Midwest who are abused or neglected on
average every year (Child Welfare League of America, p. 1). The purpose of this
paper is to discuss the problem of child abuse in the Midwest
and to defend the most plausible solution.
Effects
of child abuse present themselves in eight variations. Those effects are the
following psychological problems, social problems, sexual problems, physical
complaints, eating disorders, denial and repression, re-experiencing, and
over-irritation. These effects can break further into two different groups.
These effects can be grouped into the minor effects and the major effects. The
minor effects of child abuse are the following sexual problems, physical
complaints, over-irritation, denial and repression, and re-experiencing. A
recent study (2002) indicated that minor effects of child abuse are rarely
reported. Sexual problems are reported but kept secret and out of the hands of
the general public. Physical complaints, over-irritation, denial and
repression, and re-experiencing are all effects that are minimally documented
(Child Welfare League of America, p. 1). These four effects are dealt with on
personal levels. Victims do not often consult doctors. Therefore, the minor
effects of child abuse are sketchy on supporting evidence and dealt with personally
instead of professionally.
The first major
effect of child abuse is psychological problems. The child fights fears and
panic attacks, struggles with sleeping problems and wrestles nightmares, the
child also battles irritability. The child exhibits outbursts of anger and
sudden shock reactions when being touched. The child has minute confidence and
minuscule self-esteem. Unfortunately the child brawls with behavior that harms
the body: addiction to alcohol and other substances, excessive work or sports,
depression, self-destruction and prostitution. Therefore, the first effect of
child abuse is psychological abuse.
The
second major effect of child abuse is social problems. Victims display little
confidence in other people. Victims display fear of loss of control in
relationships. Victims are always in
need of controlling all situations. Victims feel that if they do not have
control they are being taken advantage of. Therefore, the second effect of
child abuse is social problems.
The
third major effect of child abuse is eating disorders. In reaction to a harmful
event patients become disordered for more than a month in such a way that they
cannot go to school or work and isolate themselves or experience some
posttraumatic stress syndrome. This
disorder originates in reaction to a very harmful event and has three
characteristic symptoms. Denial and
repression alternating with re-experiencing, and they are always over
irritated. Therefore, the fifth effect
of child abuse is eating disorders.
The
causes of child abuse can grouped into three different factors. Although six
different varieties of child abuse exist, all hold these three special types as
subcategories. Wiehe (1996) specified them as “individual-related factors,
family-related factors, and social and cultural factors” (p. 48). The first
cause is individual-related factors. Bullies in schools, bullies in the
neighborhood, or even bullies in the house are classified within
individual-related factors. Psychological abuse victims are,
perhaps, in the most need for aid and help. If a person is able to break into
an individual’s psyche, it is possible to devastate and manipulate that person’s
thoughts and mind beyond any word description. Wiehe (1996) spoke of the
individual factors as a scenario where the children emulate the parent’s
actions. In a family, if the parental figures repress emotion, they may, in
turn, encourage their children to develop a related style of conduct (p. 58).
Miller (1983) added that parents may display unresponsiveness to children’s
emotional needs. The child most often responds to the parent’s “denial of
emotions by feeling unloved and unwanted” (p. 37). Therefore,
individual-related factors constitute the first cause.
Family-related
factors, the second cause of child abuse, are more impacting than those
individual-related, and social and cultural factors. Family-related factors
would include divorce, insufficient finances, transportation to employment
problems, lack of quality time spent with the child, and an inadequate or
dysfunctional support system. Fontana
(1976) made a statement that is as true now as it was the moment he penned it:
“There are parental attitudes as damaging as a push down the stairs or a
command to stay ‘the hell out of the house’ because mother’s got company” (p.
50). The words spoken by a parent to a child are capable of producing more
psychological damage than people could ever dare to dream – they are cuts with
imperceptible marks, marks that become perceivable as the youngster grows into
maturity.
Psychologically,
a mother’s words can greatly influence a child’s outlook on the entire world.
If a mother said, “Come to me. Daddy is a beast. But mommy loves you.” A
thought such as that can plant terrible seeds in the soil of the young person’s
mind. Fontana
further exemplified “‘…if you don’t stop that, I’ll break your arm!’ The arm
may never get broken, but the rage and hostility find their target” (1976, p.
51). Harsh words twist and frighten children’s minds. Harsh words cause
paranoia, paranoia causes insecurities, insecurities produce unhealthy relationships, and unhealthy
relationships turn life into a nightmare. Psychologically, more so than
physically and sexually, young people are vulnerable to a permanent scar that
may not be seen but suffered until the end of their age. Righthand et al.
(2003) declared that verbal abuse from parent to child such as “swearing at,
insulting, and being verbally aggressive” has proven to have ruthlessly
negative psychosocial repercussions for that child or children involved (p.
21). Therefore, family-related factors constitute the second cause.
The
third cause of child abuse is social and cultural related factors. Garbrino and
Vondra (1987) mentioned that social and cultural factors include stress and
sex-role stereotypes. Parents may be so overwhelmed with problems and stresses
in their own lives that they fail to be sensitive to their children. Parents
may not meet the emotional needs of their children. This may result in
children’s feeling rejected and unwanted. For example, a child’s father arrives
home from a stressful day of work. Upon entering the door, his little boy comes
running up with a paper clenched in his tiny fist. Hysterically leaping to show
his father the first perfect spelling test score, his father physically shoves
the child out of the path. Sitting down in his chair, the father flips the
television on. The child stands up and runs to his father again. Battling the
television for his father sole attention, the boy eclipses the screen. His
father yells, “Boy, get out of the way. I don’t care about your meaningless
spelling test! Go, grab me a drink.” The child’s head and heart drop as he
walks away. “Stress factors associated with this form of emotional abuse may
include too large a family, inadequate financial resources, parental drug and
alcohol abuse, as well as a general climate in the family in which there is an
absence of emotional support” (p. 26). Therefore, stress is a main aspect of
social and cultural factors of child maltreatment.
Sex-role
stereotypes are another example of social and cultural factors. Treating
children differently on the basis of gender
may result in psychological maltreatment. Parental beliefs and expectations
about gender-appropriate behavior may influence the way parents treat children,
with the result that children are not allowed to develop to their full
potential. For example, a Jewish father refuses to allow his athletic son to
play varsity sports such as football or basketball because the Friday night and
Saturday games break their religious observation of Sabbath. Also, a single
mother refuses to permit her daughter to get involved in extracurricular
activities (such as basketball, track or cheerleading) because they are not
lady-like behavior. Wiehe (1996) stated, “Parents may be reinforced in these
beliefs and practices by religious and cultural values, as well as by the
differential way in which genders are portrayed in the public media” (p. 60).
Therefore, social and cultural factors constitute the third cause of child
abuse.
The
most plausible solution to child abuse is a package plan. It includes three
levels of prevention: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Under these three
levels, the plan includes a thorough educational intervention for children of
all ages, a follow-up effort by school and city/state officials to work as safe
and personal counseling role, an effort to change the already existing laws
pertaining to child abuse and its consequences, and popular programs and music
to teach children more about abuse. A large issue facing the child abuse
problem is that it is difficult to know when the abuse occurred. Human beings
are exceptionally skilled at hiding their serious issues – masking their
problems. Child abuse is not simple to prevent. Intervention can always happen
despite the level of abuse or length of time. Thus, there are three different
levels of prevention for child abuse.
The
first element of prevention is evade child abuse and neglect from occurring.
The enactment of various public policies relevant to children’s health and
welfare are viewed as examples of primary prevention. A child’s years in school
provide an opportunity for primary prevention efforts. A program
called “Bubbylonian Encounter” is a three-puppet play displayed in schools
intended to inform children of abuse. The solution includes a few adaptations
that have proven effective for past victims. Therefore, the first element of
prevention is to educate children of child abuse.
Secondary
efforts are taken to relieve parents of stress if child maltreatment has
already become a factor in the family. Day care is considered a secondary
effort. Parents that suffer from overwhelming feelings of stress – caused by
waiting on their children all the day – strongly considered day care. Since
stress is a significant factor associated with the occurrence of child physical
and psychological maltreatment, prenatal support programs by hospitals and
public health clinics are set-up to all parents. Aimed at the expectant teenage
parents these clinics are opened to all parents. They set up program goals that
prepare participants for parental roles and enhancing bonding between parents
and children. Therefore, the second element to the prevention plan of child
abuse is childcare and clinical programs.
Tertiary
prevention aims at helping the child and even parents after abuse has occurred.
This prevention method focuses further on limiting the impact of the problem on
victims and their families. An example of a tertiary prevention operation is
childcare centers for children who have experienced prior maltreatment. Parents
can receive treatment through tertiary prevention organizations. Agencies are
set up all round the nation with treatment programs for parents such as abusive
mothers, emphasizing nurturing skills. For abusive parents, Parents Anonymous
(P.A.) and anger control groups are set up. These assemblies are proven very
effective for those who have given them a chance. Therefore, the third element
is preventing child abuse from impacting victims too drastically.
Two
reasons exist for the inferiority of this package solution of group counseling, education and reformation of law
and its execution. The first reason is that the hand of justice does not always
slap all abusive parents. According to Righthand (2003), never brought in front
of a judge and convicted, the responsibility is on the shoulders of the parents
to realize the problem. The responsibility is on the shoulders of the parents
to seek help. The responsibility is on the shoulders of the parents to do what
is most suitable for the child (p. 57). Therefore, parents not caught for
abusive actions constitutes the first weakness.
The
second reason is that not all victims are abused by their parents. In March
1996, a survey was taken for prison inmates. Studies showed that one in five
inmates serving in a state prison due to violent crimes committed the crime on
a child under age eighteen. A vast majority of child victimizers in state
prisons in the Midwest knew the victim prior
to the abuse. “A third had committed a crime against their own child. A half of
them had a relationship with the victim such as a friend, acquaintance, or even
relative. About one in seven were complete strangers with the victim” (p. 1)
Roughly two-thirds of child abuse crimes were not committed by the parents of
the abuse victim (Federal Bureau of Justice, p. 1). Therefore, not knowing
precisely who the abuser is constitutes the second weakness.
However,
three reasons exist for the superiority of this package solution of groups,
education, and reformulation of law and its execution. The first reason is that
support groups provided for parents that abused their child give the adult a
sense of company. Parents Anonymous (2005) reported meetings give the parent
abusers a support group. In a world of fear and cold heartedness, the parents are
surrounded with nonjudgmental peers that have experienced similar problems.
Parents Anonymous allows for parents to open up without fear and discuss their
ongoing problems. Parents Anonymous strengthens families by preventing and treating
child abuse. Parents Anonymous decreases the probability for other social
problems to occur such as “juvenile delinquency,
crime, emotional and developmental problems, substance abuse, poor academic
performance, homelessness, and unemployment” (p. 1). Sitting down with a
counselor is overwhelming for an abusive parent. Allowing psychoanalysis of
thoughts in a one-on-one setting tends to bottle up parents. Comfort helps
parents open up and express testimonies of wrong action. Comfort contributes to
confessions in a group setting by nearly 60% more than having parents sit with
only a psychoanalyst alone (Parents Anonymous, p. 1). Therefore, support
programs for parents constitute the first strength.
The
second reason is having educational programs in school or touring to schools is
a cheap way to open the mind’s eye of a child living in ignorance. Taxpayers in
a district already pay for the public schools to be running. The cash needed
for these programs to begin and continue would come not only from the local
taxpayers but also from state and federal educational boards. Since funding for
the programs will not live in a single district the support of a nation is more
powerful than that of an individual. Socrates was correct when he stated,
“Knowledge is power.” Where people live does not matter – ignorance is never
bliss. Knowledge fuels change, change institutes revival, revival saves lives,
and saved lives change the world. Bridgeland (1996) and Price (2001) addressed Missouri and Michigan
schools started programs that allow high school health classes to devote an
entire unit of time to briefing teenagers on child abuse. Missouri
and Michigan
schools open the mind’s eye for many children to understand child abuse more
thoroughly (59, 36) Therefore, educational programs for children constitute the
second strength.
The
third reason is changes in legislation would allow fewer false accusations of
child abuse. Informing people through lectures, news and media, or classes
about child abuse would help the public understand the laws about abuse and
help prevent false claims being filed. CNN (1999) broadcasted a Minneapolis family fled to
prevent their child from being taken by authorities. To social workers, Wally
and Debby Hines were abusive parents that beat their infant son until his bones
broke. The Hines’s, however, are victims of misunderstanding. The Hines’s
one-year-old son has a rare brittle bone disease. The child was taken from the
family and put into a temporary foster care. While with the foster care he was
diagnosed by doctors to have brittle bones disease. While at the hospital and
foster care facility, he broke bones. His parents were not abusers. His parents
were misunderstood and falsely accused. Jenkins (1997) reported, “Of all child abuse
reports made in the United
States …only two percent are deliberately
false.” That still translate into tens of thousands of phony accusations every
year due to misunderstandings. For families involved, results can be
devastating. In Cass County ,
Nebraska
If
this solution is not put into practice, more families will have to suffer the
loss of their children. False claims will take more children and cause
suffering similar to the Timm family and Hines family. Ignorance has caused
more difficulties than benefits to children. If this solution is not put into
practice, more families will see their children carried in police cars and kept
from parental nurturing love.
To
return to the story that began this paper, Joey has shown that he is a good
learner and has an enormous memory. He also stepped into leadership in his
school. Joey’s dream is to someday connect with a wonderful foster family.
White (1958) wrote “a pure, healthy life is most favorable…for the development
of the powers of mind and body” (p. 125). Pure and healthy relationships are
most constructive for the advancement of the powers of mind and body.
References
Bridgeland,
W. M., & Duane, E. A. (1996). Child-abuse policy in Ontario
and Michigan :
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Child Welfare League of America (n.d.). Facts 2002.
Retrieved April 1, 2005, from
http://www.cwla.org/programs/juvenilejustice/jjdfacts2002.htm.
CNN.
(1999, August 20). Family flees to prevent authorities from taking their
son. Retrieved March 4, 2005, from
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Federal
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