Child Abuse (cont.)
What is sexual child abuse?
Sexual abuse is the third most frequently reported form of child mistreatment (10% of all cases). Experts believe that sexual abuse may be the most underreported type of abuse because of the secrecy or "conspiracy of silence" that so often characterizes these cases. A generally accepted definition of sexual abuse is that of a child involved in sexual activity for which consent cannot be given, is outside of the victim's developmental age, is unable to comprehend, and/or "violates the law or social taboos of society." Examples include fondling and any form of genital, anal, or oral-genital contact with a child that are unwarranted. These acts may occur whether the child is clothed or unclothed. Non-touching child sexual abuse would include exhibitionism, voyeurism,
and the involvement of a child in prostitution or pornography.
What causes child abuse deaths?
The most lethal form of child abuse is neglect. Deaths from
neglect can, for example, be caused by accidents due to lack of
supervision or abandonment or from the failure to seek medical
attention for an injury, illness, or condition.
Fatal injuries from mistreatment can and do result from many
different acts. Children may die from severe head trauma (injury),
shaken baby syndrome, trauma to the abdomen or chest, scalding,
burns, drowning, suffocation, poisoning,
starvation, etc.
What factors predispose a person to child abuse?
Specialists evaluating an abused child's environment and family
background have noted several risk factors for potential abuse:
- The abuser's childhood: Approximately 20% of offenders were
themselves abused as children.
- The abuser's substance abuse: Children in alcohol-abusing
families are nearly four times more likely to be mistreated, almost five
times more likely to be physically neglected, and 10 times more
likely to be emotionally neglected than children in non-alcohol-abusing families. Of all child-abuse cases, 50%-80% involve some
degree of substance abuse by the child's parents.
- Family stress: The disintegration of the nuclear family and its
inherent support systems have been held to be associated with child
abuse.
- Social forces: Experts debate whether a presumed reduction in
religious/moral values coupled with an increase in the depiction of
violence by the entertainment and informational media may increase
child abuse.
- The child: Children at higher risk for abuse include infants who
are felt to be "overly fussy," handicapped children, and children
with chronic diseases.
Specific "trigger" events that occur just before many fatal
parental assaults on infants and young children include an infant's
inconsolable crying, feeding difficulties, a toddler's failed toilet
training, and exaggerated parental perceptions of acts of
"disobedience" by the child.
Next: How is alleged child abuse evaluated? »
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