NCJ Number
58616
Date Published
1978
Length
27 pages
Annotation
THIS PAMPHLET WAS PREPARED BY THE AMERICAN HUMANE ASSOCIATION TO INTERPRET WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, CHARACTERISTICS OF ABUSING PARENTS, AND CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
Abstract
THE TERM 'ABUSED OR NEGLECTED CHILDREN' REFERS TO CHILDREN WHOSE PHYSICAL OR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELFARE ARE HARMED OR THREATENED BY THE ACTS OF PARENTS OR OTHER PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR WELFARE. EIGHT TYPES OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT ARE CITED: (1) CHILDREN ARE PHYSICALLY NEGLECTED WHEN THEIR NEEDS IN TERMS OF FOOD, SHELTER, AND CLOTHING ARE DISREGARDED; (2) CHILDREN ARE MORALLY NEGLECTED WHEN THEY ARE SUBJECTED TO INFLUENCES THAT CORRUPT OR POSE DANGER OF CORRUPTING; (3) CHILDREN ARE EMOTIONALLY NEGLECTED WHEN THEIR MENTAL HEALTH IS AFFECTED BY FAILURE TO PROVIDE NURTURING QUALITIES NECESSARY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SOUND PERSONALITY; (4) CHILDREN ARE MEDICALLY NEGLECTED WHEN THEIR NEEDS FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT ARE IGNORED; (5) CHILDREN ARE PHYSICALLY ABUSED WHEN THEY ARE SUBJECTED TO ABUSIVE ACTS BY PARENTS; (6) CHILDREN ARE SEXUALLY ABUSED; (7) CHILDREN ARE EDUCATIONALLY NEGLECTED WHEN THERE IS FAILURE TO PROVIDE EDUCATION MANDATED BY LAW; AND (8) CHILDREN ARE VICTIMS OF COMMUNITY NEGLECT. IN 1976, THE NATIONAL STUDY ON CHILD NEGLECT AND ABUSE REPORTING RECEIVED 99,579 REPORTS FROM 28 STATES. OVER 58 PERCENT OF THE REPORTS WERE FOR THE NEGLECT OF CHILDREN, 27 PERCENT WERE FOR CHILD ABUSE, AND 15 PERCENT WERE FOR BOTH NEGLECT AND ABUSE. THE STUDY PROVIDED INFORMATION ON THE AGE AND SEX OF INVOLVED CHILDREN, WHO REPORTS CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, WHO PERPETRATES CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, AND WHAT KINDS OF FAMILIES ARE INVOLVED IN CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. CHILD ABUSERS ARE EMOTIONALLY IMMATURE, IMPULSIVE, AND OFTEN SOCIALLY ISOLATED. IT IS IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN PERSONS WITH THESE CHARACTERISTICS AND PERSONS SUFFERING FROM ORGANIC DISORDERS, PSYCHOSIS, RETARDATION, AND WHO ARE UNINFORMED OR IGNORANT OF ACCEPTABLE PARENTING PRACTICES. SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS OF PHYSICAL NEGLECTING, SEXUALLY ABUSIVE, AND EMOTIONALLY ABUSIVE OR NEGLECTFUL PARENTS AND OF PHYSICALLY ABUSED, SEXUALLY ABUSED, AND EMOTIONALLY NEGLECTED CHILDREN ARE DETAILED. THE AVAILABILITY OF CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES IS DISCUSSED. REFERENCES ARE CITED. (DEP)