Many people may think, How can I make a difference, I am but one person? I am living proof that Child abuse can be overcome, and one person standing up for me made that possible. As a child abuse overwhelmed every aspect of my life, because one woman chose to stand up for me and call the authorities, my life changed. My world went from abuse and sadness to a loving and happy one! Many may not realize that child abuse affects a child's life as well as the developmental stages and is carried on into their adult lives.
Delays Caused by Child Abuse
Child abuse is a detrimental aspect of a child's life as well as the developmental stages in a child's life; the affects of child abuse are also carried over in to an abused child's adult life. Child abuse has become very wide spread across the US. According to the American Association of Pediatrics (2006) 3 million children are reported abused and neglected each year in the US alone. As well 3 children die a day due to child abuse and neglect. The affects of child abuse are detrimental and cause delays in developmental stages of a child's life. Some of these delays are social delays, which cause a child to withdraw and become shy. Emotional, physical, and educational delays are also known occurrences which are common in abused children.
Stopping Child Abuse
While it is very disturbing to hear of child abuse there is something that can be done be anyone to help prevent child abuse. The most important part of stopping child abuse is to know what it is when a person sees and/or hears it occurring. Many people think of child abuse as physical though not all abuse is physical. Once a person knows what they are looking for when they see the abuse they can then report the abuse to the authorities so that they may step in and protect the child one may have thought was being abused. The biggest thing is to know that even if one is not sure that the abuse is actually occurring, it is better to report it and be wrong...