NCJ Number
56405
Date Published
1979
Length
15 pages
Annotation
A MULTIDIMENSIONAL VIEW OF THE SOURCES AND DYNAMICS OF CHILD ABUSE IS PRESENTED, AND APPROACHES TO THE PRIMARY PREVENTION OF ABUSE ARE CONSIDERED.
Abstract
CHILD ABUSE IS ANY INFLICTED LIMITATION ON A CHILD'S RIGHT TO DEVELOP FULLY AND FREELY. SO DEFINED, CHILD ABUSE IS MANIFESTED AT THREE LEVELS: INTERPERSONALLY, IN THE HOME AND CHILD-CARE SETTING; INSTITUTIONALLY, THROUGH THE POLICIES AND PRACTICES OF INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES THAT AFFECT CHILDREN; AND AT THE SOCIETAL LEVEL, THROUGH THE INTERPLAY OF VALUES AND FORCES THAT SHAPE SOCIAL POLICIES AFFECTING CHILDREN. CHILD ABUSE HAS MULTIPLE CAUSAL DIMENSIONS: THE DOMINANT PHILOSOPHY AND VALUES OF SOCIETY; SOCIETY'S SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF CHILDHOOD; THE EXTENT TO WHICH SOCIETY SANCTIONS THE USE OF FORCE, BOTH GENERALLY AND IN THE CHILD-REARING CONTEXT; TRIGGERING CONTEXTS (STRESS AND FRUSTRATION RESULTING FROM POVERTY AND OTHER CONDITIONS) WITHIN WHICH ABUSIVE ACTS TAKE PLACE; AND INDIVIDUAL EXPRESSIONS 0F INTRAPSYCHIC CONFLICTS AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY. THESE MANIFESTATIONS AND CAUSAL FACTORS ARE INTERRELATED, AND THE PRIMARY PREVENTION OF CHILD ABUSE REQUIRES FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES AT ALL LEVELS AND ALONG ALL DIMENSIONS. SUCH A COMPREHENSIVE PREVENTION STRATEGY, WERE IT SUCCESSFUL, WOULD ALSO ELIMINATE OTHER FORMS OF SOCIAL DEVIANCE THAT ARISE FROM THE SAME CAUSAL CONTEXT AS THAT OF CHILD ABUSE. HOWEVER, SUCH A STRATEGY WOULD REQUIRE THE COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION OF THE PREVAILING SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL ORDER. IF CHILD ABUSE IS TO BE PREVENTED, THEN SOCIETY MUST BE PREPARED TO PART WITH ITS MANY CAUSES, EVEN THOSE TO WHICH CERTAIN ADVANTAGES HAVE BECOME ATTACHED. IF SOCIETY IS RELUCTANT TO GIVE UP ALL ASPECTS OF THE CAUSAL CONTEXT OF ABUSE, THEN IT MUST BE PREPARED TO CONTINUE LIVING WITH THE PROBLEM AND SHOULD ACCEPT THAT WHAT IT REALLY WANTS IS AMELIORATION, NOT PREVENTION. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)