Child mistreatment is a problem prominent in our society today. Child maltreatment is reported in the United States over 17,000 each day. There are lasting impressions on children and adolescents that are exposed to this type of violence. Child mistreatment is a broad term and will be used to encompass a broad area including neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. First, child maltreatment will be defined as a social problem. Second, common risk factors of child maltreatment will be discussed. Finally, preventative action and solutions will be reviewed. This paper will show how child violence and mistreatment is a social problem and how this problem could possibly be solved or reduced.
First, child maltreatment is a social problem because …show more content…
Over 28 percent of cases that are reported come from individuals in the school system, such as teachers and principals. The only higher reporting individuals are law enforcement individuals. This creates a burden on educators to focus time and attention on possible cases of abuse instead of teaching children. Child maltreatment also puts a financial burden on United States tax payers. Child maltreatment cost the government $134.6 billion each year for services such as medical costs, paying law enforcement, etc. Over an abused child’s lifetime, one case of maltreatment can add up to $228,000. This creates a huge financial burden on the cash strapped government and tax payers (Nguyen 2014). One way to possibly deter these burdens from society is to find common risk factors common in child …show more content…
The age of the mother when giving birth is also a risk factor for child maltreatment, generally before the age of 24. Low income or lack of a father is also a risk factor. Two more risk factors include low educational attainment by the mother and the presence of 3 or more children in the household The level of food insecurity is also found to be a risk factor of abuse (Nguyen 2014). A risk factor that has a huge impact is if the mother of the child was abused herself. This tends to cause low self-control by the mother which is a major risk factor in child maltreatment. These risk factors tend to follow children for generations. The pattern of abuse is passed down and defining these risk factors could have a huge impact on breaking the series and ending child maltreatment. (Henschel et al.
First, child maltreatment is a social problem because …show more content…
Over 28 percent of cases that are reported come from individuals in the school system, such as teachers and principals. The only higher reporting individuals are law enforcement individuals. This creates a burden on educators to focus time and attention on possible cases of abuse instead of teaching children. Child maltreatment also puts a financial burden on United States tax payers. Child maltreatment cost the government $134.6 billion each year for services such as medical costs, paying law enforcement, etc. Over an abused child’s lifetime, one case of maltreatment can add up to $228,000. This creates a huge financial burden on the cash strapped government and tax payers (Nguyen 2014). One way to possibly deter these burdens from society is to find common risk factors common in child …show more content…
The age of the mother when giving birth is also a risk factor for child maltreatment, generally before the age of 24. Low income or lack of a father is also a risk factor. Two more risk factors include low educational attainment by the mother and the presence of 3 or more children in the household The level of food insecurity is also found to be a risk factor of abuse (Nguyen 2014). A risk factor that has a huge impact is if the mother of the child was abused herself. This tends to cause low self-control by the mother which is a major risk factor in child maltreatment. These risk factors tend to follow children for generations. The pattern of abuse is passed down and defining these risk factors could have a huge impact on breaking the series and ending child maltreatment. (Henschel et al.