Child Abuse

THESIS STATEMENT: The UK Guidance working together to safeguard children 2010, says that, child abuse constitutes of neglect, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.

SUB TOPIC| TOPIC SENTENCE|
1. Child neglect| The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, a large UK organization, sees, child neglect as, “the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic, physical, and psychological needs. | 2. Emotional abuse| The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, a large UK organization, continues to view emotional abuse as, “the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development”.| 3. Physical abuse| As viewed by the UK and most European Union countries, physical abuse is when a parent/caregiver induces illness on a child deliberately and any other type of physical harm to a child.| 4. Sexual abuse| Sexual abuse is any act that forces or entices a child to participate in sexual activities, regardless of whether the child is aware of what is going on.

CHILD ABUSE

Abstract
This paper explores four types of child abuse reported and obtained from research conducted online (Internet) and offline (Newspaper articles). The article on Amy Annamunthodo was previously examined by a memorial site sponsored by Kelsey for her purpose in taking a stand in the fight against child abuse. Other research done examines the forms, signs, and symptoms of child abuse in order to fully understand how it influences and affects our children. United Kingdom (UK); The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC); San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH).

CHILD ABUSE

Introduction
Child abuse is any act or inaction on the part of a parent or caregiver on a child 18 years and under. Abuse can happen anywhere in the child’s home, school, or community. The UK Guidance working together to safeguard children 2010, states that, child abuse constitutes of neglect, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.These abuses have different forms and there are signs and symptoms that are shown by both the child and adult. The acts of perpetrators play a major role in the long term implications for the children who have been abused. Parents therefore have an important responsibility towards their children. In Trinidad, there are many cases of child abuse that have been reported as grave acts. One such gruesome occurrence is that of Amy Annamunthodo who faced all the child abuses mentioned.

Child Neglect
The NSPCC, a large UK organization, defines child neglect as, “the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic, physical, and psychological needs. It is likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health and development”. There are various forms of child neglect which include failure to feed, clothe, and shelter the child properly, protecting the child from physical or emotional danger. The child might show signs and symptoms of his/her neglect by abusing drugs and alcohol, consistently unsuitably dressed, and absent from school often. The adult shows this by not caring about the child’s happiness and also abuses drugs and alcohol.

CHILD ABUSE

Emotional Abuse
The NSPCC, a large UK organization, continues to define emotional abuse as, “the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development”. Some forms of emotional abuse are saying things and behaving in a way that conveys to the child that he/she is inadequate, unloved, worthless, ridiculing them, mocking the way they try to communicate or only valued as far as the other person’s needs are concerned. The child therefore shows the signs and symptoms by displaying extreme aggression, over-demanding, infantile such as head banging and trying to end their life. The adult might belittle or blame the child for things, they seem little concerned about the child’s problem and rejects offers to help the child.

Physical Abuse
As defined by the UK and most European Union countries, physical abuse is when a parent/caregiver induces illness on a child deliberately and any other type of physical harm to a child. There are serious forms of physical abuse which include, belting, biting, blinding a person, excessive pinching on the body, exposure to a dangerous animal, toxic substances, slapping, strangling, pushing and to some extent corporal punishment. The child may show signs and symptoms by unexplained bruises, and broken bones. They protest and cry when they have to go home after school, and appear frightened of their parents. The adult offers no explanation for the child’s bruises or injuries, makes extremely negative remarks about the child, and they are overly severe and harsh. CHILD ABUSE

Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse is any act that forces or entices a child to participate in sexual activities, regardless of whether the child is aware of what is going on. Acts of sexual abuse may be committed by adult males, females of other children. Forms of sexual abuse may include assault by penetration such as rape or oral sex, touching outside of clothing, masturbating and looking at others performing sexual acts, and encouraging the child to behave sexually inappropriately. The child will show signs and symptoms by becoming pregnant, cannot sit down without difficulty, displays sexual knowledge or behavior, run away from home and becoming infected with a venereal disease. The adult suddenly becomes very protective, and does not allow then to have contact with other children especially those of the opposite sex.

Supporting research as evidence of child abuse
Amy Annamunthodo is one case of a child who faced all four child abuses mentioned above, at a very young age. Amy was born on May 7th 2002 and died on May 15th 2006.She lived with her mother and her “de-facto” step father, Marlon King. In March 2004, neighbors reported to the Marabella police station that she was being beaten and tortured. April 27th 2004, just short of her second birthday, Emily was taken to the SFGH by a police officer. She had a fractured forearm and bruises in different stages. Just after her third birthday, she returned to the hospital with bruises caused by a blunt force trauma to her back. May 2005- she was taken to the hospital and this time she was abandoned there at only a tender three years old. She was taken to the Mother’s Union CHILD ABUSE

Children’s home, where at first she was a very frightened and quiet child. Esla Crawford- founder of the home explained that, Emily liked playing by herself during the period of abandonment and sometimes she would play but she was generally scared. She believed that her behavior was as a result of her abusive background. At the home, she started to show progress because she was cared for, loved and received attention. January 23rd 2006- one of Emily’s relative produces a court order and takes her from the one place she was loved. The abuse started again at home. A neighbor witnessed Marlon King, push her down a flight of stairs, “get up girl, ah say get up”, was all her step father said. She dislocated her shoulder from the fall but was not taken for medical treatment. The neighbor remained silent because of his fear of Marlon. She also suffered from malnutrition and was left at home alone in the dark night.

She was a brave little girl through the years she was abused, neglected and abandoned but on May 15th 2006- Emily saw the beautiful Trinidad sunset for the last time. Late that night, neighbors heard her scream which eventually faded, then died; she had been sexually assaulted and strangled. Around 9pm a woman was seen leaving with Emily wrapped in a towel. She was taken to the hospital and before morning came, it was too late, Amy Emily Annamunthodo was pronounced dead on arrival; she died days after her fourth birthday. Amy had cigarette burns to her chest, abdomen, back and vagina, lacerations, tears bleeding, scrapes, bruises on her neck, eye, chest, heart, brain, lungs, spleen, liver, pelvic area, upper, mid and lower back and bottom.

CHILD ABUSE

Conclusion
In conclusion, abuse is a criminal act; abusers must be held accountable for their actions while treatment may assist in preventing further abuse. Parents and society therefore, has a responsibility and should become aware of the different child abuses present, such as child neglect, emotional, physical and sexual abuse. There are forms, signs and symptoms that the child and adult will show and we must make ourselves aware of it. We must know the people in our child’s life, make unannounced visits, ask questions and stay involved. Teach them about in inappropriate physical contact. Amy Annamunthodo is not only a painful reminder of young lives cut short, her case is also a reminder that the fight against child abuse is nowhere near its conclusion. While reports of child abuse are significant, the underreporting of this criminal act as we have examined, masks the true extent of its prevalence.

References

Kelsey. emily.last-memories.com/A memorial site.The Amy Emily Annamunthodo’s story. Kimberly Castillo (2012). Rape Crisis Society focuses on child abuse.