I remember working with this beautiful 7 year old girl a few
years back. She was placed in foster
care due to abuse by her mother. The
child was exceptionally smart for her age.
She would cry if she felt she done something wrong or something that she
felt others would not be please with.
For example she was in the foster parent’s house and she asked the
foster parent could she help make the bed.
She assisted the foster parent but then she began to cry uncontrollably.
We later figured that
she was only trying to please the foster parent and she was afraid that if the
foster parent was not happy then she would be reprimanded by getting a beating
like her mother would give her. She
began receiving outpatient therapy and intensive in home services. During these services she was taught coping
skills to learn how to deal with her feelings of anxiety. After several months of treatment her
demeanor began to change and she was more unafraid.
I did research on Child abuse and child exploitation in
China. The country is now addressing
emerging dangers to children, such as: violence, abuse, exploitation and
trafficking. Violence against children
encompasses physical, emotional, psychological and sexual mistreatment, as well
as neglect. Globally, as well as in China, this problem often remains hidden
because families tend to view violence against children as a “private issue.” Violence against children may also be considered acceptable.
Parents and teachers may justify physical and verbal abuse as forms of
discipline, but such violence actually harms children's development and lessens
their ability to contribute to society.
Trafficking in children is widely recognized as abuse and
exploitation. Both domestically and internationally, trafficking in children is
on the rise. Demand for illegal adoptions, marriages, or sex workers drive this
exploitation. Better domestic laws are necessary to protect children,
including clearer legal definitions of violence against children and reporting
requirements. Relevant government and social organizations need to coordinate
more effectively to provide timely help to child victims.
(United Nations Children's Fund) UNICEF collaborates with partners to prevent and respond to
violence against children, and to stop child trafficking. The goal is to identify at-risk children, and
to strengthen the protection and care available to them by supporting policies
and community services that build a comprehensive national child protection
system. UNICEF assists efforts to
improve national laws and policies, including the proposed Law on Family
Violence.
