Identifying a Major Social Problem
In the modern world, many social issues cannot be assessed due to a lack of financial resources and the complexity and interconnectedness of the problems. Thus, addressing the problem of social inequality requires eliminating the issues of systematic racism and prejudice in society while also strengthening the financial situation of minority groups. On the contrary, reducing the social problem of child abuse is possible with fewer resources and does not require extensive measures.
However, if executed well, the change will have a significant positive effect on society, even though its effect will only manifest in the future. Therefore, if I were given the economic resources and political clout to reduce a significant social problem, I would choose to address the issue of child abuse.
Strategic Steps to Address the Problem
Defining the steps to alleviate the problem requires exploring why the current system cannot address the issue. One of the primary reasons that the child abuse issue remains an essential threat to modern society is its hidden nature. Thus, any prefer not to get involved in other people’s family affairs, reducing child abuse to parenting issues.
Firstly, I would allocate funds to promote the population’s awareness of the role of observers’ inactivity in the spread of child abuse. A significant part of abused children do not receive prevention and post-response services (American Society for the Positive Care of Children, 2021). I would allocate more funds to expand the number of social workers who assist victims to ensure their safety. Lastly, I would introduce more strict penalties for child abuse to prevent further cases of child abuse.
Measuring Success in Reducing the Problem
Considering that the statistics data for the problem of child abuse remained hidden for a long time, the success in elimination of the problem will include a sharp initial increase in the number of cases. However, a gradual decline in the number of victims will indicate the effectiveness of the prevention measures and measures introduced to assist existing victims.
Reference
American Society for the Positive Care of Children. (2021). Child maltreatment statistics. Web.