“It did perversely happen in eight and a half cases out of ten, either that it sickened from want and cold, or fell into the fire from neglect, or got half-smothered by accident…”(Dickens 26). As stated in Oliver Twist, child abuse during the Victorian Era was a frequent yet terrible form of cruelty. Child abuse is usually given by a parent or caregiver intentionally to harm a child physically, sexually, emotionally, or through neglect. Unfortunately, this epidemic is still commonly found regardless of various peoples’ numerous efforts to prevent it. Child abuse in the Victorian Era still bears some similarities to child abuse now, such as it being physical and emotional. Yet new laws and organizations have caused the two time-frames to have
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For instance, Child Protective Services is a state wide government funded organization that's sole purpose is to protect children from child abuse and neglect. It has assisted millions of adolescents across the United States by performing thorough investigations whenever a report is sent to them. Without this any child protection organization existing at the time, children being abused during the nineteenth century had no one to ask for help. Along with this, two-hundred years ago police almost always sided with the parent or elder person rather than the younger child. “‘Young wretch!’ said one woman. ‘Go home, do, you little brute,’ said the other. ‘I am not,’ replied Oliver, greatly alarmed… ‘Only hear him, how he braves it out!’ cried the young woman” (142). As stated in the text, people of the Victorian Era, whether they be normal civilians or policemen, usually sided with older people and tended to take them more seriously. Luckily, however, policemen today seem to have no bias towards people of different ages. New laws have also been recently established in order to guarantee the safest conditions for children being mistreated. During three court cases spanning from 1923 to 1982, the Court held that the removal of parental rights is necessary for the protection of children being abused (“Child Protective Services - HISTORICAL OVERVIEW, CURRENT SYSTEM,” 2010). Each advancement that people make in preventing child abuse brings society one step closer in ridding the world of this common social
For instance, Child Protective Services is a state wide government funded organization that's sole purpose is to protect children from child abuse and neglect. It has assisted millions of adolescents across the United States by performing thorough investigations whenever a report is sent to them. Without this any child protection organization existing at the time, children being abused during the nineteenth century had no one to ask for help. Along with this, two-hundred years ago police almost always sided with the parent or elder person rather than the younger child. “‘Young wretch!’ said one woman. ‘Go home, do, you little brute,’ said the other. ‘I am not,’ replied Oliver, greatly alarmed… ‘Only hear him, how he braves it out!’ cried the young woman” (142). As stated in the text, people of the Victorian Era, whether they be normal civilians or policemen, usually sided with older people and tended to take them more seriously. Luckily, however, policemen today seem to have no bias towards people of different ages. New laws have also been recently established in order to guarantee the safest conditions for children being mistreated. During three court cases spanning from 1923 to 1982, the Court held that the removal of parental rights is necessary for the protection of children being abused (“Child Protective Services - HISTORICAL OVERVIEW, CURRENT SYSTEM,” 2010). Each advancement that people make in preventing child abuse brings society one step closer in ridding the world of this common social