Child Abuse

2

Child Abuse

Catrine Norrell

9038256988

HSM/210

Stephanie Dinner

May 18, 2013

2

Child abuse in America is out of control. With 1,537 child deaths in the year 2010, it is clear that we as a society need to step up and start protecting our most precious asset (Safehorizon, 2013). It is not just the “stranger” of the past that we need to worry about. Out of all the children who are abused or neglected, 81.2% of children suffer this abuse at the hands of a family member, or close friend (Safehorizon, 2013). This is far too many.
Every night on the news I hear of another child who has been abused or neglected to death. This touches me in a way that I cannot put into words. To be a child, and have the person or people that you love and trust most afflict such pain and hate onto them is simply unimaginable. Often times the victims are between the ages of 18 months or younger (Safehorizon, 2013). These babies live the whole of their short lives in agony and fear of the very people who should be protecting them. This is unacceptable.
Of all the social issues that plague our society I think addressing this and working harder to prevent it is crucial. Often times the children that suffer these abuses that go on to grow up learn this to be an acceptable family structure and begin the cycle all over again, leaving more children vulnerable to suffer this unthinkable abuse.
As a social worker I would want to work in the family services field to try to reach out to these kids that are in pain and work to end it. No child ever deserves to suffer such unthinkable horrors.

Reference:
Safehorizon. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.safehorizon.org/index/what-we-do-2/child-abuse--incest-55/child-abuse-statistics--facts-304.html