Child abuse: What do you need to know?
April is National Prevent Child Abuse Month, but learning more about its causes, prevention, and what you can do if you suspect abuse is something we can do year round.
What happens when the people who are supposed to keep you safe and love you the most - hurt you?
It seems that's a question lots of children are asking. How do I know? Because I'm the one they sometimes come to for answers.
I volunteer for Need in Deed, a terrific organization that works with school students to develop service learning projects. The students pick an issue that concerns them and spend the year learning about the problem, concluding with an activity that brings about positive change. Topics range from the environment to guns in schools.
When I began working with NID many years ago, I was most often asked to speak about teen pregnancy prevention, but child abuse has been inching its way to the top of the list in the last few years. I've been especially busy visiting classes in April, because it's National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
On one hand, as a parent educator, I'm pleased that young people are bringing this important and often shame-filled subject out into the open rather than keeping it hidden away as most often is the case.
On the other hand, it makes me sad to realize this is a topic of grave concern to youngsters, whether it's something they hear about in the news or something they're experiencing in their own families and communities.
While most adults are worried about the impact violent attacks in Brussels and San Bernardino are having on our children, I'm finding the children are more frightened about violent attacks taking place in their own neighborhoods.
Perhaps most telling are some of the questions they ask and here is how I answer:
How can someone become so angry?
Substance abuse, stress, and isolation
Do they feel guilty?
When the rage has passed, yes.
How many children die because of child abuse?
Thirty children died in Pennsylvania last year.
Can abusers love their children?
Yes
I have to be very careful when answering these questions. Most likely someone in the classroom is experiencing child abuse, either first-hand as a victim, or second-hand as an observer.
I need to provide the facts, while at the same time remain sensitive to potential personal situations. I can't condemn all abusers as monsters, because in most cases they're not. More often, they're parents and caregivers who just don't know healthier more effective ways to discipline children and manage their stress and frustrations.
These youngsters deserve lots of credit for tackling such an emotional and taboo topic, and I always make sure to let them know just how proud I am of their work. I also tell them I wish more adults would follow their lead.
Which is just what I'm going to do for them.
National Child Abuse Prevention Month may be officially over soon, but learning more about its causes, prevention, and what you can do if you suspect abuse is something we can do year round.
Hopefully, by joining forces with the students, we can start a movement and finally see a decrease in the number of abuse cases.
To get you started, below is an overview of child abuse in Pennsylvania:
Each year the equivalent of a grade school classroom of children die of child abuse.
Parents (or those with a parental relationship to the child) accounted for 61 percent of substantiated abuse perpetrators. Eleven percent of the perpetrators had been named in previous substantiated reports.
Sixty-five percent of the substantiated victims were girls. Thirty-three percent were boys. The higher number of substantiated reports involving girls is partially explained by the fact that 79 percent of sexual abuse reports, the most prevalent type of abuse, involved girls.
Child abuse happens everywhere. Last year it occurred in all 67 counties of Pennsylvania — urban, suburban, and rural.
Anyone can report suspected abuse, but certain people are required by law to do so including: people who by the nature of their jobs come in contact with children on a regular basis, doctors, nurses, social service workers, teachers, school employees, law enforcement authorities; and members of the clergy.
The social-emotional damage caused by child abuse can last a lifetime.
Child abuse can be prevented.
The most frequently cited risk factors are:
To learn more about child abuse and how you can help, please visit these websites:
Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance
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