Signs that abuse is occuring

You can't always assume that abuse is occuring in a home, and you can't accuse someone of abusing their kids when you aren't for sure.

Reconizing Child Abuse.

The child:

• Shows sudden changes in behavior or school performance
• Has not received help for physical or medical problems brought to the parents' attention
• Has learning problems (or difficulty concentrating) that cannot be attributed to specific physical or psychological causes
• Is always watchful, as though preparing for something bad to happen
• Lacks adult supervision
• Is overly compliant, passive, or withdrawn
• Comes to school or other activities early, stays late, and does not want to go home

The parent:

• Shows little concern for the child
• Denies the existence of—or blames the child for—the child's problems in school or at home
• Asks teachers or other caregivers to use harsh physical discipline if the child misbehaves
• Sees the child as entirely bad, worthless, or burdensome
• Demands a level of physical or academic performance the child cannot achieve
• Looks primarily to the child for care, attention, and satisfaction of emotional needs

In an abusive child/parent relationship, the child and parent rarely touch or look at each other, consider their relationship entirely negative, and clearly state they don't like each other.

Emily

http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/socialcare/adult-protection/appg/ap-alert-guide/ap-alert6.htm

Where Do I go for Help?!?!

Q: One of my friends is in a serious crisis dealing with Child Abuse. How do I comfort her?

A: You have to know that it is not her fault for her parents doing it to her.

Q: Where can she go for help? She needs to know that she is being comforted, but not to feel uncomfortable.

A: I've been in couseling for awhile now, but honestly that doesn't really help me much. She needs to find a friend she can trust and who actually gives more help than something like "it's going to be okay."

Q: What is a good way to get over it?

A: She's never going to be able to fully get over it. Ever. But she can eventually look past it. I'm not really sure about this question. Because I'm not close to being over it yet, she just has to make herself be happy. And the most important thing, she HAS to know it's not her fault.

I think this is a great start, just know you can always pray about a certain situation and it will get better.


Jordyn

Statistics

Every thirteen seconds, a child is abused in the U.S. An average of four children die everyday from the effects of abuse and neglect. In the U.S, there are about 325,000 children who undergo physical abuse, 135,000 who are undergoing sexual abuse, and 148,500 who are experiencing emotional abuse. Studies have shown that abuse is even through genders, although young girls are more likley to experience sexual abuse than young boys are. Through the ethinicities, about one half of the recipients were white, one fifth were african american, and another fifth was hispanic. Childer younger than one year recieve 42.2% of abuse. Children 1-3 make up 33.5%. Children 4-7 are 12.9%. Children 8-11 are 4.7%. Children 12-17 make up 6.5%.
Milton

website: http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/fatality.cfm

How Abuse Affects The Whole Family

Abuse of a child affects the whole family in a very negative way. The family is bound to be very strained and uncomfortable. The children or child being abused constantly lives in fear, of what might come next. The abuser lives in anger and is cruel to the child or children. Also other members who know about the abuse might not know what to do or how to approach the situation. They might feel as if they approach the abuser it will only cause more problems and abuse. The people being abused also might have social, mental and life skills issues. So many horrible things can come from abuse, in so many aspects of life. Being abused as a child will most likely affect your relationships in the future, as an adult. Abuse is something that is very hard to move on from and can cause life long struggles.

Meagan

http://www.recoveryfromabuse.com/wordpress/?page_id=27

Runaway Love- A video about Child Abuse

The Aftermath

Perhaps the most horrible thing about abuse is the psychological damage that it can do to a child. At such a young age, a child is easily impressionable and very vulnerable to influences. Since home is where the child lives, and where the parents and abuse is, the child can pick up the habits formed by the parents, or teh abuser. This can lead to an endless cycle of abuse. 93% of children who are abused will most likely end up like one of their parents. It is unfair to force a child to form into such a monster and to continue a chain of violence. Children who undergo abuse often have a very low self confidence and ability to trust others. In a world that calls for confidence, losing self-confidence is one of the worst things that could happen to a child. The child may not strive for good grades or good friends, and will lower standards the child should have. A child who cannot trust others cannot truly form bonds of friendsip, and necessary experiences for a young child are forever lost.
Milton

How to Help the Abused

There are so many things you can do to help the abused! Give them support, encourage them to get help, and so much more. So many children out there are being abused and no one even knows about it. But if we raise awareness people will know more about the problem, so we can do more to fix it. If you do know someone who's being abused don't go to them and try to act like you know everything. Go and talk to them and be someone who can listen and help to the best of there ability but don't try to act like you know what they're going through, if you don't. Sometimes it might only make it worse. Let the person know they don't have to be afraid to talk to you, and that they can trust you. But one of the things that might be the most helpful of all to let the abused know you can trust them.
If you know you can't do anything to help someone, but you have a trusted adult you feel can, you should tell them. Do anything you can to get the abused out of their situation, while still keeping them safe.

Meagan




http://www.recoveryfromabuse.com/wordpress/?page_id=27

How can a Victim Take a Stand?

This subject is a very hard for a victim to bring up. They fear that they will be hurt or beaten again for telling somebody what is going on, but it's only for the better. If many of victims bring up the problem people can approach it in a helpful manner. We need to stop abuse as soon as we can. So that people can live a happy and joyful life. The Four Fighters will do anything to help victims so let us know if we can help you in anyway. We won't approach you as a counselor, we will approach you as a teenager who can help you and see where you're coming from. We would like to have a Child Abuse Awarness Day were all the victims can march and feel powerful for something they have been through and also talk to other victims who have been through the same thing as them. I will do anything to help victims in their crisis. I have a strong opinion on this topic and I will talk and do the best I can to STOP THE VIOLENCE.

Jordyn

Church Teaching on Child Abuse

"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. " (Ephesians 6:4)
"Fathers, provoke not your children [to anger], lest they be discouraged. " (Colossians 3:21)



The Catholic Church has zero tolerance for child abuse. Any abuse on children weather it be physical, verbal, or sexual will scar a child all their lives. Abuse is the violation of love and of the child. God gave families their children to love and respect them, and to raise them in the light of God. By abusing them you are committing a serious sin. Since all people are made in God's image and likeness abuse against a child is the abuse against God. We has Christians are called to protect the people in our lives, and if we can do anything to help someone in need we should. If anyone knows someone who is being abused you should do anything in your power to help them, because everyone should know they are not alone, people are here to support them.

Meagan

http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2c2a5.htm

Why does it happen?

No one fully understands why some parents decide to turn to abusing their child. And most people can not imagine hurting their child(ren) in ways some people do.

There are many reasons some parents can meet the demands of parenthood, including:

• Immaturity and unrealistic expectations
• Unmet emotional needs
• The stresses of life
• Economic crisis
• Domestic violence
• Lack of parenting knowledge
• Difficulty in relationships
• Depression or other mental health issues
• Drug or alcohol problems
• Frustrations of life

When you add these circumstances with the challenges of childcare, even people who are well intentioned can harm or neglect their children. Sometimes the reason for child abuse can be mearly the parent does not know how to cope with their tempers, and it turns bad.

Emily

The types

Abusing a child is a crime that is absolutely intolerable under any circumstances. The abuse, however, is not always limited to physical attacks. There are three different types of abuse: physical, verbal, and sexual. Each one carries its own way of wreaking havoc in a childs life, and often incapacitates them from advancing with confidence into their adult life.

PHYSICAL

Probably the most known and most looked for, physical abuse is the easiest to spot. A child that is covered in bruises can be easily spotted, and with careful interrogation, the abuse can be stopped. Unfortunately, this is also the abuse that can lead to the death of children at a young age through brutal beatings. Those who experience this abuse are often unable to help themselves, such as young children or teenage girls.

VERBAL

This can be the most subtle form of abuse, but it is extremely malicious. Verbal abuse does not carry any visible bruises, but the reprecussions and mental damage can carry long into the adult life of the abused child. This type of abuse often involves shouting or snide and cruel comments to the child. At such a young age, it is extremely hard for a child to shrug off such comments, and the impact can permanately damage a child's self-image and self-confidence. This means the child may not strive in shool or extracirricular activities, leading to a dead-end.

SEXUAL

Perhaps the most traumatic experience a child can ever go through is sexual abuse. This can be perpetrated by a family member or a trusted family friend. The mental trauma of the experience often leads to teen drinking and the use of drugs to seek a euphoria and escape the horrible experience. A child who undergoes this experience is often troubled well into their adult life.

Milton

Welcome!

Welcome to our blog! Here, the four of us (Milton, Meagan, Emily, and Jordyn) will give the cold hard facts and undeniable truth about the cruel injustice that is child abuse. We will thoroughly research the percentages of this crime that occur, and give different ways the victims can cope with their experiences. It is our sincere hope that through this blog, we, The Four Fighters, can confront child abuse in any way, shape, or form, anywhere and anytime!