http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Mo1V4XAni8&feature=youtu.be

Argumentative Essay

Child Abuse throughout the United States

Why would someone abuse a defenseless child? When will the abuse stop? “Help me!” This is the plea of many children in America. Children being forced to deal with things that most of us would never imagine in our worst nightmares. Violence has unfortunately become a common occurrence of today's society. Everywhere we turn, all we see are visions of violence shown as solutions to problems. Parents and other caregivers abusing young children that they are supposed to love. Child abuse has grown more and more rapidly over the years. Innocent children bruised and beaten to death for reasons that are unjustifiable. On the news, in the papers, everywhere you hear about newborns and kids being beat to death. After conducting research and observing common situations I was able to see the causes and effects of physical and mental child abuse, enabling me to conclude that child abuse is a serious matter and that authorities need to step up and make an attempt to help the issue at hand before it gets worse.

There are four primary types of child abuse: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect. Physical abuse is when a parent or caretaker harms a child by hitting, shaking, pushing, or throwing a child. Sexual abuse is any sexual act between an adult and a child, including both touching and non-touching acts. Emotional abuse is when children are constantly shamed, humiliated, or terrorized by the use of words to attack, hurt or injure someone.  Neglect is a pattern of failing to provide for a child’s basic needs (Child Abuse and Neglect 2).The ones doing this to these innocent children have no logical explanation for their actions, yet they only get a short sentence. No matter what their sentence, nothing can compare to their actions. The neglect and the physical, sexual, and emotional abuse can never be taken away.

Children grow up thinking that everything their parents do is right. The problem is when these children are abused they do not learn that it is the wrong thing to do, and will be more likely to abuse their children. Parents who don’t know how to handle stress will often lash out, and become abusive to their children (Compton’s 1).Stress can be brought on from a variety of places. Common stress factors are unemployment, illness, drug abuse, poor housing, larger than average family size, death, or the presence of a new baby. A large number of cases of child abuse come from families living in poverty. Wealthier families have an easier time hiding child abuse because they don’t have as much contact with social agencies. Social workers, physicians, and others who report child abuse have an unfair tendency to label kids from poor families as being abused quicker than wealthy families (Child Abuse and Neglect 2).

While conducting my research I found a map that explained the ratings throughout the United Sates on child maltreatment deaths over the years 2005-2006. The map showed the sixteen states with more than the average number of maltreatment deaths.  Each year, the Administration for Children and Families (AFC) publishes a report. The map illustrated that South Carolina was very close to being in the top sixteen. You could tell this because of where South Carolina was located. South Carolina was located in between several other states that placed the top sixteen. Through the graph and map you could conclude that there were 2.04 deaths per 100,000 children in 2006. Texas had the highest rate at 3.97 per 100,000. However, in 2007 as shown on the table, child maltreatment deaths had increased to 2.35 per 100,000 children, on average. The rankings had also changed. Kentucky had the highest fatality rate at 4.08 per 100,000 children (Our times).In conclusion, you can infer that the child maltreatment deaths are going to continue to rise over the next few years if nothing is done.

Many people do not consider the emotional and mental tolls that child abuse has on a child throughout their life. After doing some online research, I discovered that child abuse can severely affect an individual both physically and emotionally because it consumes every aspect of their life. Therefore, due to this research, I came to a conclusion that individuals do not realize that the abuser should not be the only one held accountable for the repeating occurrences of child abuse (Morton). So I ask the question, “Who should be held responsible for the repeating occurrences of child abuse?”

The scene was horrific. The courtroom was silent as the coroner listed the injuries, one after another. It was impossible to believe that one person could have survived the blows to nearly every part of the body. Especially because it was all done to a ten-year-old girl. A lengthy listing of her injuries included a fracture at the top of the skull, a gash on the top of the head seven inches long by four inches wide, bone deformities on the hip and arm and a fractured shoulder blade. The girl's stepmother was charged with murder. The courts charged her father, but he hung himself in jail shortly after his arrest (Tondrowski).

Of course this is an extreme case of child abuse, and it is often not this severe. However, no matter how severe the case, these tragedies will be carried with the children for the rest of their lives. Although, not all child abuse is deliberate or intended, child abuse effects how the victims feel and what they do years later. Children who suffer abuse have a much greater chance of being arrested; suffer from poor self esteem, social withdrawal, and insecurity.

So, why is child abuse not reported before innocent children are hurt or killed? Frequently identified reasons for not reporting are lack of knowledge about child abuse, fear they will make the situation worse, afraid to get involved, or they believe that someone else will speak up. Although these feelings are understandable and it can be frightening to respond to suspected child abuse, the consequences of not reporting could be seriously detrimental to a child’s safety. In some cases, they might even be life threatening. Protecting children from abuse and neglect is a community responsibility. Most adults want to help children and their families, but are unsure how to get involved. Often, it can be as simple as helping out a neighbor who needs a break by watching his or her child for a few hours. At other times, you may have more serious worries or suspicions that a child may have already been harmed or neglected (American Humane Association). It is the responsibility of all individuals and community members to respond to the suspected maltreatment of any child. Trust your instincts. Child abuse is very dangerous and should be stopped. There should be stronger consequences for parents or relatives who abuse their children. People in the United States should feel safe and should always be protected (Califano) !

One article, “Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect: Who is Responsible?” by Rashida Brown provides details explaining how the U.S. needs people to report the neglect and child abuse that is going on in their community. She claimed that, individuals are constantly wondering who’s at fault, yet they do nothing to make sure the situation never happens again (Brown).Brown develops this claim by exploring the acts that are currently taking action. She describes the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, explaining how they asked all states to make new policies, procedures, and laws for child abuse and neglect. Lastly, the author gave statistics to show the severity of this issue across the United States. Rashida Brown’s purpose was to show citizens that instead of pointing fingers at whose fault this issue is, they should be out there trying to do something about it.

Child Protective Services (CPS) does not provide safety, permanence, or the wellbeing for children.  CPS gets more than 60,000 referrals on child abuse each week and is not able to correctly give each child what they need. Citizens are beginning to recognize the impact of child abuse that can be shown later in life (White).Therefore, based on this statement it is reasonable to conclude that there are always children lacking what they deserve to have. This claim was supported in the article “Effect of Child Protective Services System Factors on Child Maltreatments Rereporting”. This article provided data that showed children who survive abuse are more likely to have physical and mental problems. It also stated that they also are more likely to be a delinquent, bully, or criminal as they get older. Based on this information you can infer that children who are in the CPS system are not able to reach their full potential.

Child abuse is a worldwide issue we are forced to face. Abusers don’t seem to realize that their actions have a great impact on the child’s physical and mental state. It is agreed that children do commit mistakes; however, corporal punishment is not the best method to correct them (Portwood).Corporal punishment could just cause permanent damage both mentally and physically because they become angry and resentful towards those who punish them. Adults should use alternative manners such as, a “10 minute time-out system” for young children or “reduction of allowance” for the grown-up ones (Portwood). Also, before having children adults should plan for them. Planning will help the parents to understand the difficulty in raising a child.

In conclusion, child abuse is a serious issue that needs to be resolved before it gets worse! Through my essay I showed the research that I have conducted that identifies the causes and effects of physical and emotional abuse. As seen in this essay an array of questions dealing with child abuse have been answered. These include how children exposed to child abuse suffer later on in life,  why a parent or guardian would feel the need to abuse their child/ children, which type of child abuse effects a child the most, and who should be held responsible for the repeating occurrences of child abuse? Based on all of this I think that it is reasonable to conclude that authorities need to step up and make an attempt to prevent the repeating occurrences of child abuse!

Works Cited

American Humane Association. "Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect." Child Abuse. American

Humane Association, 2011. Web. 16 May 2012. <http://www.americanhumane.org/children/stop-child-abuse/fact-sheets/reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect.html>.

Brown, Rashida. "Reporting Child Abuse And Neglect: Who Is Responsible?" Policy & Practice           (19426828) 70.1 (2012): 20.MasterFILE Premier. Web. 28 Mar. 2012.

Compton’s, Child Abuse and Neglect, and Burke. "Child Abuse." Child Abuse Reports. British

Literature, 2010. Web. 17 May 2012. <http://www.mannmuseum.com/child-abuse/>.

Levi, Benjamin H., and Sharon G. Portwood. "Reasonable Suspicion of Child Abuse: Finding a

Common Language." Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 39.1 (2011): 62-69. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Mar. 2012.

Morton, Mackenzie . "Child Abuse Research Memo.”. N.P., 4-19-12. Web. 16 May 2012.

<https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGtwOHF1U1B1WnFuSS1NTTBBYzlGUlE6MQ>.

Our Times, “The United States- Child Deaths." Signs of Our Times. Our times, 2006. Web. 16

May 2012. <http://ourtimes.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/united-states-unicef-crc/>.

Tammy White, et al. "Effect Of Child Protective Services System Factors on Child Maltreatment

Rereporting." Child Welfare 89.3 (2010): 33-55. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Mar. 2012.

Tabitha Suzuma. The Quiet Voice. 2011. Photograph. PsybloggerTabitha Suzuma. The

Quiet Voice. 2011. Photograph. Psyblogger<http://thequietvoice18.wordpress.com/2011/08/07/child-abuse-and-depression/>

Stop Child Abuse. 2011. Photograph. Buzz Media <http://www.fanpop.com/spots/stop-child-abuse/images/30729617/title/stop-child-abuse-photo>

Karen Adams. Against Child Abuse. 2011. Photograph. Blog

Spot<http://madstorksports.blogspot.com/2011/11/hey-penn-state-what-about-victims.html >

 Chandra Thomas. Prevent Child Abuse. 2011. Photograph. JJIE,

Georgiahttp://jjie.org/prevent-child-abuse-georgia-closure-devastating-blow-advocates-say/11648

 Lady M. When to Become Involved. 2008. Photograph. Blog

Spothttp://ladytalksalot.blogspot.com/2008/11/child-abuse-when-to-become-involved.html

Poverty in America. 2011. Photograph. Awareness

Monthshttp://www.awarenessmonths.com/2010/12/get-a-head-start-on-poverty-in-america-awareness-month/

Rebecca Cassady . Faces of Poverty. 2002. Photograph.

SOTThttp://www.sott.net/articles/show/241298-US-Faces-of-Poverty-Childhood-Sexual-Abuse-Trigger-Warning-

Julia Hardwood. Healing Art. 2011. Photograph. Blog

Spothttp://juliaharwood.blogspot.com/2011/11/verbal-abuse-is-still-abuse.html

John Perazzo. Obama . 2012. Photograph.

FPhttp://frontpagemag.com/2012/04/16/obama-revives-an-old-feminist-myth/

                                

Documentaries

Deliver Us From Evil
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/deliver-us-from-evil/

Conspiracy of Silence
http://www.personalgrowthcourses.net/video/conspiracy_of_silence

Thieves Of Innocence
http://blip.tv/pourlaliberte/thieves-of-innocence-les-voleurs-d-enfance-english-subs-4714589

Works Cited for Articles

Levi, Benjamin H., and Sharon G. Portwood. "Reasonable Suspicion of Child Abuse: Finding a Common Language." Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 39.1 (2011): 62-69. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Mar. 2012.

Brown, Rashida. "Reporting Child Abuse And Neglect: Who Is Responsible?" Policy & Practice (19426828) 70.1 (2012): 20.MasterFILE Premier. Web. 28 Mar. 2012.

Tammy White, et al. "Effect Of Child Protective Services System Factors on Child Maltreatment Rereporting." Child Welfare 89.3 (2010): 33-55. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Mar. 2012.

Articles Dealing With Child Abuse

In the article “Reasonable Suspicion of Child Abuse”, Levi Benjamin and Sharon Portwood argued that child abuse continues to rise due to the lack of individuals reporting reasonable suspicion of child abuse. They claim that although all fifty states have laws that require individuals to report suspected child abuse, individuals tend to not report incidents if they do not have tangible proof. The authors develop this claim by exploring individual’s views and discussing a system that would provide equal protection to the children and the reporters, as well as justice to the abusers. They then go on to describe how this system would allow individuals to feel safer when reporting an incident that they had seen or heard about. Lastly, the authors discuss that until steps are taken to help the issue at hand it will continue to rise in numbers greatly. Levi and Sharon’s purpose in writing this article is to get individuals to understand that they should report any case of child abuse when they have reasonable suspicion in order to stop the repeating occurrences of child abuse. This work is significant because it allows people to see that they can help!

The credibility of this article in not very good. The authors of this article Levi Benjamin and Sharon Portwood,who are currently doctors in medicine,  did not try to hide their opinions on why child abuse continues to rise. They stated that, “child abuse continues to rise due to the lack of individuals reporting reasonable suspicion of child abuse.”  The feel that this statement is true because as doctors they work with children every day. Although, the two authors did give many facts that helped support this the opinions that they gave as a solution were very biased. They claimed that to solve the issue at hand we should develop a system. In order to have made this article less biased the authors should have shown background information on how this system could work. Therefore, due to this I feel that this article would not be a good source to use for following information. Overall, I feel that this article allows others of all ages to see that they can help and make a difference!

Levi, Benjamin H., and Sharon G. Portwood. "Reasonable Suspicion of Child Abuse: Finding a Common Language." Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 39.1 (2011): 62-69. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Mar. 2012.

In the article “Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect: Who is Responsible?” Rashida Brown provides details explaining how the U.S. needs people to report the neglect and child abuse that is going on in their community. She claims that individuals are constantly wondering who’s at fault, yet they do nothing to make sure the situation never happens again. Brown develops this claim by exploring the acts that are currently taking action. She describes the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, explaining how they asked all states to make new policies, procedures, and laws for child abuse and neglect. Lastly, the author gives statistics to show the severity of this issue across the United States. Rashida Brown’s purpose is to show citizens that instead of pointing fingers at whose fault this issue is, they should be out there trying to do something about it.

The author of this article, Rashida who is currently a reporter, made a very strong point regarding who is responsible for child abuse and neglect. The author explained that individuals need to do something about the situation instead of pointing fingers at who is responsible. I think she feels this way because of the fact that she gets different insights when interviewing individuals. For this reason, she is able to explore the different possibilities of who is responsible by looking at everyone’s side. She supports this by explaining acts that are currently out and showing how people feel about this issue. She then goes on to show the severity of this issue by explaining that what we are currently doing is not enough and that we need to more. I do not feel that this article is biased because the author gave numerous examples and statistics that helped prove her point.  I feel that this article allows everyone to see that they should be out there trying to do something. The author of this article did a great job of giving substantial information that can proved!

Brown, Rashida. "Reporting Child Abuse And Neglect: Who Is Responsible?" Policy & Practice (19426828) 70.1 (2012): 20.MasterFILE Premier. Web. 28 Mar. 2012.

In the article “Effect of Child Protective Services System Factors on Child Maltreatments Rereporting” Tammy White argues that the Child Protective Services (CPS) does not provide safety, permanence, or the well being for children.  She claims that CPS gets more than 60,000 referrals on child abuse each week and is not able to correctly give each child what they need. Therefore, there are always children lacking what they deserve to have. White develops this claim by providing data that shows children who survive abuse are more likely to have physical and mental problems. They also are more likely to be a delinquent, bully, or criminal as they get older. Lastly, the author explained that citizens are beginning to recognize the impact of child abuse that can be shown later in life. Tammy White’s purpose is to show that children who are in the CPS system are not able to reach their full potential. This work is significant because is allows others to see the impact of child abuse.

The author of this article, Tammy White, did a great job of arguing her point that Child Protective Services do not provide safety, permanence, or the wellbeing for children. She explained that research shows that with the amount of referrals CPS gets they are not able to care for each child like they need to be cared for. She then goes on to say that for this reason children are lacking what they deserve. She supports this by providing details showing how children are affected later in life from being in this system. Although, the author made a great argument concerning this topic I do feel that the article was biased due to the fact that she based a lot of her facts off of what she sees. In order to have made this article less biased I feel that the author should have gotten and interview with someone who worked at CPS to show their point of view on the situation. Overall, this article shows individuals of all ages that child abuse is significant and can impact lives severely.

Tammy White, et al. "Effect Of Child Protective Services System Factors on Child Maltreatment Rereporting." Child Welfare 89.3 (2010): 33-55. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Mar. 2012.

 The above articles answered several of my essential questions. These include:

1. Why is the government not doing more?

2. Should the laws for child abuse have harsher punishments?

3. Who should be responsible for the repeating occurrences of child abuse?

4. How does child abuse effect a child later in their life?

Child Maltreatment Deaths Throughout the U.S.

The map above explains the ratings throughout the United Sates on child maltreatment deaths over the years 2005-2006. The map shows the sixteen states with more than the average number of maltreatment deaths.  Each year, the Administration for Children and families (AFC) publishes a report. As you can see from the map above South Carolina is not far behind from placing in the top sixteen. You can tell this because of where South Carolina is located. South Carolina is located in between several other states that place the top sixteen.  Through the graph and map you can conclude that there were 2.04 deaths per 100,000 children in 2006. Texas had the highest rate at 3.97 per 100,000. However, in 2007 as shown in the table, child maltreatment deaths had increased to 2.35 per 100,000 children, on average. The rankings had also changed. Kentucky had the highest fatality rate at 4.08 per 100,000 children. In conclusion, you can infer that the child maltreatment deaths are going to continue to rise over the next few years if nothing is done. Therefore, authorities need to step up and make an attempt to help the issue at hand before it gets worse!

http://ourtimes.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/united-states-unicef-crc/

My Essential Questions

I chose this topic to get a better understanding of child abuse and the effects that go along with it. The following questions are questions that I felt would help me get a better understanding of child abuse.

1. Why would a parent or guardian feel the need to abuse their child?
2. Why is the government not doing more to help prevent the issue at hand?
3. Which type of child abuse effects a child the most?
4. Should the laws for child abuse have harsher punishments?
5. Who should be responsible for the repeating occurrences of child abuse?
6. How does child abuse effect children later in their life?

Research Memo 1

Hypothesis:

Many people do not consider the emotional and mental tolls that child abuse has on a child throughout their life. After doing some online research, I discovered that child abuse can severely affect an individual both physically and emotionally because it consumes every aspect of their life. Therefore, due to this research, I came to a conclusion that individuals do not realize that the abuser should not be the only one held accountable for the repeating occurrences of child abuse.  So I ask the question, “Who should be held responsible for the repeating occurrences of child abuse?” My hypothesis is that children all across the world are affected by child abuse because authorities are not doing enough to prevent this issue. Therefore, respondents to my survey will most likely agree that the government, abuser, and any individual who knows what is going on should be held accountable because they continue to let the abuse happen.

Context:

I have conducted research to identify the causes and effects of physical and emotional abuse to show how children exposed to child abuse suffer later on in life. This research included finding out why a parent or guardian would feel the need to abuse their child/ children, which type of child abuse effects a child the most, should the laws for child abuse have harsher punishments, and who should be held responsible for the repeating occurrences of child abuse? The targeted audience in this case was high school students. This was my targeted audience because adolescents are one of the main age groups who encounter the most child abuse. My results are most likely reliable because I was careful in choosing my respondents.  I chose my respondents based on age and gender. Also, when choosing my respondents I picked individuals who were from my school that I knew.

Results:

Survey Question	Age 14	Age 15	Age 16	Age 17	Age 18
Scale of 1-10 Do you think child abuse is a serious issue in SC?	1/2  answered 5 and above	10/10 answered 5 and above	8/8 answered 5 and above	3/3 answered 5 and above	2/2 answered 5 and above
Do you know of someone, heard about someone, or are related to someone who has been affected by child abuse?	2/2 answered yes	10/10 answered yes	8/8 answered yes	3/3 answered yes	2/2 answered yes
Check all that applies Who should be held accountable for the repeating occurrences of child abuse?	2/2 answered that the government should be held accountable	7/10  answered that the government should be held accountable	6/8 answered that the government should be held accountable	2/3 answered that the government should be held accountable	2/2 answered that the government should be held accountable
True or False If child abusers faced tougher consequences for abusing children, the rate of abused children would go down?	2/2 answered true	10/10 answered true	8/8 answered true	3/3 answered true	2/2 answered true
Out of the following ages what age group do you think suffers from the most child abuse?	2/2 Answered the age group of 5-10 years	9/10 answered the age group of 5-10 years	8/8 answered the age group of 5-10 years	3/3 answered the age group of 5-10 years	2/2 answered the age group of 5-10 years

Data Analysis:

Children all across the word are being affected by child abuse because authorities are not doing enough to prevent the issue at hand.

Both males and females had altered opinions relating to the issue of child abuse. Gender played a big role in opinions because males and females tend to have different ideas on a variety of subjects. This was useful information because it helped me to know which gender felt the strongest about what was happening in society today. The range in age groups also affected the responses. People who were older tended to know more about child abuse and the effects that came along later in life.  I noticed the following trends when reviewing the surveys that I had conducted.

·       Ninety-six percent of the individuals who took my survey felt that people other than the abuser should be held accountable for the repeating occurrences of child abuse. I feel that the respondents answered this way because they have seen the government give back children to their parents who have continuously abused them.

·       Seventy-six percent of that ninety-six percent said that the government should be held accountable for the repeating occurrences of child abuse.

·       One-hundred percent of individuals, who took my survey either had been affected by child abuse, knew someone who was, or had heard about someone that was. The respondents were able to answer yes to this question because you hear about child abuse a lot on the news and in the papers.

·       Ninety-six percent surveyed a five or higher on how important child abuse was on a scale of 1-10. Most of the respondents listed child abuse as a five or higher for the reason that they understand the severity of this issue.

·       One-hundred percent of individuals who took my survey answered true that if child abusers faced tougher consequences for abusing children, the rate of abused children would go down. I feel they answered this way because there are not very harsh punishments for child abuse.

Conclusion:

Adolescents believe that authorities are not doing enough to prevent child abuse in their area. All of the respondents surveyed were either directly or indirectly exposed to child abuse. Most of the individuals surveyed were unsure of why government officials were not doing more to help victims who were abused and to help future victims from being abused. From the surveys, I learned that individuals do understand that child abuse is a problem all across America. This shows that authorities need to step up and make an attempt to prevent the repeating occurrences of child abuse.

Follow Up:

I will continue to research how children are affected from exposure to child abuse using other essential questions. I will try to determine what would happen to the rate of abused victims if authorities were doing more as well as the reasons behind why government officials are not doing more. 

Survey on child abuse.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGtwOHF1U1B1WnFuSS1NTTBBYzlGUlE6MQ

The reason behind my research question: What are the causes and effects of child absue?

Child Abuse Effects. 2011. Photograph. My Child SourceWeb. 3 Feb 2012. <http://mychildsource.com/child-abuse-effects/>.

"Help me!” This is the plea of many children in America. Children being forced to deal with things that most of us would never imagine in our worst nightmares. Violence has unfortunately become a common occurrence of today's society. Everywhere we turn, all we see are visions of violence shown as solutions to problems. Parents and other caregivers abusing young children that they are supposed to love. Child abuse has grown more and more rapidly over the years. Innocent children bruised and beaten to death for reasons that are unjustifiable. On the news, in the papers, everywhere you hear about newborns and kids being beat to death. There are four primary types of child abuse: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect. Physical abuse is when a parent or caretaker harms a child by hitting, shaking, pushing, or throwing a child. Sexual abuse is any sexual act between an adult and a child, including both touching and non-touching acts. Emotional abuse is when children are constantly shamed, humiliated, or terrorized by the use of words to attack, hurt or injure someone.  Neglect is a pattern of failing to provide for a child’s basic needs. The ones doing this to these innocent children have no logical explanation for their actions, yet they only get a short sentence. No matter what their sentence, nothing can compare to their actions. The neglect and the physical, sexual, and emotional abuse can never be taken away. These tragedies will be carried with the children for the rest of their lives. Although, not all child abuse is deliberate or intended, child abuse effects how the victims feel and what they do years later. Children who suffer abuse have a much greater chances of being arrested; suffer from poor self esteem, social withdrawal, and insecurity. Why would someone abuse a defenseless child? When will the abuse stop?