Child+Abuse+and+School+Violence

Link to our Weebly: http://itshouldnothurttobeachild.weebly.com

Overview
toc Child abuse is child maltreatment physically, sexually, emotionally, and through neglect. "In 1996, 25 states provided the following breakdown for reported cases: 62% involved neglect, 25% physical abuse, 7% sexual abuse, 3% emotional maltreatment and 4% other" ("The Reality"). School violence is any harm or assault in any school setting or at any school related events (“About”). Although, both hurt children whether by their own relatives at home, or students at school. Child abuse and school violence have spread, as it has been found that child abuse rates are rising, at a report made of child abuse every ten seconds, and school violence ages are lowering ("National Child"). Either way, in school or out, frustration and anger is being brought out of one person and put onto another.

"An estimated 794,000 children were substantiated as victims of child abuse and neglect, a rate of 10.6 per 1,000 children in the U.S. population" ("Prevent"). At home there are fists and words and in schools there may be students with weapons. The students that bring in weapons usually have the intent on threatening, hurting or killing someone or several people. Child abuse is essentially any maltreatment put onto a child and school violence is that happening at school.

Physical Harm
At home adults get angry and frustrated, so they lash out. This can lead to broken bones, cuts, bruises, and even fatalities. School violence consists of using weapons and fighting, so injuries can be fatal as well. Guns and knives are involved with both, so it is not only hands that are touching the children, which are just as painful.

Society
All children will eventually be part of our society. Child abuse and school violence can affect the kind of people the children will become in the future, rather than successful contributors. Due to adults having emotional scars left by their childhood, they have problems at school, work, and within their relationships. This could be the cause of [|Post Traumatic Stress Disorder] a very common side effect of school violence and child abuse that creates depressed and distracted adults ("Causes"). The abused children are more likely to take[| drugs], and to drink as well. Two thirds of people being helped for drug abuse are found to have been abused or neglected as children ("National Child"). Crimes are more likely to be done by people that were abused because they had such a bad childhood. "Children who experience child abuse & neglect are 59% more likely to be arrested as a juvenile, 28% more likely to be arrested as an adult, and 30% more likely to commit violent crime" ("National Child"). Any of our youth being abused could create more drug abusers, criminals, and uneducated people for our society. Not to mention that people like this are likely to hurt their own children too, a vicious cycle may continue.

Emotions
The problems of emotions is that when someone is [|emotionally damaged] and scarred for life they tend to be much more depressed than someone who is just depressed over short term things. This can lead to many thoughts of suicide and other things that will be harmful to themselves and others. When this is going on they only see the negative things that can happen and never focus on the positive outcomes that will happen once they are fully recovered. They may never be fully recovered from being abused or being a witness to violence. Feelings inside of the grown or young child may create many negative thoughts they could hurt them physically too. Child abuse creates unhappy, and nervous children.

Education
The problem that child abuse puts in education is that victims will always be off task and worrying about what will happen to them either when they get home or as they are walking down the hallway. If children are beaten or neglected by their parents they may undergo even more abuse at school from a bully, but they themselves may turn into the bully. They may take their anger out on others, or be too shy to stand up for themselves. Kids may have limited friends at school because they are shy, quiet, and keep to themselves due to their being neglected or hurt at home. When kids are in school they should be excited to go home and tell their parents about what they did, they shouldn't be scared to walk into their house. That’s where they should feel safe. And when they are in school they shouldn’t feel like they are in danger all the time. Since the child may always be nervous, scared, or off task their grades, and education will suffer, setting them up for a negative future. Teachers say that school is one of the most safest places you are. If it is the safest place why are there stories on the news about kids being killed in school shootings?

[[image:centralpedia/3792259311_58d8ea8f38_b.jpg width="202" height="141" align="right"]]Awareness
Awareness is getting everyone's attention about child abuse and school violence. Children are too young to report there own being abuse to the police, so that is why people must be aware for them. Creating awareness created the first child protection agency ("National Children's"). An example of spreading the word is the blue child abuse ribbon along with National Child Abuse Prevention Week. Knowing is knowledge too. Posters and the media can state simple facts that will help them remember how and who to help.

Parental Help
Since the parents are the usual abusers in child abuse, they need help. Home visitation programs actually bring the help to them, with experienced mothers there for support that can teach them how to raise a healthy child. Support groups are another important contributor so that adults can share, why they hurt their children and how to stop, with people like themselves. Additional groups are for family members and other children to attend. Classes can be taken to strengthen families and help teach children how to protect themselves and get help in case of any abuse ("Public"). In schools parents can get help for their children by becoming involved. [|Parents] are usually welcomed to inform the teachers or guidance counselors, of their children, or any suspicions that they have.

Raising Security
When school violence is reported there are a several solutions. One being the children’s parents can come in and talk to the principle or administration. This is only the first step. Meeting with teachers can inform them to keep an eye on the child, giving them slight security. Next, it could be the child’s attacker gets their lunches changed, they get detention, or the administration brings in security guards to keep an eye on the child. If the threats continue then the consequences and security rise to a whole new level. The attacker can get expulsion or suspended, locker searches, metal detectors, mentoring programs, or support groups. Schools try their best to keep enough security in their schools to attempt to stop violence. They need to have security that will stop school violence.