Child abuse calls for vigilance and compassion
by: Laura Headley - Jul 17, 2007 - comments: 2
We’ve all seen situations involving children that made us uncomfortable. Perhaps it was a parent in the grocery lecturing loudly as a shamed toddler bawled, or a youngster with a runny nose and dirty clothes. Either scenario might set off mental alarm bells about child neglect or abuse.
Yet it is possible that neither situation might be as it seems. The first parent might have endured a grueling day at the office, then snapped when her curious two-year-old dismantled a store display. The second child may have allergies that cause a perpetually runny nose but don’t keep him from searching for mud puddles.
Sadly, child abuse and neglect have far more insidious aspects than short tempers and runny noses. This is why Christians must be able to decipher between neglect, abuse, and a parent having a bad day. Whereas unsubstantiated reports of abuse can pose untold damage to innocent parents or caregivers, failure to report abuse can cost a child’s life.
In 2007, the Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution on Child Abuse. Click here to view that resolution.
Who would injure an innocent child? Sometimes, the very individual responsible for the child’s protection. A 2002 report mirrored previous findings indicating that in 79 percent of child abuse or neglect-related fatalities, one or both parents were involved. Of the remaining 21 percent, 16 percent were attributed to mistreatment by non-parent caregivers and 5 percent to unknown others. Not surprisingly, many abusers were once victims themselves.
Though often used interchangeably, abuse and neglect differ. Neglect is a lack of provision for a child’s basic necessities, such as food, medical care, shelter, education, or emotional needs. And there are several categories of abuse.
Physical abuse is typified by bodily harm in the form of unexplained bruises, bite or burn marks, or broken bones. Other indicators include unattended medical conditions, inadequate supervision, poor concentration or academic performance, skittishness, and a tendency to arrive early and stay late at school or elsewhere in order to avoid going home.
Child sexual abuse may include fondling, incest, rape, sodomy, indecent exposure, or exploitation resulting from prostitution or pornography. Children who have been sexually abused may resist participating in physical education classes. They also may experience difficulty walking or sitting, bed-wetting, nightmares, appetite changes, possess a sophisticated knowledge of sexual behavior, become pregnant teens or runaways, or contract sexually-transmitted diseases.
Emotional abuse is difficult to substantiate, as it is derived from a more subtle, sustained pattern of behavior that impairs a child’s emotional development and sense of worth. Victims of emotional abuse may suffer from developmental delays, experience detachment from parents, attempt suicide, or exhibit extreme behaviors from passivity to aggression. Peer mothering or infantile behaviors such as rocking or head-banging also are signs. Emotional abuse is most often imparted to its victims via threats, rejection, withheld affection, and perpetual criticism. Though less visible than other forms, emotional abuse is by no means less severe.
Because child abuse and neglect inflict permanent scars upon their victims, Christians must remain vigilant and respond by showing compassion for children and the families they represent.
Those in positions of leadership in the church must adhere to the highest standards of biblical practice. Churches must exercise moral stewardship in the care of children, instituting necessary and appropriate policies to safeguard them at all times.
We must value children and treat them as Jesus did. This means keeping the most vulnerable among us from harm so that the youth of today can become the emotionally, physically and spiritually sound leaders of tomorrow.
In 2007, the Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution on Child Abuse. Click here to view that resolution.
Laura Headley is a freelance writer living in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina.
Further Learning
Learn more about: Family, Abuse, Child Abuse, Citizenship, Human Rights
2 comments (post your own) feed
1 On Jul 18th, 2007, at 12:02pm, Kaye Privitt wrote:
This is a good article and the resolution that we as Southern Baptists passed at the SBC Convention in San Antonio was needed. We need to be more aware of and ready to defend abused and neglected children.
2 On Sep 11th, 2007, at 11:40pm, Natalie wrote:
This is a much needed article and resolution. I wish more people were aware of this. Everyone, especially Christians, should be protecting our children and not putting them back in harm’s way.