Child Abuse Warm up Write a short response to the following prompt. Please turn it in to the teacher when you are finished. Please describe reasonable punishments for the following behaviors.. Not following parents rules Hitting siblings Not doing chores Getting bad grades Think about it! I want you to take a few minutes to think about your definition of child abuse and neglect. Where is the line between discipline and abuse? Do you think this is abuse? A girl is slapped across the face for yelling at her mother. It does not leave a mark. A girl is slapped across the face for yelling at her mother. It does not leave a mark. A boy is punished and it leaves bruises. A boy is punished and it leaves bruises. A father burns his sons arm for smoking cigarettes. A father burns his sons arm for smoking cigarettes. A mother accidently spills boiling soup on her daughter. A mother accidently spills boiling soup on her daughter. A father allows his son to go outside and play unattended. The boy falls from a A father allows his son to go outside and play unattended. The boy falls from a tree and breaks his arm. tree and breaks his arm. A girl is spanked with a belt for not doing chores. A girl is spanked with a belt for not doing chores. A boy is grounded for a week for getting his phone taken away at school. A boy is grounded for a week for getting his phone taken away at school. Discussion There is a difference between child abuse and discipline. Discipline is defined as: training to behave within the rules and social norms. Abuse is defined as: to treat in a harmful or injurious way. The law says o o Spanking on the bottom of a child is typically excluded from California child abuse law, as parents do maintain a right to discipline their children "reasonably" in the manner they see fit. o o However, if you spank a child to the point of leaving a bruise or mark, you have not crossed the line to corporal punishment. The law cont. Examples of corporal injury or punishment on a child include (but are by no means limited to): o o Hitting, punching, slapping, or kicking a child, o o Pushing a child, o o Shaking a child, choking a child, o o Burning a child, and throwing an object at a child. Statistics How Often Does Abuse Occur? A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds. Almost five children die everyday as a result of child abuse. It is estimated that between 60-85% of child fatalities due to maltreatment are not recorded as such on death certificates. Who is abused and who are the abusers? More than three out of four abused children are under the age of 4. 90% of child sexual abuse victims know the perpetrator in some way; 68% are abused by family members. Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education. What happens to abused children? 31% percent of women in prison in the United States were abused as children. Over 60% of people in drug rehabilitation centers report being abused or neglected as a child. About 30% of abused and neglected children will later abuse their own children, continuing the horrible cycle of abuse. About 80% of 21 year olds that were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder. Abused children are 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy. Abused teens are 3 times less likely to practice safe sex, putting them at greater risk for STDs. Types of Child Abuse Neglect Physical Sexual Emotional Neglect Neglect is defined as: the failure of a parent to provide needed food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or supervision which may jeopardize the child's health, safety, and well-being. A failure to educate a child as required by law and failing to provide any special medical treatment or mental health care needed by the child. Physical Abuse Physical abuse is generally defined as "any non- accidental physical injury to the child" and can include striking, kicking, burning, or biting the child, or any action that results in a physical impairment of the child. In most states this includes acts or circumstances that threaten the child with harm or create a substantial risk of harm to the childs health or welfare. Sexual Abuse Sexual abuse is any contact or interaction (physical, visual, verbal or psychological) between a child/adolescent and an adult when the child/adolescent is being used for the sexual stimulation of the perpetrator or any other person. Sexual exploitation includes allowing the child to engage in prostitution or in the production of child pornography. Emotional Abuse Most states include emotional maltreatment as part of their definitions of abuse or neglect. 9 9 Emotional abuse is defined as: mental injury to a child, "injury to the psychological capacity or emotional stability of the child as evidenced by an observable or substantial change in behavior, emotional response, or cognition," or as evidenced by "anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or aggressive behavior." Why does abuse occur? Stress...Pressures from money problems, everyday frustrations, illness or heavy responsibilities. A painful childhood...Adults who were mistreated as children may, without meaning to, continue the pattern of abuse with their own children. Alcohol or other drugs...can blind a parent to a child's needs or may reduce inhibitions and tolerance levels so that parents may be more likely to lash out. Isolation...Without friends or relatives nearby, parents can feel overwhelmed by the demands of raising a child. Inexperience with children or unrealistic expectations...If parents don't know what to expect from children, they may expect too much. Parents may have no models of successful family relationships from which to learn. Immaturity...Very young, insecure parents often can't understand their child's behavior and needs. Unmet emotional needs...Parents may expect children to take care of them and to satisfy their need for love, protection and self-esteem. How can we prevent abuse? Prevention is the only sure cure for child abuse and neglect. Through family education and support programs, the vicious and tragic cycle of abuse can be stopped. Think about it and take action! What are some ways that you and your friends can help bring awareness or help to prevent the issue of Child Abuse and Neglect? Group Project Think of ways to bring awareness or help prevent child abuse and neglect. As a group create a poster, brochure, video, power point, or begin a support group to bring awareness or help prevent child abuse/neglect. Be creative! Make it relevant and purposeful!