It shouldnt hurt to be a child!

[Lady Macbeth]

My name is Sarah
I am but 3
My eyes are swollen,
I cannot see
I must be stupid
I must be bad
what else could
make my daddy so
mad?
I wish i were better
I wish i werent ugly
Then maybe my
mommy would still
want to hug me
I cant speak at all
I cant do no
wrong
Or i'm locked up
all the day long
When i awake i'm
all alone
The house is dark
my folks arent home
When my mommy
does come
I'll try and be nice
and maybe i'll get just
one whipping tonight
Dont make a
sound
I just heard a car
My daddy is back
from Charlie's Bar
I hear him curse
my name he calls
I press myself
against the wall
I try and hide
From his evil eyes
I'm so afraid now
I'm starting to cry
He finds me weeping
He shouts ugly words
He says its my fault
he suffers at work
He slaps me and hits
me
And yells at me more
I finally get free
I run for the door
He's already locked it
I start to bawl
He fakes me and
throws me
Against the hard wall
I fall to the floor
with bones nearly
broken
My daddy continues
with more bad words
spoken
I'm sorry I scream
But now its to late
His face had been
twisted
Into unimaginable hate
The hurt the pain
Again and again
Oh god have mercy
Oh please let it
end
And he finally stops
He heads for the door
I lay there motionless
sprawled on the floor
My name is Sarah
I am but 3
Today my daddy
MURDERED ME

[Lady Macbeth]

CHILD ABUSE


It is estimated that as many as 10 million children witness domestic violence each year
Child abuse is 15 times more likely to occur in households where adult domestic violence is also present

There are many complicated factors that lead to child abuse. Risk factors for child abuse include:

History of child abuse - Unfortunately, the patterns we learn in childhood are often what we use as parents. Without treatment and insight, sadly, the cycle of child abuse often continues.

Stress and lack of support - Parenting can be a very time intensive, difficult job. Parents caring for children without support from family, friends or the community can be under a lot of stress. Teen parents often struggle with the maturity and patience needed to be a parent. Caring for a child with a disability, special needs or difficult behaviors is also a challenge. Caregivers who are under financial or relationship stress are at risk as well.

Alcohol or drug abuse - Alcohol and drug abuse lead to serious lapses in judgment. They can interfere with impulse control making emotional and physical abuse more likely. Due to impairment caused by being intoxicated, alcohol and drug abuse frequently lead to child neglect
Domestic violence. Witnessing domestic violence in the home, as well as the chaos and instability that is the result, is emotional abuse to a child. Frequently domestic violence will escalate to physical violence against the child as well.

Untreated mental illness and isolation - A depressed mother might not be able to respond to her own needs much less her children’s. A caregiver suffering from emotional trauma may be distant and withdrawn from her children, or quick to anger without understanding why. Treatment for the caregiver means better care for the children.

Child abuse happens in many different ways, but the result is the same- serious physical or emotional harm. Physical or sexual abuse may be the most striking types of abuse, since they often unfortunately leave physical evidence behind.

However, emotional abuse and neglect are serious types of child abuse that are often more subtle and difficult to spot. Child neglect is the most common type of child abuse.

[Lady Macbeth]

Apart from physical (bruising etc) there are a lot of warning signals that might help an individual identify if his/her/someone elses child is being abused by someone.

10 Signs to look out for if you think a child is being abused.

1- Withdrawal from family and friends

2 - Sleeplessness

3 - Irrational fears

4 - Depression

5 - Anxiety

6 - Change in weight

7 - Nightmares

8 - Anger

9 - Low self-esteem

10 - Privacy issues.

[Lady Macbeth]

YouTube - NSPCC - Cartoon Boy

YouTube - NSPCC - Cartoon Boy

[Lady Macbeth]

What to do if a child reports abuse

You may feel overwhelmed and confused if a child begins talking to you about abuse. It is a difficult subject and hard to accept, and you might not know what to say. The best help you can provide is calm, unconditional support and reassurance. Let your actions speak for you if you are having trouble finding the words. Remember that it is a tremendous act of courage for children to come forward about abuse. They might have been told specifically not to tell, and may even feel that the abuse is normal. They might feel they are to blame for the abuse. The child is looking to you to provide support and help- don’t let him or her down.

Avoid denial and remain calm - A common reaction to news as unpleasant and shocking as child abuse is denial. However, if you display denial to a child, or show shock or disgust at what they are saying, the child may be afraid to continue and will shut down. As hard as it may be, remain as calm and reassuring as you can.

Don’t interrogate - Let the child explain to you in his/her own words what happened, but don’t interrogate the child or ask leading questions. This may confuse and fluster the child and make it harder for them to continue their story.

Reassure the child that they did nothing wrong - It takes a lot for a child to come forward about abuse. Reassure him or her that you take what is said seriously, and that it is not the child’s fault.

[Lady Macbeth]

Reporting child abuse: Myths and Facts

I don’t want to interfere in some one else’s family - The effects of child abuse are lifelong, affecting future relationships, self esteem, and sadly putting even more children at risk of abuse as the cycle continues. Help break the cycle of child abuse.

What if I break up someone’s home? The priority in child protective services is keeping children in the home. A child abuse report does not mean a child is automatically removed from the home - unless the child is clearly in danger. Support such as parenting classes, anger management or other resources may be offered first to parents if safe for the child.

They will know it was me who called - Reporting is anonymous. In most states, you do not have to give your name when you report child abuse. The child abuser cannot find out who made the report of child abuse.

It won’t make a difference what I have to say - If you have a gut feeling that something is wrong, it is better to be safe than sorry. Even if you don’t see the whole picture, others may have noticed as well, and a pattern can help identify child abuse that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks.