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April is recognized around the world as Child Abuse Prevention Month and the blue ribbon and the blue windmill are the symbols for child abuse prevention. Help raise public awareness about preventing child maltreatment and enhancing child well-being in your community.
Help raise public awareness about preventing child maltreatment and enhancing child well-being in your community. Spread the word, create interest, and encourage those in your network to get involved! Every child deserves to grow up in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment. Please, have a look at the definitions regarding Child Abuse, and If You’re concerned that a child is being abused or if you want to report an incident or suspicion of abuse, you can contact the local authority child protection team, in the UK, please check the information on this webpage www.ceop.police.uk
Understanding Child Maltreatment
Child abuse can occur anywhere and is not restricted to a particular group, race, income, or location. Wherever there are children, there is the potential for abuse. In order to do your part, it is important to understand and recognize the warning signs for child abuse and neglect.
What is Child Abuse and Neglect?
Child abuse is an act or failure to act by a parent or caregiver that results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation, or that creates an imminent risk of serious harm to a child. Child abuse typically refers to harm caused by parents or other caregivers, but acquaintances, strangers, and other persons may also be responsible for abusing a child.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is physical injury inflicted on a child by other than accidental means. • Physical beatings • Slapping • Hitting • Burns • Strangulation • Human bites
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse includes sexual intercourse, exploitation, and any sexual contact, touching or non touching, with a child. This includes, but is not limited to: • Non-touching sexual offenses: o Frank discussions about sexual acts intended to arouse the child’s interest o Obscene telephone calls o Exhibitionism o Voyeurism o Pornography o Allowing children to witness or hear sexual acts • Touching sexual offenses: o Rape or Incest o Touching of breasts o Attempted intercourse o Fondling of the genitals.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional damage is harm to a child’s psychological or intellectual functioning. Emotional abuse is a pattern of behavior that attacks children’s emotional development, their spirit and self-concept, and makes them feel unloved, unlovable, and worthless. It is thought to be the most common form of abuse. Emotional abuse usually accompanies other forms of abuse and has long lasting effects on the individual. This type of abuse includes, but is not limited to: • Constant criticizing, belittling, insulting, or rejecting a child • Withholding love, support, guidance • Manipulation
Neglect
Neglect is failure, refusal, or inability on the part of a parent of caregiver to provide necessary care that may seriously endanger the physical health of a child, except for reasons of poverty. Neglect may include or be characterized by a lack or absence of the following basic care needs: • Proper food • Medical and dental care • Hygiene • Shelter • Clothing • Education • Love and attention • Supervision and setting limits • Abandonment
If you’re concerned that a child is being abused, you should report it so that the child can be protected. Children are the foundation of our society, our community and our future. Children raised in loving and supportive environments are more likely to prosper academically and financially, becoming successful contributing members of society.
All credits to the sources regarding the statistics and information provided on this post: