Essay On Child Maltreatment

Definitions of child maltreatment vary among the literature because the lack of homogeneity in what constitutes child maltreatment differs by country. Though one consistent part of every definition was that child maltreatment is the physical, psychological and sexual abuse, and neglect inflicted by adults towards children (Butchart, Harvey, Mian, Furniss & Kahane, 2006). To further grasp this issue you need identify and understand the definitions of each sub category that makes up child maltreatment: Physical abuse is often difficult to identify as there are many different cultural acceptances, religion. Children may also feel loyalties to parents and siblings, which often prevent the open declaration of the levels of abuse that actually exist (Butchart, Harvey, Mian, Furniss & …show more content…
Sexual abuse is easier to define but often hard to identify, particularly among male victims, due to the stigma that surrounds it in turn impacting a child’s willingness to disclose it, though it can be defined as a direct or indirect sexual exploitation or corruption of children by involving them in inappropriate sexual activities (Department of Health and Human Services 2001). Emotional abuse is often the hardest to recognise as it is more internal than external, it is defined as repeatedly rejecting children, humiliating them or denying their worth and rights as human beings (Department of Health and Human Services 2001). The identification of neglect is one of the most problematic forms of child maltreatment as social and cultural norms vary and what one may see as socially acceptable, in another’s community or culture, may deemed as neglect (Coohey, 2003). Though neglect is seen as the persistent lack of appropriate care of children, including love, stimulation, safety, nourishment, warmth, education and medical attention (Coohey,