The Issue of Child Abuse and Neglect for Children

Child abuse is a contemporary issue that the society should examine skeptically to end it. Child abuse can be avoided if the right measures and strategies are put in place. Various researchers have contributed to this topic widely. Child abuse can result in traumatic experiences in the lives of children who have been affected. Moreover, various types of child maltreatment take place in various parts of the world. To fully understand the issues well, there is a need to analyze the various research works that have been conducted (Tehrani, 2018). As already noted, child abuse should stop at all costs in a bid to avoid incidences of trauma arising as a result of maltreatment. Practitioners in the field require information expertise and more information on how to handle traumatic cases that arise as a result of child abuse (Cyr, Frappier, Hébert, Tourigny, McDuff, & Turcotte, 2018). Additionally, the topic of discussion is of relevance to the community in general as it enlightens the society on the dangers of condoning such a vice. All specialists in this particular field require all the necessary information to be able to determine the best interventions for people with such a disorder. Notably, different forms can consist of child abuse including physical, emotional, and even sexual abuse.

The different authors who have researched on the topic before have given their views and the possible interventions that counselors and psychologists can use to handle the problem. Children can be vulnerable in many aspects, and abusing to them can lead to traumatic issues, which can be challenging to handle. For instance, in a research conducted and presented by Kemoli and Mavindu (2014), there is a clear illustration of the topic and how it has harmful effects on an individual. The authors have presented their information in a more coherent way. In the article, the concept child abuse is defined as an incidence where harm is caused or a threat to cause harm to a child is posed by someone who should act as a caretaker (Kemoli, & Mavindu, 2014). The boy undergoing treatment at the hospital in the case study has swellings and feels pain due to a disorder that arose as a result of both physical and psychological scars that exist in the child. The study asserts that appropriate intervention measures were put in place to help the boy out of the problem. The authors have noted three key factors, which are considered to be contributing to trauma including poverty, sexual harassment, and social isolation (Burns, 2018). The article has contributed positively to the line of psychology as the experts can borrow information.

Another piece of work that has been done on the topic was conducted by Sarah (2015), which closely examines child abuse and the various types of traumatic experiences that children can undergo. They can result from physical injuries, psychological scars, sexual harassment, and neglect (Adlem, 2017). In the article, the researcher has stated that natural occurrences such as earthquakes, famine, and drought can lead to psychological trauma or physical implications to the life of a child. There are specific conditions that may arise as a result of psychological trauma in children. The most common complication a child is likely to develop is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It occurs in one after exposure to events that can be seen as threatening one’s life, causing injuries, or integrity of an individual. Further, the study confirms that for one’s condition to be termed as PTSD, there has to be enough evidence, which can include all symptoms observed for a period that is not less than one month (Hunter, Heise, & Johns, 2018). The author of the research has noted that there has been a decline in the number of cases that involve child abuse lately. The decrease is a good indication that the society is headed in the right direction. Additionally, the article asserts that the decrease can be attributed to improvements in the healthcare sector, direct prevention, economic advancements and even generational changes (Bratushevskaya, 2017). Moreover, strict legal policies that have been implemented and application of psychiatric medicine have all been helpful in reducing the impacts that are felt as a result of child abuse.

A study conducted by the US Human Health and Human Services in the year 1995 has indicated that child abuse victims have decreased. However, the negative part of it is that deaths about traumatic issues have consequentially increased (Ireland, & Huxley, 2018). Trauma can be hard to handle as it can change one’s behavior for worse. As indicated in the study, the PTSD that can arise as a result of trauma can be severe to the extent of causing death to one (Bonner, 2017). Trauma affects individuals depending on the levels of severity that it has reached. Counselors who seek to help people in the community should take note of this in the process. The limited ability in children to cope up with various stressing issues in life makes them vulnerable to their effects. Scenarios that are threatening to a child can make them develop traumatic disorders (Marriott, Hamilton‐Giachritsis, & Harrop, 2014). Psychologists who have specialized in this field should consider this research as a resourceful document in the process of solving various causes of trauma.

Notably, the United States Health and Human Services released a report on child maltreatment in 2011 (Greene, Chan, McCarthy, Wakschlag, & Briggs-Gowan, 2018). The report is useful to both individuals suffering from the problem and psychologists trying to solve various matters about trauma. Statistics released by the report indicate that child abuse is still a problem as it is affecting many (Conrad-Hiebner, & Byram, 2018). There is a need for experts in the psychological arena to consider all the necessary research that has been conducted before to provide the right intervention strategies for the patients. Fatalities due to trauma as a result of child abuse have increased, which poses a threat and necessitating for immediate action.

Sexual harassment and oppression for children can be termed as abuse. Any act that threatens the integrity or harms a child is unnecessary, and the psychologists in the world should try to find a long-lasting solution to the problem (Kumar, Bhagyalakshmi, & Foster, 2018). Abusing children can result in traumatic conditions, which in severe circumstances can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. The condition can be harmful to children to the extent of jeopardizing their health status. It is difficult for children to cope up with stress because of their brain development level. This makes them easily affected by any form of stress that affects their brain. Emotional difficulties and behavioral issues are the most certain notable characteristics of PTSD in children (Burton, Feeny, Connell, & Zoellner, 2018). Worse, post-traumatic disorders in children can lead to the development of other psychiatric disorders and complication that affect the normal functioning of the child’s body.

Harassing children sexually can be termed as an abuse since it is inhuman. Children who have undergone rape in their lives can develop PTSD. Sexual abuse involves any activity with a child who cannot give consent to anything that is happening (Banducci, Felton, Bonn-Miller, & Lejuez, 2018). It involves adults making sexual advances to children or forcing them into intimate acts against their will. Besides sexual abuse, a child can be emotionally abused by an adult in many different ways. Moreover, studies indicate that neglect and physical abuse are becoming common across many parts of the world. This necessitates the development of appropriate intervention programs for every child who is traumatic (Sandford, 2017). According to a study conducted by Wright (2015), sexual abuse and discrimination to a child can result in trauma. Counselors should advise their patients in a way that they encourage them. Resilience in children can be hard to realize due to the reduced ability to understand various issues in the society. This means that child abuse can be harmful and any circumstance that can expose a child to such scenarios should be avoided. Emotional abuse can include belittling, isolation, rejection and unnecessary socializations (Wright, 2015). Physical abuse can be attributed to injuries that leave scars to the child.

Educators and counselors should be aware of the impending dangers of the practice of abusing children (Jiloha, 2018). Trauma can lead to serious problems with the mental health of children, and there is a need for all educators to be alert and help raise the alarm whenever an incidence child abuse occurs (Deb, 2018). Poor performance in children can be as a result of psychological issues as a result of trauma. Most researchers on this topic have one common message for all counselors and educators, that is, to ensure that cases of child abuse are reduced as they derail cognitive development in children.

There are various impacts that child abuse can have on an individual. First, child abuse causes trauma, which leads to depression and low-self-esteem. Personal development for a person who has PTSD can be challenging as the disorder impacts make one feels low as a result of depression (Ullman, & Filipas, 2005). According to a study conducted by Frederick and Goddard (2010), children who have been abused before having difficulties in putting up with the rest in many environments (Ray, 2017). Moreover, abused children exhibit specific behavioral characteristics in school such examples include less engagement in social activities, negative view about their personalities and less resilience among their peers.

Second, cognitive developments in children become derailed as a result of abuse, which can lead to psychological trauma. Children usually are vulnerable to brain challenges as a result of trauma. Their brains do not easily cope up with high levels of stress meaning that any form of abuse to children can impact their cognitive developments negatively. Poor cognitive developments make it difficult for the child to learn basic behavioral aspects. Moreover, abused children have eating disorders and often experience difficulty in developing sleep due to depression. Child abuse is one problem that needs attention as there is need to reduce the effects associated with sexual, physical, emotional and psychological trauma (Maniglio, 2009).

Third, child abuse can lead to spread STI's and other infections. Sexual abuse is responsible for the spread of such infections. Additionally, persistent fear, dissociation, anxiety, and poor physical health are all effects that are notable in children who have been abused before. There is a need for the counselors to guide people suffering from trauma in the right way in a bid to help them. Child abuse is harmful and can influence one's life negatively as it causes stress.