Discussions of violence against children have always been challenging in the healthcare context due to significant trauma to which young minds are being subjected. To guarantee both the physical and emotional well-being of growing generations, it is imperative not to overlook various types of abuse that can occur in multiple contexts. Nurses and other healthcare staff should be prepared to identify signs of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse to report them to relevant authorities as well as work to improve children’s health. Importantly, socio-economic conditions can lead to the physical, emotional, and sexual abuse of children.
Physical violence can be described as the deliberate infliction of injuries or damages to a child by parents or people replacing them, or by other adults, resulting in a child’s physical and psychological health and development, or death. However, damage can also be accidental, which means that it was caused by unintentionally (Sigad et al. 487). It is important to note that there are several potential causes. Many authors consider ill-treatment as a social problem of society (Walker et al. 571).
The result of violence or neglect of the basic needs of children are the consequences that can be defined as their traumatization. In this sense, the concept of trauma applied to ill-treatment of children includes those caused by the actions of parents or persons replacing them, violations of the child’s psychological, emotional, cognitive and social functioning (Davidov et al. 724).
Sexual abuse is the involvement of a child in direct or indirect sexual acts with an adult to gain sexual satisfaction or benefit to the latter. As a result, the physical and mental health of the child is harmed, and deviations in behavior appear that impede further social adaptation (Davidov et al. 729).
The primary cause of sexual abuse can be manifested in the parents’ insecurity. Studies of parents, among which cases of violation of their children were revealed, showed that they have the following psychological, behavioral, or personal characteristics (Davidov et al. 731). Many authors identify several factors determining the development of life-saving systems. These might include features of the parent-child relationship, existing family structure, and problems within the family, stress caused by the socio-economic environment in which the family lives, and social conditions.
Emotional or psychological violence is a one-time or chronic mental impact on a child, a hostile or indifferent attitude, as well as other behavior of parents and persons replacing them. It causes a child to experience a violation of self-esteem, a loss of faith in himself, hampering his development, and socialization (Walker et al. 582). It is critical to understand that the primary reasons can vary depending on the situation. Approximately 25% of parents who had been abused as a child themselves subsequently committed violence against their children (Walker et al. 585). The main reason for outlining the given issues is that children are not able to defend themselves against oppressive parents or other individuals. Therefore, I believe that more strict regulations should be integrated in order to protect them from physical harms.
To conclude, it is imperative for healthcare professionals not to overlook possible signs of child abuse. Physical, sexual, and mental abuse represent significant health challenges in the future because the trauma attained from them can decrease the quality of their lives and lead to serious health complications. Socio-economic factors are especially relevant to the current discussion as they influence the occurrence of violence against children.
Works Cited
Davidov, Jonathan, et al. “Cross-Disciplinary Craftsmanship: The Case of Child Abuse Work.” Qualitative Social Work, vol. 16, no. 5, 2017, pp. 717-733.
Sigad, Laura I., et al. “Toxic Knowledge: Self-Alteration Through Child Abuse Work.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence, vol. 31, no. 3, 2016, pp. 481-499.
Walker, Alfredo, et al. “Are There Hallmarks of Child Abuse? I. Osseous Injuries.” Academic Forensic Pathology, vol. 6, no. 4, 2016, pp. 568-590.