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WHAT
EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
WHAT
IS CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT?
Under the law, an abused or neglected child is any child under
18 whose parent, or any other person responsible for the care of
the child:
- causes,
or threatens to cause, a physical or mental injury except for
an accident.
- fails to
provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care,
or caring support.
- abandons
the child.
- fails to
provide the kind of supervision necessary for a child's age or
level of development.
- commits,
or allows to be committed, any illegal sexual act involving the
child -- including incest, rape, fondling, indecent exposure,
prostitution -- or allows the child to be used in any sexually
explicit visual material.
Child abuse
is not usually just one physical attack or just one instance of
failure to meet a child's most basic needs. Usually child abuse
is a pattern of behavior that takes place over a period of time.
The longer child abuse continues, the more serious it becomes, the
more serious is the injury to the child and the more difficult it
is to stop.
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WHO
ARE THE ABUSERS?
There are no
monsters. Abusive parents can be your friends, your neighbors or
your relatives. They are ordinary people, caught in life situations
beyond their control. It is a myth that child abuse occurs only
among poor families. Child maltreatment affects all economic, racial,
social, ethnic and religious groups.
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WHY
DOES CHILD ABUSE HAPPEN?
There is no easy answer to this question, because many factors
are involved. However, child abuse is most likely to occur when
parents are struggling with:
- 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. Besides
lacking the parenting skills necessary to raise a child, the 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.
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IF
I SEE ABUSE, SHOULD I REPORT IT?
Witnesses to abuse or neglect may experience anger, dread or anxiety,
and they will certainly experience a lot of confusion. Although
deciding to report suspected child abuse can be a difficult process,
it is an important first step toward protecting a child who might
be in danger.
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HOW
DO I REPORT ABUSE OR NEGLECT?
To report abuse, call the social services agency where the child
lives or where the abuse occurred. Ask for Child Protective Services
and give them the name, age and address of the child and a description
of what is happening. You are not required to give your name, but
it helps.
Virginia also
maintains a 24 hour hotline for reporting child abuse and neglect.
The number is:
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