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Show THE SENTINEL Jum 4, 1981 Thursday, Pag .. . Increased public awareness 8 Child abuse crosses all boundaries By Thomas A. Halversen, M.D. Department of Child Psychiatry Primary Children's authorities of abuse cases Persons or institutions that make such reports in good faith are immune from civil or criminal liability. Of the Medical Center Before the early 1960s, approximately 7,000 child abuse was not referrals in Utah in 1980, a sixty percent were valid. as recognized significant factor in the Of those, about 90 percent deaths or physical and involved neglect; the rest emotional disabilities of were cases of physical The invalid abuse. children. because referrals were quickly Since then the from of increased awareness expunged atrecord. and less prevalent ABUSE NOT JUST titude that children are child possessions abuse is recognized as a common occurance that crosses all social, racial, religious, economic, and familial boundaries. It has been estimated that ten percent of the people in this country have seen or been involved in child abuse. There were one million documented cases in the United States in I960, and experts believe that is only the tip of the iceberg. Abuse is not always easy to recognize, and perpetrators are certainly not quick to face the fact they have caused serious . physical or emotional damage to children. Many people continue to believe it is their right to physically punish children as the sole means of establishing discipline. They regard any outside interference as a violation of that right and an unconsititutional intrusion into their privacy. But more and more states are adopting the policy of instituting mechanisms designed to protect the best interests of the child while and documenting defining abuse. ' Child abuse laws vary substantially from state to state, but the statutory intention of Utah's 1978 "Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect Act" is. "to protect the best interest of children, offer protective services to prevent harm to the children, stabilize the home environment, preserve family life PHYSICAL are four categories of abuse. The infirst physical There cludes fractures, scrapes, bruises, internal injuries, and some bums. It has been estimated d to one-ha-lf that in of all fractures children under two years are the result of physical abuse. Fractures caused by abuse are different than fractures caused by one-thir- accident, and the Also, parents who have care, proper medical although the exempts parents or guar- ferences are usually obvious to radiologists. The same is true of scrapes, bruises, internal injuries, and some burns. Physical abuse is usually easy to identify, and intervention by the state and the courts is often indicated. The second category is sexual abuse and exploitation. Laws that apply in those cases' presume that no child un- -' der the age of 14 is capable of giving consent, and that sexual abuse and exploitation of chidlren is unjustifiable under any circumstances. Researchers have found that of sexual abuse cases involve friends of the family. Children should be taught that they have control over their bodies and that they do not have to permit intimate contact. Intervention by the state and the courts is a common recourse when sexual abuse and exbe can ploitation documented. The third category is emotional abuse, which is less straightforward. It challenging; handicapped children, who are often victims of abuse at the hands of parents who feel like failures for having such a child; premature infants, who bring with them horren- tations of their children, are who parents who depend dians heavily on physical practicing legitimately for beliefs. punishment religious discipline, and families COMMON ELEMENTS that are isolated from the OF ABUSE mainstream of society abuse child Once became recognized as a are more likely to be inserious problem, attem- volved in abuse. The great equalizer is pts were made to identify which shows up in most stress, of the kinds parents all cases of abuse. almost abusive. to become likely Results of investigations Fewer than ten percent of showed that child abuse abusive parents are happens in all races, all emotionally disturbed. income levels, all social Abuse is seldom an classes, all religions, and isolated incident; it is all types of marital usually the end result of a p buildup of. relationships. There was combined with' incidents no pattern based on those criteria. Profiles of abuse stress that produce exsive parents, though, in- plosive violence. Researdicated that parents who ch has shown that the vicwere abused as children tims of abuse tend to be: often became abusive. boys who are difficult, Q n to YOU U l 0 con you" tove j ton too now cWo'O fairly obvious. In cases where children have clearly been abandoned or physically neglected, the courts will usually not hestitate to get involved. 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And we can reach out and seek help, whether from friends, relatives, church, or social service sup- SOLID VALUES FOR YOUR HOME m misdemeanor, ticipate an- and stress Granite' wherever possible, and refers to treating encourage cooperation children in a demeaning among the states in and belittle fashion that dealing with the problem does not promote healthy of child abuse." The act self-esteeand defines child abuse or development. Such cases neglect as "damage or are difficult to judge, but threatening damage to are nevertheless of the physical or emotional legitimate concern. The and state and the courts will health welfare of a child through usually not attempt to inneglect or abuse and in- tervene, relying instead cludes causing on private agencies that maltreatment." The act requires that cases of abuse or suspected abuse be reported to either the police, sheriff, or the Division of Family Services. Willful failure to report is a class B the situation. We can dous medical bills and port As agencies. who may have been citizens, we can decide isolated from their whether to condone families for the first few violence and hostility as months of life; and acceptable reactions. We ones can examine our atkmkalike children who resemble hated titudes toward parenting adults. Are children. and What can we do as children chattel? Should parents and citizens the state intervene when about child abuse? To children need help? Do start with, we can be children have rights? Is aware of our own poten- parenting important and tial for violence. If we satisfying? 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