Curbing Child Abuse

“One believes things because one has been conditioned to believe them.”(Aldous Huxley)

One of the major problems which faces societies in our days is child abuse and neglect. This

problem has always existed, but it is now that scientists are beginning to discover the disastrous

results that it leads to. Neglect and abuse are the same, except in one major difference.

Child abuse usually results in the mal-development of the child’s character. The child is brought

up according to violent standards which become implanted inside him or her. Due to the long

process of bringing up which lasts for the entire period of childhood and adolescence, the abused

child grows up to be violent in turn. To such a child, violence is the only method that he had

been taught to deal with others in life. Other abused children may be too intimidated and

isolated. They fear to express their feelings because they have been brought under restriction.

The impact of sexual abuse is even worse. Studies show that teenage runaway, prostitution, drug

abuse, clinical depression, low self-esteem and suicidal behavior are all associated with sexual

abuse, especially among females. On the other hand, little is known on the symptoms that appear

in males because very few cases of male victims are even known. The reason is that boys are

raised to control themselves and feelings, and this is why they usually avoid the subject and may

even minimize the important of the event if it happens to them.

“The true character of a society is revealed in how it treats its child”

Abuse appears in families for many different reasons. One reason for abuse and neglect by

parents is that they do not understand the needs of their children. Another cause for abuse and

neglect is poverty. It is noticed that in poor families, parents tend to care less for their children

and even to show more abuse. This might be the result of frustration which the parents feel as

they are unable to make a good living. Cases of child abuse increase a lot in case the parent,
especially the father, loses a job. In such cases, children become the way through which the

parent releases the angry feelings inside himself.

Although poverty might be an important factor for child abuse, studies show that abuse occurs in

all kinds of families in all social backgrounds. Even in rich families where the parents fight a lot,

the stress forces the parents to abuse and neglect their children.

Children are like different roses.

Don’t crush and spoil their fragrance.

The first step required to prevent child abuse is to activate legal intervention. What we need is a

decisive set of laws which protect the rights of the child inside the family, and against the

possible aggression of the parents or elderly brothers. The second step for intervention is to

provide for a hotline for reporting. When abused children become aware that there is a hotline to

receive their complaints seriously, they will take the initiative and report to protect themselves.

The hotline should not only be used by abused children, but also by teachers, neighbors and

every member of the society who thinks that a child next door or in the community is being

abused by an adult. After all, children are minor citizens who are unable to protect themselves

against the aggression of adults.

Finally, one of the most important steps needed to prevent child abuse is to educate parents. This

education must take place in two phases. In the first phase, awareness programs targeted at

parents in the media and in social agencies should educate parents on the concepts of child

abuse, its causes, consequences and ways of dealing with it.