October 1, 2012
As her eyes are filled with water, LaCrystal Nelson, a Case Manager for child protective custody shares numerous stories about her day to day experiences with abused and neglected children. One can easily tell by the amount of tears that she has a deep compassion for the work that she does. She shares stories of infants, who are very innocent, but beaten like criminals and of pre-teens, who are left at home for days without food, water or clean clothing. Her tears begin to dry and a smile is formed, however, when asked about hope. She believes in the power of prayer and in the millions of people nationwide who provide support in the form of foster care, donations, self-esteem and grief camps, therapy and other forms of relief. According to the national website for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), there are more than 763,000 reported and confirmed cases of child abuse each year. It is believed that nearly 4 children die each day from child abuse related injuries in the United States alone. Their studies further show startling statistics that reveal the number of children who become abusers themselves and reveal that those abused have a smaller chance of becoming stable and self-sufficient individuals. WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE?
Child abuse comes in many forms. It can be physical, mental, or emotional. According to The Federal Child Abuse and Prevention Act (CAPTA), abuse includes any behaviors that result in child exploitation, injury, sexual abuse or emotional harm. Failure to act in a harmful situation involving a child is also considered abuse because the adult displays negligence of the child’s needs. Parents, guardians, and caregivers are expected to provide for a child’s basic needs, which include medical, emotional, physical, and educational needs. Failure to provide the basic needs can be considered an act of neglect. This includes the denial of...