Introduction
Mistreatment of the children may lead to child abuse and neglect. Mistreating a child may be in a form of physical, mental abuse, emotional and even sexual. Child abuse and neglect usually start at home through the people who often accompany the child. There have been different interpretations of how child abuse goes and to what specifications it identifies a victim. Child abuse steals the safety and joy away from the child as it somehow leads to trauma in some cases (Walsh, MacMillan & Jamieson, 2003).
The abused children are commonly suffering from a great depression and apparently result in physical and emotional damage. It also affects the child’s socialization as it initiates the feeling of being inferior to other people. This scenario may be viewed in most cases and other children of the older group tend to be rebellious. They rebel in the form of taking illegal drugs or alcohol and other vices that may destroy their system (Leonard, 2002). There are instances that the abused children become involved in violent crimes and sometimes suicidal stage is the end product of all the depressions that the child feels (Kelly, 2002).
Child abuse should be treated as a serious dilemma among the concerned organizations. They must adhere to the cases as it is a serious problem and may lead to a more serious case if not attended. However, there are specific considerations in order to account for the sense of abuse and neglect. Although today is considered a world of liberalization, issues of maltreatment are still scattered in different places. Evidence of child abuse and neglect prevails through the news articles that describe how the children are being abused by the people behind. Related issues regarding child abuse will be further discussed in this paper and address the points of the reporters or authors in order to come up with a good comprehension of how the world views such cases.
Discussion
The discussion centers on the five articles cited that relate to child abuse and neglect. Important points are provided in order to identify the ideas of the reporters in the articles accordingly.
“Children’s Services Layoffs under Fire in City Council” By Julie Bosman
The first news article written by Julie Bosman (2009) is all about lessening the budget for the “Administration for Children Services”. Accordingly, this is a very difficult decision because it will affect the child care services that basically cater to the shortfall of assistance to the children under the organization. This is a very good way of informing the people about what is happening regarding the shortfalls of the Children’s services. The article basically impacts the reader by giving details about the given issue. The reporter here depicts an article that will give further information about the status of the organization and this may help attract other people to donate or give something for the benefit of the children under the organization. Bosman (2009) used words that enhance the quality of the news and back up the ideas which relate to the important notes of resolving the case. He seems to be neutral in delivering the news article and the mere intention is informing the readers about the shortfall of the budget of the Children’s services. Being in the reporter’s position, he then gave a clear view of the proceedings about the issue and provided the significant details that will matter on the people’s view of understanding the news further. The offer however did not offer any solutions to the problem of the shortfall but he explicitly addressed the issue which may be able to catch the attention of the significant persons that can help get funds for the children. Thus, through the prevailing issue, it just signifies that the media helps in pinpointing the important issues such as the article cited in order to adhere to the advocacies of the organizations or centers that offer help to the needy people (Bosman, 2009).
“After Abuse, Changes in the Brain” By Benedict Carey
Another article that pertains to child abuse is the article written by Benedict Carey (2009). It discusses the effects of the abuses that the child suffers after such mistreatment. The reporter stressed the stress that the children face whenever an incident of abuse is experienced. The reporter is trying to convey a message of saying no to child abuse and neglect as he showed relevant ideas to the readers that will be able to support the main idea of the negative effects of child abuse. It is a good point that Carey stressed the effects of these acts on the brain. Accordingly, Carey provides different researches and studies that strongly support his ideas and opinions. The article showed some kind of technical and scientific details which strengthen the related ideas about the negative effects of child abuse. The reporter also appears to be on the side of aborting such mistreatment acts for the children and be able to stop the cause of trauma for a child and all other negative impacts on the brain through discussing a concrete report about the changes that may happen in the child’s brain. Specifically, Carey (2009) did not give recommendations as a solution to the problem because the overall article itself is the main solution to a general problem which is child abuse. At the end of the article, the author gave an ending line coming from a doctor which reminds the readers about preventing the cause of having mental disorders. Through this article, may convince the people who mistreat children to come to the realization that they should stop such acts because it may cause harmful damages to the child. Child abuse therefore may further be understood by the readers and know its effects.
“Civil Rights Law at Issue in High Court Rulings” By Adam Liptak
This article written by Adam Liptak is a good way of presenting an example of how a child abuse case goes on. It impacted the audience through the story being stated by the reporter on the proceedings of the case and how it ended up. The molestation of a girl by an 8-year old boy apparently results in the court trials which are a very good way of identifying a specific scenario where the rights of the child are being abused. The reporter stood neutrally on the following case and be able to state the story without any bias. Though, a reporter should always be neutral in order to deliver the report well. Liptak (2009) particularly highlighted the issue of the molested girl on the school bus and used it as an example of the main idea which is about the high court rulings regarding child pornography and the like.
As the author narrates the following actions taken by the court, it appeals to the readers that the case taken is really a serious one and sensitivity of the issue is considered because minors are involved. The author did not offer any solutions and just rely on the decision of the court which is acceptable because he treated the case essentially as to restoring the original details. This kind of report basically gives the issue an important as well through addressing the case and visualizing the further effects of the acts of the 8-year old boy. Media have been a significant factor in widening the scope of child abuse because it provides materials which are not suitable for the young audiences and sometimes these leads to molestations and civil rights violation (La Rooy, Pipe & Murray, 2007).
“Molester Usually Someone a Child Knows, Expert Warns” By Tracy Gordon Fox
Tracy Gordon Fox centered her ideas of reporting about child abuse through the external factors which initiate the case. The author pinpoints the environment of the child where child abuse usually takes place and the people involved are the ones who are close to the victim. According to the report given by the author through the interviews, the people that the victims thought would not do bad things are those who are more probable for conducting such immoral actions. And thus, this serves as a warning for the children and a safety tip in order to watch closely the instances that relate to the issue. Gordon Fox used strong statements from the authorities in order to highlight the good and valid points of the article in order to convince the readers to take extra care. Certainly, the author is up to the side of the good people and dissents the strangers being described in the article.
The reporter merely intends to write to be able to inform the readers about the topic and make the people aware of the information given. Child abuse may not sometimes come from unrelated persons and more often than not, these cases involve a family member, a friend, or sometimes a person whom you really trust. Indeed, this is true because motives are just seen if the people involve always have interaction and give relevant ideas to act immorally.
Usually, the reports of media prevail a strong identification of related cases where a family member molests a child, physically abuses a family member and the like. And this is seen to be a problem because the victims tend not to disclose any information regarding the issue for the fear of the threats being thrown at them by the other party. Thus, the author has catered a helpful article that could open up the eyes of the children and be able to fight for their rights. The stand of the author in this article merely caters to the benefit of the children and helps the people to lessen the cases of child abuse and neglect.
“Boys Die After Attack; Charges Are Added” By The Associated Press
The author reported about the violence that happened between two young boys and a 36-year old man. The report catered to the beating of the two boys which resulted in the death of the victims. It has been a very tragic report because it blatantly conveyed child abuse in a physical manner and even resulted in death and a murder crime. However, the suspect has been arrested though and the case has been filed in court. But still, this kind of crime suggests explicit violence among children which totally corrupts the rights of humans. This is a different one compared to the previous articles because it blatantly showed abuse for the young children and has been apparent to a crime. Unfortunately, death has been the end-product of the abuse.
The author succeeded in giving a good report about the crime that happened however, substantial details somehow are short and need a clearer visualization of the scenarios. The associated press stood neutral as well as the other reporters and reported without any bias for any of the parties involved. Without giving any solutions to the problems, the reporter though provided the important information needed in order to comprehend the issue and at the same time relay it to the readers in a way that they could relate.
Conclusion
The news articles showed different approaches to child abuse and neglect in the recent world. The first one addressed the shortfall of the organization concerned with the issue, the other articles provided the negative effects of child abuse and neglect to the brains of the children through a scientific basis, also the case of molestations which depicted an example of child abuse and the death of the two boys, and the hints or tips that the authorities gave in order to be aware of who are possible suspects and who are not.
The children that have neglected abuse experienced in the past are more likely to possess psychiatric problems (London et al., 2005). Thus, the news articles significantly relate to the broader sense of understanding the deeper level of the topic. This is conveyed through the exploratory sense of knowing the external factors, the environment and the important key players in such cases. The problems of the children regarding child abuse may reflect on the later age which is started by inferiority complex and being aloof to other people. Anxiety and other depressing problems are assumed to be experienced by the children as they become stressed about what the maltreatment brought (Cohen et al., 2003). This may also cause to lower the self-esteem and self-confidence of the children because they lose their own right to dissent from such negative acts (Cederborg, Lamb & Laurell, 2007).
Families are the most common source of abuse that the child may experience. The victims are normally remaining silent because of their fears (Hershkowitz, Horowitz & Lamb, 2007). Threats are thrown unto them and are being blocked mailed more often than not (Bolen & Lamb, 2004). Physical abuses like sexual harassment, being a battered child and the like do not stand alone because it accompanies the mental disorder at a later time (Valente, 2005). Being physically abused means a lot of things and is regarded as the biggest deal for the children because their body is being destroyed by the person whom they thought is their heroes (Cross et al., 2007). In addition, verbal abuse can also be one of the most hurtful and depressing kinds of abuse that a child might get (Salmon & Pipe, 2000). It is because the words contain a violent substance that retains in the mind of the child and is repeatedly heard all throughout. This case is more traumatizing though because it ruins the mind and thinking of the child, which affects how the child thinks and perceives the things around him (Bottoms, Rudnicki & Epstein, 2007).
Generally, if people will begin to show concern on the prevailing evidence of child abuse seen through media, it will help lessen the case of child abuse and neglect because the people who do it will probably have fears on continuing such acts and be able to realize that those are not appropriate in treating children (Pipe et al., 2005). The reporters on the news articles have done a great job in delivering strong points of giving more information about child abuse and educating the readers on how to respond to specific cases. Although dealing with this kind of issue is a very sensitive matter, it should still be known that recognizing these things will be able to minimize the case and create a way of preventing abuses of the children by the victims themselves. The children just call for attention and protection that could address their need for security from abusive people. The most recommended action though for the children who are experiencing any kind of abuse from a known suspect is to tell it to the authorities in order to conduct the proper actions and encourage other victims to flaunt to be freed from the world of depression (Jensen et al., 2005).
References
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