what forms of abuse have you ever witnessed?

Philippines
November 23, 2008 2:59am CST
I am a social work student and I would like to know various stories of child abuse all over the world. Hope you could help me widen my horizon in terms of the realities that are happening in the society today. thank you!
2 responses
@BubblyIan (750)
5 Dec 08
How much time do you have?!!! For a start you can look at my other discussions! There are various types of child abuse - recognised/recognisable and institutionalised/unrecognised. Most 'recognised' child abuse occurs by people known to the child. The mother 62%, step-parents 20% are the main abusers. Mostly physical abuse is in the 'recognised' section. This is the type that even the SS (Social services - so-called 'child' protection services) are able to spot - hospitals/GP's are encouraged to report what are known as 'Non-accidental injuries' ( NAI). Instiutionalised abuse is in the unrecognised category as it is mainly 'accepted' and largely emotional or psychological abuse. The form I have been most involved with is where the primary carer (normally the mother) poisons the mind of the child against the other parent (normally the father). This often occurs in a form of false allegations of abuse against either or both of the mother and child. The family courts and SS are prejudiced into believing the mother as a starting point. Both the Baby P and Shannon Matthews cases are likely to have occurred because the main perpetrator was a woman and the SS start with a presumption that women/mothers/children do not lie - hence they are extremely reluctant to get involved - in those cases until it is too late. If the same allegations were made against the father, the children would have been taken immediately. I have seen cases where false allegations were made against the father and he was required to leave immediately - the SS refused to perform any kind of investigation - simply accepting the allegation as true. The mother was forced to choose between dumping the father (whom she believed) or losing the children into 'care'. And the abuse in care has to seen to be believed. Around 50% of Prisoners have been through the care system compared with around 1% of the general population. Taking children over the age of about 4 into the care system is a disaster. See my other responses for my solutions, but treating fathers as equally important would be a huge brain change for the SS and a massive step forward for the kids.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
25 Nov 08
I guess it depends on your definition of abuse. I know a lot of people now think that anything other than an open handed slap is abuse. So when we were hit with a 2x4 as children, today that would be abuse. But back then it was just discipline.