Child Abuse - The Nature of the Problem
Child abuse is defined as any mistreatment, either physical or emotional, to
a child. Abuse can happen in any type of family regardless of economic status,
race or religion. There are several conditions which are generally present in
abusive families:
- The family is under stress due to illness, unemployment, marital strife, etc.
- The parents allow a lot of little incidents to build up without taking any
actions.
- The primary caretaker is more vulnerable because of greater sensitivity to
irritating situations, no matter how trivial or typical.
- There is a lack of knowledge of child development and parenting skills.
- There is a history of violence/substance abuse in the family.
- Lack of support systems - social and emotional isolation.
Child abuse is divided into two major categories, abuse and neglect.
Abuse is further divided into physical abuse,
emotional abuse or sexual
abuse, regardless of severity. Neglect is divided into physical
neglect and emotional neglect.
Domestic abuse, or violence between couples, married or unmarried, who reside
together, includes abuse of the elderly as well as child abuse. Children who witness
one parent mistreating the other are themselves victimized by this learned pattern
of behavior. Victims of domestic abuse are often isolated and do not know where
to turn for help to break this vicious cycle.
Type of Abuse
Reporting suspected child abuse
and neglect in Arizona
Asked About issues regarding abuse
and neglect
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