How does child abuse happen?

1.      Child caregivers are not equipped to be good caregivers. Some people may have been brought up in a bad way. or they may have mental health issues that have not been addressed using children in the care of these people to be physically abused.

2.      Child caregivers may use a variety of substances, such as Illegal substances and alcohol; these people are at a high risk of seriously harming children. Likewise, some people have a habit of routine violence, such as punching, hitting, or engaging in criminal behavior, such as shoplifting.

Types of Child Abuse

World HealthOrganization (WHO) has classified 4 acts that are considered violence against children:

1.      Physical abuse, Itis the physical injury to a child such as hitting, pinching, kicking, using hot water, or scalding the child. by the doer intending to do not by accident.

2.      Emotional abuse, such as verbal abuse, insults, intimidation, and threats including actions that make the child feel shame, or fear, and ignore the child's needs. This may affect the mental health of children in the future.

3.      Sexual Abuse, such as opening the genitals or masturbating to a child. Exposing children to pornographic images or videos featuring body contact with children, and inserting objects into a child's mouth, vagina, or anus without their consent.child prostitution

 Effects of child abuse

       Any form of child abuse is unacceptable. Even if it is painful to teach a child out of love or goodwill. Because such punishment can lead to children believing that violence is the right thing to do. These kinds of ideas or beliefs may be passed on to future generations.

Child abuse can affect children in the following ways:

1. Physical aspects: Children will have abnormal physical growth and development. Due to malnutrition, disabilities, and frequent illnesses, sexually abused children may develop sexually transmitted diseases or become pregnant.

2. Psychologically, severe or regular abuse can cause a child to lack warmth, feel unsafe, become scared and distrustful of other people, experience depression and panic, have low self-confidence, exhibit decreased learning performance, develop severe mental health problems or stress, turn to drug dependence, and be prone to suicide

3. Behavior: A child who has been abused may become a person with abnormal behaviors in the future. such as separating from society, anti-socialism, using violence which will make them unable to adapt to others, and may commit crimes

Protection solutions for child abuse

      Child abuse is a serious problem that can affect a child’s physical and emotional health. There are many protection solutions that can be implemented to prevent and fix child abuse, including

1. Law enforcement

Law enforcement can investigate cases of child abuse and bring abusers to justice

2. Reporting mechanisms 

reporting mechanisms should be implemented to encourage the reporting of suspected child abuse. for example, set up a hotline service and online reporting system to receive reports from people who have found child abuse or suspect the possibility of child abuse, and mandatory reporting laws for certain professionals, such as teachers and healthcare providers. 

3. Providing education on child abuse awareness

A campaign to raise awareness about child abuse, for example, its effects and how to prevent it, should be set up. People who are concerned about this issue can be reached through public service announcements, posters, and other forms of media, which can provide education on child abuse awareness

4. Know the signs of child abuse

Not only wounds or physical injuries on a child's body are signs of child abuse. Mental and emotional changes are also signs of child abuse, such as depression, fear of adults, difficulty trusting others, and inappropriate sexual behavior. All of these signs could be possible effects of abuse

5. Living in a safe environment

To have a child Living in a safe environment is one of the most effective ways to prevent child abuse because A safe environment can promote healthy child development by providing access to quality education, healthcare, and other resources that support physical, emotional, and social well-being

A safe environment can also encourage open communication between parents and children, which makes it easier for children to report any concerns or incidents of abuse.

6. Prevention programs

Prevention programs for child abuse can reduce the incidence of abuse and neglect. These programs can also be effective in stopping abuse before it occurs, such as through home visits by nurses who provide assistance for newborns and their parents or trained professionals who offer support, guidance, and resources to families with young children.

Treatment methods for reducing child abuse

For a child

 1. Providing reassurance to the child about their safety
 2. separate a child from the abusive family environment
 3. Estimate the child’s mental health

for parents
 1. Fixing remaining conflicts within the family
 2. Emotional support, sympathy, encouragement
 3. Dealing with their stress and seeking support when needed

Examples of international laws and regulations that are relevant to child abuse