...Patterns and characteristics of the abuser and the abused BSHS/408 February 29 2016 Chiffone N Shelton Patterns and characteristics of the abuser and the abused In this essay, I will explain how as a human service professional; I will understand the patterns and characteristics of the abuser and the abused to complete a comprehensive screening. I will explain what the patterns and characteristics I would look for during the screening of family members of a potential abused or neglected child. I will address how the characteristics of the abuser differ from the abused, and what the patterns and characteristics I would look for while screening a potentially abused or neglected child. I will explain how these patterns and characteristics help me determine the proper assessment methods and which methods would I use in this screening scenario. Patterns and characteristics of an abuser vary because abuse comes in many forms such as neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. "A perpetrator is a person who has been determined to have caused or knowingly allowed the maltreatment of a child. Most States define perpetrators of child abuse and neglect as parents and other caregivers (such as relatives, babysitters, and foster parents) who have harmed a child in their care. It is important to note that States define the term "caregiver" differently. The harm caused to a child by others (such as acquaintances or strangers) may not be considered child abuse but rather may be considered...
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...report child abuse and essentially hide evidence of abuse by not documenting, to enable a child abuser to obtain counseling that they have not previously sought?” The two theories used to examine this question will be Rule Utilitarianism and Kantian Deontological ethics. Rule Utilitarianism The basis of Utilitarianism requires the complete maximization of happiness. This is a consequentialist theory that consists of the good, what goal is morally worth pursuing, and the right, or what is done with the good. Rule Utilitarianism focusses on types of actions which conforms to rules applied to the Greatest Happiness Principle, examining the long term consequences rather than immediate. When there is an act that follows this rule, it will produce as much overall happiness as any alternative rule. When examining the above moral using Rule Utilitarianism, we examine the overall happiness. In applying the greatest happiness principal, the long term consequences are examined. Dr. Smith is treating abusers who would have not sought assistance for fear of being reported. With treatment, both the abuser and the child’s happiness can be increased over the long term. Dr. Smith refuses to report child abuse to the authorities and does not include any mention of abuse in his documentation. Keeping the promise of not reporting, is a moral obligation and a rule. By reporting the child abuse, he is unethical by rule utilitarian standards. If he broke that promise and reported the abuse, others...
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...Sexual abuse in children is a horrible crime that most children never recover from. Our prison system and mental health facilities are crowed with many individuals who have experienced sexual abuse at some point in their lives. In the United States, 3,000,000 cases of child abuse are reported annually. In children, one out of every three girls, and one out of every five boys will be sexually abused by the time they reach the age of eighteen. Many incidents of sexual abuse go unreported. The victims of sexual abuse, because of their young age, threats made by the perpetrator, or shame, never report the abuse. The number of cases not reported could be as much or more than ten times the amount that are reported. Even those who...
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...Both Sides of Child Abuse When someone intentionally inflicts moral, sexual pain, physical pain on a child is committing child abuse. When a child is abuse it is typical that they were abused as a child themselves. Life struggle can contribute to some abuse due to unemployment, stress, and poverty. When a child is abused it is usually people that have the need to feel power over something. Disabled children are more than likely to be abused children with special needs can cause a great deal of stress. Children are often the target of abuse they are less powerful than the abuser. Does child abuse damage children to become damaged adults? Sexual abuse has been involved in cases of neglect on children (Bottoms, B., & Epstein, M., 1998). Around eighty percent of children that were abused as kids will grow up to be abusers especially the ones that have been sexually abused. Most parents that abuse actually believe it is their right as a parent. Abusers really think this teaches children a lesson, it does it teaches children not to trust. Abuse is higher in families of mixed races and mixed religion (Bottoms, B., & Epstein, M., 1998). Abusers have a very short temper they explode at the slightest little things. Jobless or part-time working parents are the likely abusers (Bottoms, B., & Epstein, M., 1998). Retired people are the least likely to abuse a child. However someone that sexually abuses a child is one difficult human to figure out. Most child abusers have both...
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... Domestic Violence People who live together trust one another. Children trust parents to love them not to hurt them and give the economic support as well as the emotional support to grow up, in a romantic relationship a women should be able to trust the man she is with as well as man should be able to trust the women she is with. One thing that breaks trust in these relationships is abuse. Abuse Abuse varies in every relationship. Abuse can be physical, such as slapping, punching, using weapons. Mental abuse includes verbal abuse that brings a victim’s self-esteem down, this leads to depression and making the victim feel worthless. Another form of abuse is sexual abuse. Sexual abuse happens when the abuser forces the victim to engage in any kind of sexual activity. Child abuse is becoming a big problem in the United States. “The National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) reported an estimated 1,400 child fatalities in 2002” (Thomson Gale, 2006, p. 22). “States’ definitions of very important terms child neglect, child abuse, child homicide vary, this makes the number of child fatalities vary as well.( Thomson Gale, 2006, p. 22) “Studies in Colorado and North Carolina have estimated as many as 50 to 60 percent of deaths resulting from abuse or neglect are not recorded.” Abusers Many things lead to abuse, a simple argument with a child, and a parent can lead to the parent physically abuse the child or emotionally abuse the child. “In 2002, one or both parents...
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...What is Child Abuse? Child Abuse is when a parent or caregiver, whether through action or failing to act, causes injury, death, emotional or risk of serious harm to a child. Have you or a loved one been victims of abuse now or in the past? If so you might be familiar with at least one type of abuse. There is a vast amount of types of abuse. Let’s begin with neglect/maltreatment; this when a child is not receiving the appropriate care, supervision, affection and support needed for health, safety and well-being from their parent or guardian. Next is physical, which involves non-accidental injury. The third type of abuse could be seen in a sexual manner when a child is being used for sexual purposes, involving him or her in sexual acts, and/or...
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...Diagnosing and reporting child abuse EHC1103 - Medical Ethics 06/02/2013 Introduction When people make a decision to have children, the universal plan is for the parents to love and cherish them. However, unluckily this is not always the result. There are adults in this world who abuse children whether they are infants or teenagers. The National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), maintained by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provide information that younger children are more prevalent to child abuse than older children is and that the abusers are the parents or relatives. I am interested in the topic child abuse because I am a mother of two and the Media reveal so much of child abuse and neglect that people are unaware of how children are to be protected and not neglected. Children are a precursor to adulthood and if we as adults do not protect their innocents then who will? Once a child has been a victim of abuse, they are capable of occurring Social anxiety disorder (SAD). Although often not diagnosed until many years after the symptom onset, SAD onsets early in life, typically by early adolescence, and thus commonly characterized by chronic associated distress and dysfunction (Depression and Anxiety26:1027-1032(2009),Childhood maltreatment linked to greater symptom severity...
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...Diagnosing and reporting child abuse EHC1103 - Medical Ethics 06/02/2013 Introduction When people make a decision to have children, the universal plan is for the parents to love and cherish them. However, unluckily this is not always the result. There are adults in this world who abuse children whether they are infants or teenagers. The National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), maintained by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provide information that younger children are more prevalent to child abuse than older children is and that the abusers are the parents or relatives. I am interested in the topic child abuse because I am a mother of two and the Media reveal so much of child abuse and neglect that people are unaware of how children are to be protected and not neglected. Children are a precursor to adulthood and if we as adults do not protect their innocents then who will? Once a child has been a victim of abuse, they are capable of occurring Social anxiety disorder (SAD). Although often not diagnosed until many years after the symptom onset, SAD onsets early in life, typically by early adolescence, and thus commonly characterized by chronic associated distress and dysfunction (Depression and Anxiety26:1027-1032(2009),Childhood maltreatment linked to greater symptom severity...
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...Child Abuse Child abuse has many forms; one of its most common forms is sexual abuse. This form is when an adult, either a loved one or a complete stranger, takes advantage of a weak child in order to satisfy his own sexual needs. It can be either physical or visual and that is by forcing him/her to watch pornography. Child sexual abuse has been scattering all over the world. Every day, cases of child sexual abuse are reported to authorities vastly. In North America, 20 to 30% of men and women were sexually abused as kids, (Whealin, 2007). Some people, all around the universe, do not know the effects of it and what it causes for the next generation. However, those effects can be prevented easily yet patiently. Those ways are awareness, rationalism, and therapy. First, awareness plays an essential role in preventing CSA. Parents, acting as abusers, must be aware of the fact that what they’re doing might not only affect the child’s personality, but also affect the way he/she will react in certain incidents in the future. The child, not knowing right from wrong, will perform the same actions his/her parents did and will cause trouble for both himself/herself and others. Eventually, the abused child will get into trouble such as rape and the most common which is teenage pregnancy, Ethiop (1998). With time, 60% of teens that have been sexually abused, became pregnant (Berglas, Brindis, and Cohen, pg.16). Most teens, whichever boys or girls have at least gotten pregnant or gotten...
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...Effect of Abuse on Society Family and Community Drug abuse is common in all societies. Families and communities are becoming less happy and rarely yet torn by death, or a serious injury due to drug abuse. Unfortunately, around the world and throughout time, drug abuse has shown to be common among families. Abuse of any kind takes over everything in the abusers life. Drug and alcohol abuse can affect a person’s capability to keep a job. Drug and alcohol not only affects the person itself but everyone around him or her especial their families and the community. People around the world believe that drugs or alcohol are the solution to their problems, not knowing the problem becomes worst and a nightmare is about to begin. Drug abuse negatively affects family’s communication and interaction. Whether the abuser is the parent or a child, communication and interaction maybe a major motive to lead a family member into abusing drugs as well as abusing drugs eventually will cause lack of communication and interaction within a family because the abuser is focused on the drug and his or her next high, rather than thinking about spending time with family. If drugs are involved in a family the communication is negative and the mood within siblings is often depressing (livestrong.com, 2011). Families, who live under this type of home environment, tend to pass the same lifestyle to the next generation, and it is prone for the children to repeat the same cycle of drug abuse, lack...
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...Child Abuse Adrianna White SOSC 499 DR. TURNER In 1999, an estimated 3,244,000 children were reported to Child Protective Services (CPS) agencies as alleged victims of child maltreatment. Child abuse reports have maintained a steady growth for the past ten years, with the total number of reports nationwide increasing 45% since 1987 (Nation Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse (NCPCA) 2000 Annual Fifty State Survey). Neglect represents the most common type of reported and substantiated form of maltreatment. In 1996, 25 states provided the following breakdown for reported cases: 62% involved neglect, 25% physical abuse, 7% sexual abuse, 3% emotional maltreatment and 4% other. For substantiated cases, 31 states gave the following breakdowns: 60% neglect, 23% physical, 9% sexual, 4% emotional maltreatment and 5% other (NCPCA's 1996 Annual Fifty State Survey). In 1999, an estimated 1,401 child abuse and neglect related fatalities were confirmed by CPS agencies, nearly 4 every day. Since 1985, the rate of child abuse fatalities has increased by 39%. Based on these numbers, more than three children die each day as a result of child abuse or neglect (NCPCA's 1996 Annual Fifty State Survey). According to information from at least 18 states that were able to report the type of maltreatment which caused the child's death for at least one of the past three years. Approximately 54% of the deaths were due to physical abuse while 43% resulted...
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...Child Sexual Abuse Kenny Orr 12/5/11 Mrs. Walters Green Child sexual abuse can happen anywhere, in any neighborhood, in every religion or group, covering all racial or ethnic groups, and it certainly doesn’t matter how rich or poor you are. You can live in a beautiful, gated-community of homes worth millions of dollars, and your child is still not protected from being molested or abused. (Child Sexual Abuse, April 3, 2008) Child sexual abuse is the use of a child for sexual purposes by an adult or older, more powerful person, including an older child. Being sexually abused is not any easy thing to overcome (CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE. (2002). The pain that comes along with the abuse it not just physical abuse but mental abuse. The first step of this happening is being able to understand the different types of sexual abuse. The second step to stop this is to learn the effects of sexual abuse. The third step of ending this terrible problem that is on a rise is how can you spot sexual abuse before it is to late. If nothing is done to stop this, childhood abuse it will continue to rise with many consequences in the future for the abusers and the perpetrators. Child sexual abuse is a significant public health problem not only in the United States but also around the world. One out of three females and one out of five males have been victims of sexual abuse before the age of eighteen. (CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE. (2002). There are many different types of child sexual...
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...Domestic Violence People who are close to one another need to trust each other. We should trust our parents not to hurt us, and to give us what we need to grow. Boys and girls should trust each other, as well as men and women. When someone is abused, the trust is broken. Domestic violence is the use of physical force within a home in any form of abuse. Abuse can be a whole range of physical behavior, slapping, hitting, beating, or using weapons to hurt someone. It includes verbal and emotional abuse, where someone is constantly insulted and made to feel sad and worthless. It can also include rape and sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is when someone forces another to have sexual intercourse or do other sexual things against their will. Another form of abuse is total control where one adult makes all the decisions for another person or for a whole family. Family violence may start with an argument or even a fight, but it goes way beyond fighting. Some abusers were beaten as children, and others saw their parents use violence. Some abusers are uncomfortable with feelings like sadness, embarrassment, hurt, or even love. When these people have these feelings, they get angry, and then they get violent. Some abusers get violent when they run out of words, and some are drunk. Some abusers are jealous, mentally ill, or feel overwhelmed by problems. Some are just mean. One thing all forms of family violence share is how they start. A desire to have control leads to the violence. Every year...
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...domestic abuse is the dirty little secret that some people in society want to ignore. Women hide behind dark glasses, makeup and lies to cover the secret of abuse out of shame, blame and fear. Domestic violence is a cycle of abuse that needs to be addressed. There needs to be more research on the cycle of abuse. Society needs to be educated on the effects of domestic violence and acknowledge that it is a societal problem because the abuser is not the only one abusing the victim. There has been focus on domestic violence when it occurs in the home, but the cycle of abuse is important as well to understand the etiology of domestic violence and find solutions to end this cycle of violence. According to the National Coalition on Domestic Violence, 1 out of 4 women are being abused. 1.3 million women are victims of domestic violence and is the number one reason that women end up in the emergency room with injuries with an average of 3 women a day victims of homicide as a result. Women between the ages of 20-24 are more likely to be victims of nonfatal injuries. Besides rape, domestic violence is underreported. Men are abused as well, but 85% women are victims of domestic violence. 30% to 60% of abusers will abuse children in the home. The cost of intimate partner violence exceeds $5.8 billion a year. Children who witness domestic violence are more likely to repeat this cycle of abuse than those who do not and this is the continuation of the cycle of abuse. The...
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...Child Protection The process of protecting children from abuse or neglect, preventing impairment of their health and development, and ensuring they are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care that enables children to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully.’ (Source: Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2006). It is essential that children are safeguarded from maltreatment and impairment of their health and development not only to prevent the terrible day-today suffering some children are subjected to, but also to ensure that children are safe from these abuses to protect their long-term well-being (Combrink-Graham, 2006: 480). Deliberate and sustained maltreatment, which includes physical, emotional and sexual abuse of children, is not confined to any particular group or culture; it pervades all groups, classes and cultures. So as practitioners it is our professional duty of care to ensure that every child has the same amount of safeguarding as the next. It is also vital that as Early Years professionals we understand the roles and procedures of the services available for children and families so that we may offer the best advice possible. There are two areas of guidance statutory and non-statutory. A service which is defined as statutory is one that the Local Authority have a legal duty to supply. The Local Authority is obliged by statute to provide some services, for example, social services, NHS hospital...
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