Confronting Child Abuse
By W.E. Butterworth IV
Help break the cycle that hurts
millions of children each year.
In a counseling session, 13-year-old Sammy said: "My dad used
to come home drunk and get real mad. He would throw me against
the wall. My head hurt a lot. I would never hurt my kids like
my dad [did]."
Unfortunately, the sad odds are that Sammy would.
According to the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse,
abused children are six times more likely to become abusive adults
than are kids reared in non-violent homes.
Scary stuff. But there may be a happy ending.
Breaking the Cycle
While every April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, the problem
is dealt with every month.
It has to be. The cycle must be
broken.
Since 1985, the number of reports of child abuse and
neglect has risen 50 percent. In 1993, according to the National
Committee to Prevent Child Abuse, nearly 3 million children in the
United States were reported as abused and neglected. Worse, at least
three abused children died each day.
Four Types of Child Abuse
What exactly is child abuse? There are four types:
- Physical Abuse
- Beatings, burns, bites, strangulation, immersion in scalding
water and other actions causing bruises, welts, broken bones,
scars or serious internal injuries.
- Sexual Abuse
- Sexual contact with an adult or older child for the
gratification of the offender.
- Emotional Abuse
- Attacking a child's emotional development and sense
of self-worth.
- Neglect
- Not giving a child the basic necessities: food, clothing,
shelter, medical care, attention to hygiene and
more.
Here's Help to Stop the Abuse
So where's the happy ending? It is in our ability to find help.
Organizations dealing daily with the problem include:
- Covenant House Nineline, (800) 999-9999. (24 hours)
- National Resource Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, (800) 227-5242.
- National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information,
(800) FYI-3366 or (703) 385-7565.
- National Information Clearinghouse for Infants With Disabilities
and Life-Threatening Conditions, (800) 922-9234, ext 201; in South
Carolina: (800) 922-1107.
- National Resource Center on Child Sexual Abuse, (800) KIDS-0006.
- National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse. NCPCA [Publications
Department, P.O. Box 2866, Chicago, IL 60690, (312) 663-3520]
offers a free catalogue of publications on child abuse, child
abuse prevention and parenting.
No Time to Waste
If you need help—or know someone who does—follow
Sammy's lead:
Call for help. Do it now.
You can help
break the sad cycle of child abuse
A Child's Bill of Rights
If you find yourself in what you believe to be a dangerous situation,
you have the right to:
- Trust your instincts or feelings.
- Expect privacy.
- Withhold information that could place you in danger.
- Refuse gifts.
- Say no to unwanted touching or affection.
- Say no to inappropriate demands and requests from adults.
- Be rude or unhelpful if the situation warrants.
- Run, scream and make a scene.
- Physically fight off unwanted advances.
- Ask others for help.
(Read more in the pullout parent's guide bound in every "Boy Scout
Handbook," "Webelos Scout Book," "Bear Cub Scout Book" and "Wolf Cub
Scout Book.")
