Child Abuse in America - Research Paper Example

Child Abuse in America Child abuse may be of different forms. They may be physical abuse which includes actions such as hitting, slapping, pinching, hair pulling, throwing and so on. Child abuse may be also in the form of sexual abuse involving any sexual act between an adult and child. The third form of child abuse is neglect which includes deprivation of the child’s physical requirements which include lack of supervision, inappropriate housing or shelter, inadequate food and water provision, lack of clothing for different seasons or weather or that of abandonment as well as denial of medical care as well inappropriate hygiene.

Another type of child abuse can be attributed to the emotional abuse which adversely affects the mental health of the child and its social development. Now in America, the incidence of child abuse is quite predominant. The discussion will be thus centered on the discussion of child abuse in America and its various aspects. In America, more highlight is entailed on the enhanced vulnerabilities towards sexual abuse among the child. Family bonds are becoming weaker with a small number of adults being married as well as getting divorced.

Due to the increasing trend of divorce, the children of the divorced parents are highly encountering pre-pubertal sexual experiences. The step children are exposed to high risk of sexual abuse. It has been also encountered that the American children have become socially very weaker, lacking in interpersonal skills, feeble physically occurring as a consequence or functions of largely expanding divorce cases. This directs towards the emergence of reducing the number of divorce cases. The abuse and trauma provided by child abuse come with serious consequences giving rise to several cognitive disorders and symptoms in childhood and adulthood stages which include various disorders like post traumatic disorder, depression, learning disorders, dissociative disorders and so on (Kolk & Crozier, 2001, pp. 1-5). The consequences of strongly disputed marriages and ineffective relationship between the parents post divorce cases leads to immense problems for the children which includes violence, depression, anxiety as well as other cognitive disorders.

Pressure on the economy The pressure on the economy is also intense with an estimated cost of around $ 220 million on a daily basis adversely affecting more than one million children on an annual basis. In the year 2012, the direct cost of child abuse was figured at an amount of $33,333,619,510 along with an indirect cost of $46,926,791,578. The direct cost sources include medical treatment of children, mental health care system, welfare system of the children, law enforcement and so on. The indirect cost sources include various allocations in areas like special education, emergency housing, costs related to the criminal justice as well as minimized productivity of the workers.

The concern is deep with regards to neglect towards addressing child abuse and it is very much necessary to eradicate the same as it neglect and affect the whole human generation and their future generations as well (Gelles & Perlman, 2012, p.4). Conclusion and highlight on potential resolutions The emergence of sexual abuse literally jeopardizes their childhood. The society takes an important