Page 46 - 2nd Issue- RuAHS Newsletter

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9
Thoughts and Views
It is Time to Break the Cycle of Abuse
Ms. Nirosha Rathnakumari, AH/BN/2018/531, Department of Nursing
As John Kennedy said, children are living In addition to doing everything possible to
messages, we send to a time we will not see. keep children from being abused or neglected,
Therefore, those roses should be protected to it is critical to recognize high-risk people and
spread their fragrance all over the world. The the symptoms and indicators associated with
first step to making the world better is to various types of abuse. Many studies have
protect the younger versions of adults. exposed factors that predispose children to
According to the Centers for Disease Control become victims of abuse. According to Zuravin
and Prevention, child abuse is any action or and Greif (1989), poverty poses a significant
inaction on the part of a parent, caregiver, or risk for both child abuse and neglect. Further,
another person with custody of a child that from an ecological perspective,
causes harm, creates the possibility of harm, or Bronfenbrenner (1979) showed individual
poses a threat to harm to the child. The World characteristics (being either under four years
Health Organization (WHO) states that one in old or an adolescent, low education, low level
two children faces adverse childhood of intellectual functioning) and family
experiences. It has become a global problem characteristics (higher number of children, low
because it affects thousands of children income, and single-parent family), and
annually and causes an increase in pediatric environmental characteristics such as low
morbidity and mortality (Parker and Pitetti, social support increase the incidence of abuse
2011). and neglect. To treat the current situation and

stop further harm, it is essential to identify the
Abuse is defined as an act of commission such abuse’s signs and symptoms as soon as
as physical, sexual, and psychological abuse possible. Physical abuses cause unexplained
and acts of omission which include physical, injuries such as bruises, fractures, or burns, and
emotional, medical, and educational neglect sexual abuse can identify observing ano-genital
and inadequate supervision (Sciaraffa et al., injuries, sexual behavior, or presenting with a
2017). Physical abuse is the most common, sexually transmitted infection (Hobbs, 2011).
whereas sexual abuse is truly hidden, and Emotional abuse causes loss of self-confidence
neglect and emotional abuse often co-exist or self-esteem, depression, and social
(Babakhanlou and Beattie, 2019). withdrawal, whereas poor growth, poor
Nevertheless, abuse is not only abhorrent; hygiene, and poor record of school attendance
children who have been victimized are more are signs of negligence.
likely to be maltreated again and to abuse
others later in life (Babakhanlou and Beattie, Child abuse can have a negative impact on a
2019). In addition to being repulsive, abuse child's long-term development, resulting in
puts children at a higher risk of experiencing it
again and of hurting others in the future diagnoses and symptoms of issues with mental
(Babakhanlou and Beattie, 2019). health substance use and dependence, and poor
physical health (Bonomi et al., 2008).

October 2022 45