Not every child in our country is raised in a safe and loving home. More often than we realize, children become the victims of abuse and neglect from the very people they should be able to trust the most, their parents and their relatives.
Our government must look unto this matter and designate a month of Child Abuse Prevention Month to increase public awareness of the serious threats that child maltreatment imposes on children, and to encourage our brethren to break the cycle of violence.
DEFINITIONS OF CHILD ABUSE
Before we elaborate on this topic, let me define you child abuse on a common point of reference, to determine the type of solution and the level of intervention. Child abuse has many definitions but Balanon used the one provided by the Special Child Protection Law or RA 7610. Section 3 of the said law states that child abuse is the maltreatment of a child, whether habitual or not, which include any of the following:
1. Psychological and physical abuse, neglect, cruelty, sexual abuse and emotional maltreatment;
2. Any act by deeds or words that debases, degrades or demeans the intrinsic worth and dignity of a child as a human being;
3. Unreasonable deprivation of his basic needs for survival such as food and shelter;
4. Failure to immediately give medical treatment to an injured child resulting to serious impairment of his growth or development or in his permanent incapacity or death.
This definition points to four types of child abuse: namely, psychological/emotional maltreatment, physical abuse/cruelty, sexual abuse, and neglect.
The Implementing Rules and Regulations to RA 7610 define some terms within the context of the Philippine law.
1. Physical abuse is included in the definition of cruelty and physical injury. It states that “discipline administered by a parent or legal guardian to a child does not constitute cruelty provided it is reasonable in manner and moderate in degree and does not constitute physical or psychological injury”. What is reasonable and moderate is based on an assessment influenced by one’s values, beliefs and own experiences.
2. Sexual abuse refers to an act “generally perpetuated by an adult the child knows, most often a parent, guardian, or a person with authority over the child and that generally has no commercial element”. Sexual exploitation on the one hand involves a commercial element such as the commercial exploitation of children in prostitution and pornography.
3. Marriage between ascendants and descendants of any degree and that between brothers and sisters whether of the full or half-blood is null and void. Incest is defined as sexual acts committed by persons prohibited to marry.
Balanon classified the causes of abuse into three distinct categories:
1. “Parent factors” are the characteristics of parents that increase the likelihood of abuse.
2. “Child factors” are the characteristics of the child that increase the likelihood of abuse.
3. “Environmental factors” refer to the physical, social, cultural and economic factors creating situations that increase the likelihood of abuse such as poverty, lack of support system in the community, stresses brought about by unemployment, poor housing, prolonged illness, accidents among others. Media particularly pornographic materials were mentioned as having a strong influence.
Child abuse and neglect has a devastating impact on the life of a child that goes beyond the immediate physical and emotional pain that is inflicted on them. Children who suffer from maltreatment are at greater risk of developmental delays and behavioral problems that could last a lifetime. Child maltreatment can delay or disrupt the normal cognitive development process which, in turn, impacts academic achievement.
Here I state the lists of the major consequences:
• Physical and sexual abuse; rape and other physical assault;
• Risk/danger of death and serious diseases;
• Unwanted pregnancies, forced abortion and abortion-related complications;
• Mental and emotional problems, including nightmares, insomnia and suicidal tendencies;
• Alcohol and drug abuse and addiction; and even suicide and murder;
• Prosecution/deportation for trafficking-related offences;
• Growing influence of criminal organizations;
• Corruption among the government offices;
• Declining public confidence.
Furthermore, children who are the victims of abuse and neglect tend to have lower math scores and English grades, and they repeat grades more frequently than other children. We know that poor academic skills can lead to a child’s dropping out of school, continuing a cycle of negative consequences that can last a lifetime.
From the excerpt of the book Women in Developmental-Inter-Agency Committee, UNICEF, U.P. Center for Women’s Studies Foundation: Breaking the Silence, 2001, states that almost all victims (98%) of intra-family or domestic violence are women and girls. In the Philippines, the average age of the victim is 23 years old. Three out of ten are young adult females (18-24); four out of ten are adults (25-49). Children (0-17 years old) comprise a third of the total victims of domestic abuse, with more than half of the cases involving sexual abuse. Though most victims are educated (with almost half having reached the high school level), one out of four victims is not even old enough to attend school. The youngest victim in a recorded domestic abuse case is an infant less than two years old.
Certainly, conditions such as those associated with extreme poverty, strained relationships among members of the victim’s family, and a previous history of abuse all seem to contribute to the likelihood of violence being committed within a household. The influence of alcohol or drugs is also a major aggravating factor in domestic violence, cited in one out of every four cases.
In the case of young victims of sexual abuse, lack of sexual awareness was cited as the reason for which nearly two out of ten children did not report the abuse – they had no idea that they were being violated. This tragedy is compounded by the fact that the abuse was being inflicted by figures they look up to and depend upon for protection
A history of child abuse and neglect can also disrupt the development of skills that children use to interact with others, such as problem-solving and communication. These skills are critical in stopping the development of other serious behavior problems even among seriously troubled youth. Moreover, victims of child abuse and neglect tend to have greater levels of depression compared to other children. These children are also more likely to suffer from mental illness, experience problems with drugs, and are more likely to become teen-age parents.
Not every child who has suffered from abuse and neglect will experience poor outcomes. Many maltreated children will persevere against the odds and find the ability to cope and even to thrive. They could develop and maintain the personal characteristics that will make them more resilient than others. Of course, this resilience can depend on a child’s finding a safe and loving home to live in and access to support systems, educational resources, and health care.
These amazing kids deserve to be recognized and celebrated for their remarkable ability to persevere over the most difficult of circumstances and for setting an example for other children.
Our government should enforce and implement the family safety awareness in preventing child abuse through our basic unit society ‘barangays’. Their must be seminars and trainings in various areas most specially in most affected areas having highest rate of child abuse.
These are only modest steps that will strengthen our ability to prevent the incidence of child abuse and support vulnerable families. Certainly more can be done, but these programs express the commitment of our government to protect abused and neglected children.
In campaign for Child Abuse Prevention Month, I urge my colleagues to join me in increasing public awareness of the threat to innocent children and to promote public policies designed to prevent child abuse and safeguard our most vulnerable children like us. If not today, when will it be?
b: Marichu Penuliar