Child Abuse: An Analysis
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The purpose of this report is to examine the problem of child abuse. The report will define the problem in its various manifestations, the characteristics of abuse, the behaviors exhibited by abused children, what can be done to identify such children and those at risk for becoming victims of abuse, and effective intervention strategies using by members of the counseling and social service professions. The problem is of significance in that, according to Baron and Byrne (2000), a total of 2.7 million cases of child mistreatment - activities that harm children either physically or psychologically - occur each year in the United States. Such maltreatment can involve physical abuse, sexual abuse, physical or emotional neglect, and psychological abuse. There is more than one type of child abuse and children are often abused in many different ways. Child abuse is a blanket term for four types of child mistreatment: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect (Baker, 1999). The Child Protective Services Agency in the State of Texas (Legal definitions ofà, 2002) defines child abuse as including acts or omissions by any person leading to mental or emotional injury to a child that results in material and observable impairment in the child's growth, development, or psychological functioning. This definition incorporates recognition of the presence of physical injury, mental or emotional injury,
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peutic medical or psychological interventions. Many abused and neglected children experience life-long physical or psychological problems as a consequence of their abuse.
The effects of child abuse on its victims, according to Baker (1999), can be both life-threatening and long-lasting. Many victims of child abuse fail to develop normally, are at risk for academic failure or dropout, are vulnerable to other risk-taking behaviors, and potentially likely to become abusive adults (Baker, 1999).
Thus, early identification and intervention are seen as necessary to provide for the short-term and long-term safety and security of the child abuse victim. Further, intervention that assists the abusive parent or responsible caretaker in eliminating the abusive behavior can be extremely important in maintaining family integrity (Baker, 1999).
There is a body of theory supported by empirical evidence that suggests that instances of child maltreatment involve socio-cultural factors as well as caregiver-based variables. Peterson and Brown (1994) developed an integrative model of child maltreatment that proposed three sets of variables as likely to combine to facilitate an increased risk of child abuse. Sociocultural variables conta
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Approximate Word count = 2004
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)
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