Child Abuse Epidemic
In January, officers responded to the scene of a crime in Mesa, Arizona. Here, they found a three-year-old child stuffed in a garbage bag in a closet and surrounded by feces. Her mouth, arms, hands and legs were tied with duct tape. The young girl was malnourished and had been offered to men for sex. Her small, helpless body was abundant in blisters, scars and bruises. What did that innocent baby girl have to endure for the three years before someone finally said something? Where were Child protective services? In many cases, child abuse is overlooked and even ignored. What happens to these children and how can they be better protected? Everyone needs to be educated and combine in a group effort to save abused children. …show more content…
Many people lack the facts, therefor they believe that the US is adequately handling child abuse. So, what are the facts? In 2005, about 3.3 million referrals were made to CPS or other agencies. Of those referrals, 899,000 children were confirmed victims. This means that 12 out of every 1000 children in the US under 18 were victims. 61.7 percent of these referrals came from mandatory reporters such as doctors, teachers and law officials. This means people see the abuse all the time and don’t report it because they aren’t mandated to do so. But there’s more… Did you know there are three times more children that are maltreated than are actually reported to Child Protective Services? Let’s also consider the children Child Protective Services let slip through their fingers following up on those 3.3 million referrals. These numbers are mortifying, and change is …show more content…
I would like to point out that most children who die from abuse are under three. In a lot of cases this means the abuser is new to having a child. As an example, shaken baby syndrome is caused by a person shaking an infant or toddler and causing head injury. Shaken baby syndrome is often times fatal and very common. A person who is not typically abusive may lose their patience with a child and in a brief lapse of judgement kill their own child. When new parents are expecting, it should be mandatory to get educated on child development and how to handle the situations that arise with children. This education should continue until the child is at least three years of age. Getting children through the first years of life is a key factor in helping this cause.
What should the bystanders do? They should report every case of child abuse to CPS that they are fully aware of. Neighbors, friends, teachers, everyone is responsible to report abuse and keep abused children safe. If the case is dismissed and the abuse does not cease they should continue reporting until their voice is heard. It cases where appropriate bystanders should call local law enforcement. Even if there is nothing immediate the law official can do, they can intervene and make documentation that can be later used. Everyday people are the ones who have the biggest impact on helping abused
In January, officers responded to the scene of a crime in Mesa, Arizona. Here, they found a three-year-old child stuffed in a garbage bag in a closet and surrounded by feces. Her mouth, arms, hands and legs were tied with duct tape. The young girl was malnourished and had been offered to men for sex. Her small, helpless body was abundant in blisters, scars and bruises. What did that innocent baby girl have to endure for the three years before someone finally said something? Where were Child protective services? In many cases, child abuse is overlooked and even ignored. What happens to these children and how can they be better protected? Everyone needs to be educated and combine in a group effort to save abused children. …show more content…
Many people lack the facts, therefor they believe that the US is adequately handling child abuse. So, what are the facts? In 2005, about 3.3 million referrals were made to CPS or other agencies. Of those referrals, 899,000 children were confirmed victims. This means that 12 out of every 1000 children in the US under 18 were victims. 61.7 percent of these referrals came from mandatory reporters such as doctors, teachers and law officials. This means people see the abuse all the time and don’t report it because they aren’t mandated to do so. But there’s more… Did you know there are three times more children that are maltreated than are actually reported to Child Protective Services? Let’s also consider the children Child Protective Services let slip through their fingers following up on those 3.3 million referrals. These numbers are mortifying, and change is …show more content…
I would like to point out that most children who die from abuse are under three. In a lot of cases this means the abuser is new to having a child. As an example, shaken baby syndrome is caused by a person shaking an infant or toddler and causing head injury. Shaken baby syndrome is often times fatal and very common. A person who is not typically abusive may lose their patience with a child and in a brief lapse of judgement kill their own child. When new parents are expecting, it should be mandatory to get educated on child development and how to handle the situations that arise with children. This education should continue until the child is at least three years of age. Getting children through the first years of life is a key factor in helping this cause.
What should the bystanders do? They should report every case of child abuse to CPS that they are fully aware of. Neighbors, friends, teachers, everyone is responsible to report abuse and keep abused children safe. If the case is dismissed and the abuse does not cease they should continue reporting until their voice is heard. It cases where appropriate bystanders should call local law enforcement. Even if there is nothing immediate the law official can do, they can intervene and make documentation that can be later used. Everyday people are the ones who have the biggest impact on helping abused