Angry at his nine-year-old daughter for lying, a 34-year-old Singaporean man decided to teach her a very painful lesson.

He poured boiling water on her and caned her, only stopping after his wife, the girls stepmother intervened. The punishment was for stealing at school and then lying to cover it up. His cruel punishment caused his daugter to be hospitalised for 17 days for burns on her left cheek, waist, right arm and the front of her body. She was hospitalised after her teacher called in the authorities when she was sent to school six days later. The child also had cane marks on her left upper arm and back. Source of Article: The Straits Time, Tuesday October 13th 2009 (http://sg.theasianparent.com/articles/father_burns_and_canes_daughter_in_singapore) Think this story is shocking and unbelievable? Think again. Everyday, millions of children around the world suffer at the hands of emotional, physical and sexual abusers or by parents and guardians who don't even acknowledge their existence, making child abuse cases as common as they are horrifying.

What is child abuse? By denition, it is the physical, emotional, sexual mistreatment, or neglect of children. However, when put in such clinical terms, most people tend not to truly grasp the severity of it. Words like 'mistreatment' and 'neglect' make child abuse sound like such a cold and foreign concept; something that we constantly hear about in the news and on the radio, but has no true effect on any of us.The lack of effort from all parties to put a stop to this outrage begs the question - Does anyone even care about what is happening to all these children? The answer is no. We humans are selsh creatures. As long as it does not affect us, as long as our loved ones are not in danger, we can continue living in denial until the problem becomes so serious that we are left with no choice but to deal with it. This will not do. In order to make people wake up and embrace the harsh reality of what is happening to tens of thousands of children worldwide, we need a denition of child abuse that will jolt the masses into action. So, what is child abuse? It is the reason why a little girl refuses to tell her teacher how she got the bruises on her arms. It is the reason why a little boy cowers in fear every time he sees his father returning home in the middle of the night. It is one of the biggest unsolved problems, both in our country and around the world. It is the number one cause of injury to children everywhere, resulting in more fatalities than accidents or natural causes.

(Types) It is a common misconception among society that child abuse only occurs in two ways - physical and sexual. In truth, there are four types of child abuse altogether: physical, sexual and emotional abuse, and neglect. The rst kind, physical abuse, involves the physical harm and injury. It may be the result of either deliberate or unintentional action by the guardian, or an extreme form of discipline inicted upon the child. Next, sexual abuse is the most complicated and confusing among the four. It is important to realize that body contact is not the only type of sexual abuse there is. It may come in the form of inappropriate comments to a child, or simply by exposing the child to situations or materials that are unsuited for their age. This kind of abuse is the most unimaginable, especially since it usually occurs at the hands of adults that are close to the child, such as a family member or friend. Contrary to popular belief, not only girls are at risk of falling victim to sexual abuse. In fact, boys suffer from it too, but those cases are rarely reported due to shame and stigma. The third kind, emotional abuse, may come in the form of verbal insults and criticisms constantly being hurled at the child. The most common example of this is parents repeatedly telling their children that they are 'stupid' and 'worthless', and comparing them to other children. Such comparisons and criticisms can severely stunt a child's emotional health, causing them to succumb to the feeling of actually being worthless. Last but not least, child neglect is the failure of a parent or a guardian to tend to their child's basic needs, be it food and shelter, clothing, or supervision. The victims of child neglect often appear in unhygienic conditions, and are frequently spotted in unsupervised situations and dangerous conditions. While the effects of this type of child abuse are not as obvious, there have been several cases in which the child starved to death, or died due to untreated illnesses or physical injuries.

(After effects) Although there may be several types of child abuse, ultimately, they all result in the same thing - with the child being emotionally affected. For a child that grows up in an abusive environment, his day to day life is a constant hurdle, both frightening and unpredictable. He is perpetually living in the fear of doing something that might spark off the violence that he has come to expect as part of his daily life. Whether the abuse comes in the form of a slap, a harsh comment, or a stony silence, the end result is the child feeling unloved and all alone. If left untreated, the long term damage, or emotional 'scars' left on the child could be severe. If a person was abused as a child, he and she would probably go through life with low self esteem. Feelings of worthlessness are not uncommon among child abuse victims, having been told over and over again that they 'useless' and 'stupid' until they themselves have come to believe it. Even worse is the feeling of being 'damaged' that so often manifests in the victims of child sexual abuse. Being forced to deal with a problem like this at such a young and confusing age, many of them are led to believe that they brought this upon themselves, and that they somehow deserve what is being done to them. What's more, the young victims of sexual abuse are usually so tormented by shame that they nd it impossible to come forward, for the fear of getting someone they know into trouble. They experience a strong sense of guilt over the act, which can lead to other problems as they grow older, including an inability to share intimate relationships or excessive promiscuity.

(After effects) If you can't trust your parents, who can you trust? Abuse by a primary caregiver distorts the most fundamental concept to a child, which is that his or

her parents will be reliable in attending to the needs he or she faces. Without this concept, the victims of child abuse grow up harboring feelings of suspicion and distrust towards everyone in their lives, making it virtually impossible for them to form close relationships with the people around them. Often, they face difculties in determining the trustworthiness of others. This in turn may lead to obstacles in their ability to maintain relationships due to their constant fear of being in a situation where they are 'controlled' by what they view as the dominating party.

(After effects) Most child abuse victims have trouble expressing their emotions later on in life. As children, they learn that no amount of crying or pleading can stop what is happening to them; and as the time passes by, they begin to disconnect from their emotions, in an effort to cope with the abuse they receive. By refusing to deal with their emotions, they are able to achieve some level of denial, and pretend that none of this is happening to them. Of course, this method of suppressing emotions is not healthy at all. Abused children are more prone to emotional outburst, during which all the suppressed feelings rise to the surface, resulting in a violent tantrum or rage. Statistics show that the majority of child abuse survivors experience recurring anxiety and depression, or even anger. In time, many of them turn to drugs or alcohol to numb the painful feelings they experience as a result of the abuse they once suffered at the hands of an adult.

(Factors) Most people can't imagine how an adult could possibly lift a hand against a child, much less use violence on them in any way. The

(Ways to solve) "Help me!" Is the plea of millions of children worldwide. As you read this, one little girl is begging to be spared a beating, while another little boy is crying out in pain. What can we do to lessen their suffering? First and foremost, we need to learn how to recognize the warning signs of child abuse and neglect. The earlier it is caught, the earlier we can put a stop to it, and get the child the help he needs. However, child abuse is not always an easy thing to spot. After all, how can you tell if your neighbor who locked his daughter out of the house did it intentionally, or by accident? Does the mother who slapped her son in the supermarket realize that she has crossed a line, or is this one of the many punishments she inicts upon the little boy? While child abuse is a tricky thing to observe, there are a few warning signs that can help us recognize them. For example, an abused child may excessively withdrawn, fearful or anxious about doing something wrong. He or she may be prone to extremes in behavior, either being extremely passive or extremely aggressive. Physical abuse is slightly easier to catch, due to the obvious external wounds and bruises that are a direct result of the violence used on the child. Victims of physical abuse will have frequent unexplained injuries, and often wear inappropriate clothing to cover them up (i.e. long sleeved shirts on hot days). They tend to avoid physical contact with others, and inch at sudden motions. None of these children will show a particular attachment towards their parents or guardians, and most likely will seem afraid to go home. If you notice two or more warning signs in a child, then you may have reason to suspect that the child in question is suffering from abuse. However, it is not practical to go rushing off to the authorities. The next step you should do is to approach the child, and try to determine if he or she is being abused. While doing this, it is important to remain calm and reassuring, as the child will probably feel distraught and overwhelmed. Once you are certain that he or she is a victim, report it immediately. Remember, swift action from you may just be the thing that saves this child's life.