...Child Sexual Abuse in the United States and its Long Term Effects David Andrade Liberty University SOCI-201 Robert D. Clark May 5, 2014 Abstract This will be a paper to demonstrate the staggering number of sexual abuse cases in the United States and its long term effects on children and adults. My interest in this topic is due to the fact that I have been sexually abused as a child and have been researching about the long term effects in people who do not come forward with this problem. Many people have been able to recover from the damaging effects of sexual abuse, however, many still suffer from past memories and present debilitations. This paper aims to expose 5 facts about sexual abuse in children as well as statistics, adverse effects, prevention strategies, how homosexuality can be traced back to child abuse, how to recognize if your child has been abused, and reasons why people abuse children. I will also share some of my personal experiences in order to help the reader understand the damaging effect that child sex abuse has on a child and how it evolves into worse acts if not treated quickly. Child Sexual Abuse in the United States and its Long Term Effects Child sexual abuse is a form of abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual purposes. These purposes can range from sexual activity regardless of outcome, exposure to pornographic materials, and even to produce child pornography. It is the one crime that can occur anywhere whether...
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...Child abuse is one of the most common problems that occur in the world. It is also harm done to a child by another person of or over the age of eighteen. People of all races, cultures, and religions can abuse their children. Child abuse is known to be the main cause of the victims’ sufferings and personal problems. There are three main types of abuse; they are physical, verbal, and sexual abuse and all leading to damaging repercussions in the victims’ future. According to statistics, physical abuse is the most common form of abuse in the United States. Physical abuse is any non-accidental physical injury done to a child that can include striking, kicking, burning, or biting, or other actions that result in physical harm to a child. Today more than five children will die because of child abuse. Approximately 80% of children that die of physical abuse are under the age of four. Children who have been abused are affected in the future; about 30% of abused and neglected children will later abuse their own children continuing the cycle of abuse. Abused children are also 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy. This causing more problems in the victims’ future as it is. Verbal abuse is just as harmful and effective as physical abuse. Verbal abuse may not leave bruises or scars, but it can damage a young person for many years to come. They cause the child to feel like he or she is at fault or they believe what the abuser is saying to them. It may also cause the child to withdraw...
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...health research defines childhood adversity as a range of unfavorable experiences that a child may have experienced before attaining the age of 18 (Pais & Bissell, 2006). A more recent definition provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes Adverse Childhood Experience as a range of challenges, including abuse (emotional, physical and sexual), household challenges (violent treatment of the mother, household substance abuse, mental illness within household, parental separation or divorce and criminal household member) and neglect (emotional and physical) that affects a child before the age of 18 (CDC 2016). As such, the question on what defines an adverse...
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...annotated bibliography whether there is a link between child sexual abuse and later sexual exploitation and reviews the literature on prevention strategies and effective interventions in child sexual abuse services. It shows that children are sexually exploited in other ways through the Internet. It focuses on Barnardo's response to the problem of sexual exploitation and sets it in both a historical and a contemporary context. It provides factors that influence police conceptualizations of girls involved in prostitution in six U.S. cities and if the children are sexual exploitation victims or delinquents. It explains that sexually exploited children are vulnerable to this type of abuse. It explains that sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) as one of the most destructive forms of child abuse. It explains the international sexual trafficking of women and children. It includes data on the amount of women and children that are being trafficked and experiencing sexual exploitation. It includes a dissertation that includes an empirical study and a quantitative study. This study is the first of its kind to describe a sample of commercially, sexually exploited children in foster care. Empirical Peer Reviewed Articles Barnitz, Laura. (2001). Effectively responding to the commercial sexual exploitation of children: A comprehensive approach to prevention, protection, and reintegration services. Child Welfare: Journal of Policy, Practice, and Program, Vol...
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...year old child who is left home with my uncle. I watched from my room as my parents drove away and the fear began. I entered the room to watch TV with my uncle. He put in a video of a sexual nature, as I get up to leave the room, he makes me stay. He touches me; I tried to get away but was over powered. Then it happens again, the sexual abuse and I was afraid to tell and face the consequences if I did. Child sexual abuse, is one of the most traumatic and devastating crimes with far reaching and sometimes, lifelong and lasting negative effects. It encompasses a wide spectrum of conditions and situations that at times may be difficult to delineate clearly and separately. Child sexual abuse is usually found in combinations rather than alone. Child sexual abuse is a problem of epidemic proportion in the United States as well as worldwide with many cases going unreported. Every day more than four children die as a result of child sexual abuse. Child sexual abuse is a crime that does not discriminate; it crosses all ethnic, social economic and racial lines. Key words: Effect, psychological, Self-Esteem, Child Sexual Abuse The Federal Government has established a very broad definition of child sexual abuse but has left it up to each state as to specific and detailed provisions. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment (CAPTA) amendments of 1996 defines child sexual abuse as * The employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticements, or coercion of any child to engage...
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...Child abuse Child abuse is the physical, sexual or emotional mistreatment or neglect of a child or children. Child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or other caregiver that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child. Child abuse can occur in a child's home, or in the organizations, schools or communities the child interacts with. There are four major categories of child abuse: neglect, physical abuse, psychological/emotional abuse, and child sexual abuse. Different jurisdictions have developed their own definitions of what constitutes child abuse for the purposes of removing a child from his/her family and/or prosecuting a criminal charge. According to the Journal of Child Abuse and Neglect, child abuse is "any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation, an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm". Types Child abuse can take several forms: The four main types are physical, sexual, psychological, and neglect. There are many effects of child neglect, such as children not being able to interact with other children around them. The continuous refusal of a child's basic needs is considered chronic neglect. Physical abuse Physical abuse involves physical aggression directed at a child by an adult. Most nations with child-abuse laws consider the deliberate infliction of...
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...Campus Child Molestation: Does the punishment fit the crime? Justice Administration 3300 Criminal Law Professor Shupe By Lance Sumrall October 18, 2010 Imagine a child, a little girl about the age of 10; she has just walked in the door from a fun day at school. She is surprised to find that mom is not home, only her new step-father. She goes to her room to put away her book bag and take off her shoes. She turns around to see her new dad standing in the doorway with a strange look in his eye. In the moments to come, the innocence of a precious child will be destroyed forever. Studies show that two out of ten girls and one out of ten boys will be sexually abused before their fourteenth birthday, and children that are abused are much more likely to be abused by a family member or close friend not a stranger off the street. While child molestation is a common phrase used by the media and public when discussing sexual abuse of children, the actual crime is called child sexual assault. The National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect defines child sexual assault as “contacts or interactions between a child and an adult when the child is being used for sexual stimulation of the perpetrator or another person when the perpetrator or another person is in a position of power or control over the victim.” These “contacts or interactions” include inappropriate physical contact, forcing a child to view pornography or people performing sexual acts, using a child in making...
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...Child Abuse and Investigation Janna-kae Morrison Kaplan University Unit 9 Project CM 107 I. Introduction a) The impact of child abuse b) Child abuse is on the rise but there are different ways in which social workers can investigate child abuse in order to protect children. II. Child abuse is a problem in the human services field that is affecting many families. a) There are different types of child abuse b) Different types of abuse can scare children c) It can cause children to be separated from their families III. What can social workers and other authorities do to protect children and family in child abuse cases? a) Parenting class b) Counseling c) Anger management class Child abuse has been affecting tens and thousands of children and their families around the world for years now, leading to physical, intellectual and psychological repercussions. Majority of parents and caregivers do not intend to hurt children; they may think they are punishing a child but the effect it has on the child is what constitutes the abuse. There are different types of child abuse (see Figure 1, showing the types of child abuse) that can cause social workers and other government officials to enter a family’s house and separate the child or children from their family. The aim of this paper is to examine the various types...
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...Child Sexual Abuse in the United States and Its Long Term Effects Abstract This will be a paper to demonstrate the staggering number of sexual abuse cases in the United States and its long term effects on children and adults. My interest in this topic is due to the fact that I have been sexually abused as a child and have been researching about the long term effects in people who do not come forward with this problem. Many people have been able to recover from the damaging effects of sexual abuse, however, many still suffer from past memories and present debilitations. This paper aims to expose 5 facts about sexual abuse in children as well as statistics, adverse effects, prevention strategies, how homosexuality can be traced back to child abuse, how to recognize if your child has been abused, and reasons why people abuse children. I will also share some of my personal experiences in order to help the reader understand the damaging effect that child sex abuse has on a child and how it evolves into worse acts if not treated quickly. Child Sexual Abuse in the United States and its Long Term Effects Child sexual abuse is a form of abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual purposes. These purposes can range from sexual activity regardless of outcome, exposure to pornographic materials, and even to produce child pornography. It is the one crime that can occur anywhere whether it be school, playgrounds, work, and home. In a way, children who are abused...
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...and more likely to be criminals Child Abuse $30K – $200K Teen Pregnancy $120K – $138K High School Dropout $250K – $450K Illegal Drug Abuse $250K – $740K Alcohol Abuse $230K – $690K NOTES: The low-end present value figures reflect only tangible costs; the high-end figures add intangible costs. Because each bar includes individual and societal costs that may overlap with others, they cannot be tallied to produce a total. FIGURE 1 The researchers divide the societal costs of each outcome into two categories: tangible, which covers items such as prison beds that are easier to measure and calcuate in dollars; and intangible, which includes consequences like a crime victim’s pain and suffering that clearly have costs but must be estimated using more complex methods. The average per-person tangible costs, as described below, are substantial: Child Abuse: Societal costs for medical and mental health care and services such as foster care total more than $30,000 for a child who is abused. Teen Parenthood: When a teenager has a child, the nation pays $120,000 for expenses including medical care, social assistance programs and efforts to deal with higher rates of abuse and neglect among these young parents. High School Dropout: Adropout costs society $250,000 through lower earnings and benefits. Illegal Drug Abuse: Treatment, medical care and other societal costs caused by a drug abuser amount to $250,000. Alcohol abuse: Societal costs for an alcoholic, such...
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...Child Abuse and its Long Term Effects Franklin Mosley Christian Counseling 301 B02-LUO Abstract Child abuse is present in our society, in the United States and throughout the world. This paper briefly examines various issues surrounding child abuse and its long term effect upon the development of the abused. The goal of this paper is to underscore the fact that child abuse is prevalent and that help and treatment can be administered to both the abused and the abuser to end the crippling cycle of abuse in homes. Child Abuse and its Long Term Effects Child abuse is present in our society, in the United States and throughout the world. This paper briefly examines various issues surrounding child abuse and its long term effect upon the development of the abused. The goal of this paper is to underscore the fact that child abuse is prevalent and that help and treatment can be administered to both the abused and the abuser to end the crippling cycle of abuse in homes. The categorizing of types of abuse varies from country to country and therefore empirical statistics are very hard to establish. Definitions of child abuse also vary greatly, not only world-wide but also between states. The Federal government offers guidelines for states. Federal legislation provides guidance to States by identifying a minimum set of acts or behaviors that define child abuse and neglect. Note that these guidelines are classified as minimum standards. The Department of Health and...
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...Child Prostitution Child prostitution refers to children and adolescents receiving money or other items of value in exchange for engaging in sexual acts or allowing sexual acts to be performed on them. Child prostitution is a form of sexual abuse. According to Child Maltreatment, published in 2008, sexual abuse is defined as a type of maltreatment that refers to the involvement of the child in sexual activity to provide sexual benefit or financial benefit to the perpetrator, including contacts for sexual purposes, molestation, statutory rape, (child) prostitution, (child) pornography, exposure, incest or other sexually exploitative activities. Both girls and boys may be prostituted. Some children have had hundreds of sex partners. They usually continue a life of prostitution into adulthood. Federal laws in the United States, as well as laws in every state, ban child prostitution. In the United States, any person who knowingly transports any child under the age of 18 years in interstate or foreign commerce or in any commonwealth, territory or possession of the United States, with the intent that the individual engage in prostitution or in any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, or attempts to do so, may be fined or imprisoned. In some states, such as Maine and Wisconsin, prostituting one's child is specific grounds for the termination of parental rights. (In other states, parental rights may be terminated for sexual abuse, abandonment...
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...Child Abuse There is no other crime more emotionally laden than those involving children. Police officers and investigators speak about the intense associated with those cases. Sometimes these people who are involved in crimes against children have to go therapy because of the severity of the case. Unfortunately, incidents of crime against children are increasing dramatically every year. Every year thousands of children become victims of crime, whether it’s through kidnappings, violent attacks, sexual abuse, or online predators. Child abuse has a lengthy history. Children have been subject to abuse by their parents or other adults since presumably the beginning of time. For many centuries laws failed to protect children from abuse. Children under English common law were considered the property of their fathers, as women were considered property of their husbands, until the late 1800s. American colonists in the 16th and 17th centuries carried the tradition of children being property of their fathers to the early years of the United States. In the early 1870s, child abuse captured the nation's attention with news that an 8 year old orphan named Mary Ellen Wilson was suffering daily whippings and beatings at her foster home. With no organization in existence to protect abused children, the orphan's plight fell to attorneys for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). These attorneys argued that laws protecting animals from abuse should not be greater...
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...According to Dave Pelzer, author of A Child Called “it,” “Childhood should be carefree, playing in the sun; not living a nightmare in the darkness of the soul” (Pelzer, 1995, pg.98). Meaning, children should be able to enjoy their carefree lives and not worry about pain. Child Sexual Abuse is a very harrowing experience for many victims. As the child continues to develop though, the sexual abuse can have an enormous impact on their lives, to the extent sometimes that the child no longer realizes it. This is called normalization, according to the Southeast Center Against Sexual Assault and Violence, Normalization of the survivors’ reactions to the abuse experience and the effects this has had on their psychological functioning, both historically...
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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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