Psychology

Some of the meanest criminals that go unpunished most of the time are the people who abuse children physically, emotionally, and sexually. This crime continues to be prevalent in many parts of the world, and I am certain that many cases of child maltreatments go unreported everyday. Because I personally experienced physical abuse when I was young, I continue to feel a bit biased against child abusers not only because they remind me of my past experiences but also because I know that their unjust acts have caused the destruction of many young lives.

Abusing children makes them suffer social and emotional problems that impair their development (Fichner-Rathus, 2007, p. 597). As a result, they grow up with a different perspective in life. Abused children tend to have a hard time building relationships with others and trusting the people around them. Within the home, abused children are more disruptive and aggressive, and their parents view them as defiant and problematic (Strickland, 2001, p. 112). Many abused children also tend to perform poorly in their academics and develop very low self-esteem because of their past experiences.

The perpetrators of child abuse are often the people who are close to the children or someone they live with. Often, these children do not protest or fight back because they fear of retaliation from the abuser or because they believe they will be blamed for it (Fichner-Rathus, 2007, p. 598). Many of the abusers also tend to be unconvinced that what they are doing is wrong. Some parents who beat up their children have been maltreated in their past as well. For many, physical abuse comes as a form of discipline. Pedophiles or sexual abusers have either a history of being abused or their acts are a result of increased life stressors, such as marital problems, job layoffs, or abuse of drugs (Strickland, 2001, p. 112). These abuses can happen to a child of any social standing but are said to be more prevalent among the poorer families because of financial problems.

Hence, interacting with children offenders may be a bit difficult because of my personal experiences. Abusing children, may it be physically, sexually, or emotionally, will always be wrong in my book regardless of whatever reason the abuser may have. It is the right of every child to grow up normally and enjoy life to the fullest. Grown-ups should know better and must not ruin childrens lives. However, with the current heightened awareness about childrens rights and the advocacy of protecting the welfare of children, there is a big hope that the cases of abuse and maltreatments among children will be reduced, if not eradicated, in the future.