Category: Abuse

Abuse, whether it be physical, sentimental, or intimate, can penetrate a family setting and alter the act highly. In a family, there are contrasting relationships and connection, and each one of those affiliation may have a disparate intention and form of abuse within it. A type of abuse in a family that does not get much attention from community, is abuse by siblings. Primarily, abuse in a family is seen of as a parent abusing a child and defending their authority in such a way, but the element of abuse by a sibling is also very essential to figure out and there are many ramification of such abuse.

Abuse is a very strong word that comes with many significance. The certain interpretation of abuse has issue with it because it is not invariably accepted and the impression of abuse from people to people vary highly. Every individual has their own exclusive thoughts on what abuse subsist of and in general it is commonly understand of as creating harm to another individual. Abuse is an issue that has several converge factors and several layers that are rooted deep in relationships. One type of abuse that is of strong attention, as are the others, is sibling abuse. Sibling abuse is abuse that is committed by one sibling to another and may be physical abuse or sexual abuse, known as incest.

The concern of this form of abuse is that it is not disposed much consideration in community and it is tough to assimilate. Public does not see sibling abuse as simply as it will see abuse between intimate partners or even abuse between parents and their kids. Due to the lack of attention it is very crucial to recognise what a healthy sibling bond is, cases of sibling abuse, and treatments of the siblings.

There are analysis about sibling family practices, instructions for healthy barrier analysis that help achieve what is culturally tolerable and what is not in a family. The analysis was taken of five hundred people and their suggestions and thoughts generally conform. The investigation showed that when it came to hygiene, bathing together is adequate for kids younger than five if they are of the same gender.

If the kids are of other genders, the analysis shows that it is fair for kids younger than four to shower together. Bathing is an identical case, being acceptable for same gendered siblings that are younger than six and acceptable for different gendered siblings younger than four and a half years.

Hugging is entirely accepted between siblings. It is natural for parents to appoint roles for their kids without actively meaning to do so. Siblings are often raised being in a natural competition with their sibling and trying to live up to the name or tittle that has been placed upon them by their parents. For instance, labelling a child as “the brilliant one” and their sibling as “the courteous one”. These two kids would challenge towards one another to keep their placing from the other and would also aim to sustain their name, constructing it into their self-identity.

Study in sibling incest regarding the reports from forty-one survivors , in order to get a pithy image of sibling intimate abuse. The analysis from the investigation conclude and discover that three of the males proposed the sexual behavior with their sisters and the other men were innocence of sibling incest that was carried on by brothers of theirs. Four women of the investigation were the victims of sibling incest by cause of their sisters and the another thirty women were sexually mistreated by brothers. The analysis obviously shows that males are the most typical perpetrators of sibling incest and women are more likely to be the victims, but men are also at times are the victims of sibling abuse brought on by brothers.

Correlatively, with this, women in their investigations were sufferers of incest due to their brothers intimacy aggression. In comparison to the prior analysis, treating sibling abuse families found that the second most familiar form of sibling incest is from one brother to another, the next typical common being sisters sexually abusing their brothers, and the last common form being sisters sexually abusing their sisters. It is tough for community to see all of these cases as abuse and incest by cause of the struggle there are in exemplify abuse and there are also several opinions between families of what is sufficient and normal.

Treatment for sibling abuse may start with what is introduce to as a Sibling Abuse Interview (SAI). The SAI operate by interrogating of all family members about the relationships that are currently between the siblings and also the background of those relationships. The SAI asks questions that accord with abuse and trauma and also points out areas of family flexibility. Treatment is usually related to treatment of other kinds of abuse, but the analysis is slightly altered. There are two contrasting viewpoint when it comes to sexual abuse of kids and they are the Child Protection Movement and the Feminist Movement. The Child Protection Movement holds the ideology that the child victim is the most critical at that time and that the whole family is culpable for protecting that child and giving them safety. The eventual goal of the Child Protective Movement is to reconcile the family with a healthier way of living.

This viewpoint feels that it is significant and most constructive for the victim to have an defender on their side that is resolute to establish preservation for that child currently and the future as well. These two study produce various forms of treatment and have contrasting strategies for treating the victims of incest. Both hold the victim’s safeguard above all else but they alter in terms of what is best for the child, whether it be healthy family practices or advancement for the victim.

The studies reviews help to give wider perceptive of sibling incest, from the healthy sibling relationships that are used as support, what sibling incest can be explained as in terms of familiar types, family significance on sibling incest about their mentality, to the treatment and result of sibling incest. The analysis were highly persistent and all painted images that resembles with one another. There were some secondary discrepancies in findings, such as the commonality of several other forms of sibling incest, but in all the greater messages were all the same. The conclusion of the study presented is a better consciousness of sibling incest and the capability to recognize red flags when they are present. Sibling incest is more outstanding than community likes to think and without recognising sibling incest, it is hard to counter it from happening. With understanding, family structures that grant for incest can be noticed and sibling incest with hope be decrease.

Policy Identification

In 2010, Nevada changed the Battery Domestic Violence Laws making it illegal to touch someone forcefully without consent. The NRS 200.481 is the law for the crime of battery in the state of Nevada (Berkheiser 65). There are court cases dating back to the mid 1900s when the law was not in full creation yet. The National Center for Victims of Crime, also known as NCVC, is extremely helpful to those who have experienced domestic abuse. This agency connects victims to attorneys and other organizations to help them get through whatever it is that hurt them like battery domestic violence (“The National Crime Victim Association”). There are more organizations and agencies like NCVC that helps victims in tough situations. They advocate for them and get them to court.

The battery domestic violence laws in Nevada are laws that make it illegal for anyone to forcefully touch someone or use violence against another willfully. This can be harming one using a deadly weapon, punching, kicking, strangling, poisoning. Penalties of battery domestic violence for a first-time misdemeanor include a fine of $200-$1,000, community service of 48-120 hours, and staying out of trouble while the case is open. It is very rare for jail time with a first offence. A second-time misdemeanor that occurs within seven years of the first requires a minimum of 20 days in jail. A third-time within seven years of the first turns into a felony and can carry up to six years in Nevada State Prison. Those are the punishments for Category C crimes. Category C crimes refer to those in which deadly weapons were not used. Category B crimes would include the use of a deadly weapon. Minimum penalties would include at least two years in prison and a fine of $10,000. Maximum penalties would include a maximum of 15 years in prison and a minimum of 10 years in prison. The maximum penalty only applies to cases in which the victim “sustained substantial bodily harm or was strangled” (“NRS 200.481-Nevada “Battery” Laws”). Other category B crimes would include the victim working as an officer, health care provider, school employee, etc. (“NRS 200.481-Nevada “Battery” Laws”). This law was created to protect people from being forcefully harmed by another when it was unintentional.

History and Background

In 1997, the battery domestic violence laws were created. Although people were being arrested for these crimes, a battery domestic violence conviction did not require a jury trial. Nevada has one of the worst battery domestic violence crime rates to date. In the United States during the 1900’s, domestic violence was acknowledged but was treated as a private family matter. It wasn’t until the Women’s Liberation movement in the 60’s and 70’s that the issue of domestic violence was truly recognized by the American Public. The state of Nevada made an act of battery domestic violence illegal in 1997 (Johnson 1). Since then there have been numerous revisions to these laws. The most recent happened in 2015. Las Vegas City Attorney Brad Jerbic explains that, “the 2015 state law that triggered the decision by the State Supreme Court changed the whole system and made things less safe for victims because of the jury trial requirement” (Christiansen 1). The only real punishment is the jury trial.

The Women’s Liberation Movement was a huge part in the creation of the battery domestic violence laws. The movement brought to light many issues that occur within domestic violence. This led to the Violence Against Women Act. The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was created in 1993. Despite the advancements for women in the workplace, there were still issues at home with their partners. Women were abused, both physically and sexually by their partners. When there were no laws, women had no rights, it was considered a private family matter. With the creation of VAWA, domestic violence and sexual assault were being acknowledged as crimes. These laws are “up for renewal every five years, each VAWA reauthorization builds on existing protections and programs to better meet the needs of survivors” (“Violence Against Women Act”). Since the creation of this act, women have been able to contact survivors and advocates to help them through their own domestic violence (“Violence Against Women Act”). This act has saved many women’s lives and continues to grow and change every year.

On June 10, 1983, Officer Charles Saulnier was at a pizza parlor enjoying a sporting event with some friends. A few men got into an altercation at the parlor. Officer Saulnier and fellow officer Barnes initially reacted by identifying themselves and showing their badges. The officers, who were off duty, broke up the fight and moved the parties outside. Again, a fight broke out. The two officers identified themselves again and went to break up the fight. While doing so, “Saulnier was struck and injured by respondent Zimmerman” (Washoe Co. Sheriff v. Zimmerman). Zimmerman was arrested on the spot. According to the battery domestic violence laws, later known as NRS 200.481, this was a category B offence. Although the officers were off duty, they showed their badges and Zimmerman knew they were officers. A category B offence would consist of a greater penalty since the battery was against an officer. Zimmerman was released on the charge because Officer Saulnier was not in the city of his jurisdiction (Washoe Co. Sheriff v. Zimmerman). This case is important to the making of NRS 200.481 because this was one of the original cases that helped create sections of the law. It helped with the penalties of injuring a police officer, but also protects the defendant when the officer is not in their jurisdiction. (“2015 Domestic Violence Statistics”) (“NCEDSV Statewide Data Collection Project”)

In 2015, there were more than 41,400 people who were domestic violence victims. Out of those people, there were only 12,407 people who contacted law enforcement. While most of these people are women and children, what people don’t realize is that there are men out there in domestic violence situations too. Although the number is significantly lower, people usually think of women when they hear domestic violence (“2015 Domestic Violence Statistics”). As of 2019, the total number of domestic violence victims is 19,936. Yes, this number is significantly lower but it is still very high. Over half of these victims are residents in Clark County. Every year Clark County has the highest number of victims (“NCEDSV Statewide Data Collection Project”). The pictures above show the age and gender of people who were victims of domestic violence. The first one is from 2015, and the second is 2019. While the number of domestic violence victims goes down every year, it is still a huge problem.

Current Situation

In the revision to NRS 200.481, Las Vegas will stop charging people with a misdemeanor. Rather, they will be charged with simple battery. Similarly to being charged with a misdemeanor, they can also have their fire-arms confiscated. One thing many do not understand is that more times than not, a knife or blunt object is used rather than a fire-arm (Christiansen 1). In the case, Andersen v. The Eighth Judicial District Court of the State of Nevada, changes would be made to require a jury trial if the offence was a serious one (Andersen v. The Eighth Judicial District Court). This is where the problem comes in. The whole trial would be in one day. If there were nine trials scheduled in one day, eight of them would be pushed back. This would set back cases years behind. This extremely problematic as the most dangerous time for a victim is between the arrest and the trial of their abuser. This puts victims at high risk to be hurt again (Christiansen 1).

Every year, the recorded number of domestic violence victims went down by thousands. This was unfortunately not the case for 2020. When the outbreak of Covid-19 happened and everyone had to stay home and quarantine, this pandemic added “multiple levels of scary” in domestic violence situations (“Advocates say pandemic adds ‘multiple levels of scary’ to domestic violence situations”). With the added stress of money, the amount of domestic violence victims has skyrocketed. Being stuck at home with an abuser causes a higher risk to the victim then when they were at work. In 2008, there was a financial crisis in Nevada. The domestic violence hotlines “lit up with calls. Financial stress, experts say, escalated into verbal and physical abuse” (“Advocates say pandemic adds ‘multiple levels of scary’ to domestic violence situations”). Today, the largest domestic violence agency in Washoe County, Safe Embrace, saw an increase of 72 percent in March (“Advocates say pandemic adds ‘multiple levels of scary’ to domestic violence situations”). This pandemic has caused an increase in domestic violence and with many places still shut down, it is getting harder and harder to find safety.

Differing View Points

While the numbers of domestic violence have declined in recent years, violence still remains a leading cause of injury to women. Kalyani Robbins, a professor of law at the University of Akron School of Law states,

‘Domestic violence is a problem that must be dealt with for what it is: a criminal act. The only way to effectively diminish it is through the full force of the criminal justice system, which must treat domestic violence the same as it treats crime by strangers’ (“Introductions to Domestic Violence: Opposing Viewpoints”).

Although many believe that domestic violence is reprehensible, there is a debate on how society should respond and how they are responding. An argument has come up about whether or not the government should require the policies and programs. These programs almost make one believe they should be antifamily and that all men are bad. But, this is not true (“Introductions to Domestic Violence: Opposing Viewpoints”). While the statistics say that one in four women are in a domestic violence situation, statistics also say that one in three men are in these situations too. Not all men are predators, they should be seen as any other person either man or woman.

A domestic violence prevention group, No Excuse for Abuse, claims, there is a stereotype of domestic abuse, when a man beats his wife and/or child. But it is not limited to just women and children. When one family member has more power or control, the other member often tries to seek this power and it can lead to domestic violence. One wants to feel more in control can they can do this in many ways other than just battery. It can happen emotionally, physically, and even psychologically. “The actual number of abused victims is far beyond what statistics show, because most abused victims keep quiet about their situation from fear of further abuse” (“Opposing Views”). People are so scared of being abused more that they don’t speak up. Some are also afraid of someone not believing them. Their ‘abuser’ can lie and manipulate the truth to where people believe them over the victim (“Opposing Views”). People shouldn’t have to fear telling someone about their abuse. There are many changes that need to happen in order to make this fear go away.

Both of these views state that there is a stereotype to domestic violence and that needs to change. It is not just a man beating a woman. Victims also include men and children. The law professor claims that the government has enough power to create programs to help the victims. The victims are the ones in need of programs, not the abuser. The abuser shouldn’t have to go to a class for what they have done, there needs to be real punishment. The domestic violence prevention group believes that victims need help and a way out from their abuser. With more programs they can safely start a new life without having to watch their back.

Policy Recommendation

Nevada has ranked one of the worst states for having the most cases of domestic violence (“A Culture of Abuse: Nevada Ranks Among Worst States for Domestic Violence”). The NRS 200.481 has helped many people who were in a battery domestic violence situation. The cases from 2015 to 2019 have decreased significantly with the help of these laws. In 2015, there was a recorded amount of about 41,400 victims and in 2019 the recorded amount was about 19,900. This huge amount has decreased by nearly 21,000 cases (“NCEDSV Statewide Data Collection Project”). The abusers are being punished accordingly, but with the revised laws jury trials are taking longer to prosecute the convicted. Getting to the jury trials can take upwards of two years. Going through the whole trial process takes an entire day, so the other trials that were scheduled are being pushed back (Christiansen 1). Although the battery domestic violence laws have helped decrease the number of victims, there still needs to be improvement on how the trials are being handled. There should be multiple trials each day. Whether there be more courtrooms, judges, or juries, something needs to give.

Works Cited

1. “2015 Domestic Violence Statistics.” Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, (2015), https://www.ncedsv.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CY2015 stats_summary.pdf
2. Andersen v. Eighth Judicial District Court, 75208. (Supreme Court of NV 2019). https://law.justia.com/cases/nevada/supreme-court/2019/75208.html
3. Berkheiser, M. “Supreme Court of Nevada, Administrative Office of the Courts, Nevada Domestic Violence Resource Manual.” Scholarly Works, (2000), https://scholars.law.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1388&context=facpub.
4. Christiansen, R. “City To Consider Changing Domestic Violence Statute.” Nevada Public Radio, (2019), https://knpr.org/knpr/2019-10/city-consider-changing-domestic-violence-statute.
5. “Introduction to Domestic Violence: Opposing Viewpoints.” (2012), http://cpptechprojects.weebly.com/uploads/2/1/5/1/21518256/introduction_to_do mestic_violence_1.pdf
6. Johnson, R. “Changing Attitude About Domestic Violence.” (2002), https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=194809
7. “NCEDSV Statewide Data Collection Project.” Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, (2019), https://www.ncedsv.org/wp/content/uploads/2020/06/2019-CY-yr -QSR.pdf
8. “NRS 200.481-Nevada “Battery” Laws.” Las Vegas Defense Group, https://www.shouselaw.com/nevada/battery#6.
9. “Opposing Views.” No Excuse for Abuse, (2013), https://noexcuseforabuse813.wordpress.com/opposing-views/
10. “The National Crime Victim Bar Association.” (2019), https://victimbar.org
11. Valley,J. “A Culture of Abuse: Nevada Ranks Among Worst States for Domestic Violence.” Las Vegas Sun, (2014), https://lasvegassun.com/news/2014/oct/27/culture-domestic-abuse -nevada-ranks-among-worst-/
12. Valley, J. “Advocates say pandemic adds ‘multiple levels of scary’ to domestic violence situations.” The Nevada Independent, (2020), https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/advocates-say-pandemic-adds-multiple-levels -of-scary-to-domestic-violence-situations
13. “Violence Against Women Act.” (2017), https://nnedv.org/content/violence-against-women-act/
14. Washoe Co. Sheriff v. Zimmerman, 663 P.2d 1194 (Nev. 1983). (Supreme Court of Nevada). https://casetext.com/case/washoe-co-sheriff-v-zimmerman

“The abuser’s desire to abuse is not created by the child, it is there before the child appears”. This great phrase was spoken by Carolyn Ainscough author of ‘Help for Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse.

Generally, the term ‘abuse’ is surrounded by intentional acts which result in physical, mental or emotional harm to the children and it is awful that children are abused mostly by their parents or the person who is legally responsible for his or her care and relatives or the people who know the child closely. Child abuse can take place at homes, schools, orphanages, residential care facilities, on the streets, in the workplace, in prison and places of detention, and it can be in any form such as injury, neglect or negligent treatment, blaming, forced sexual stimulation and activity, incest exploitation and sexual abuse. Child sexual abuse includes sexual assault in which an adult touches minor for purpose of sexual gratification like rape and sexual exploitation in which an adult victimizes a minor for advancement, sexual gratification, or profit such as prostituting a child, and creating or trafficking in child pornography.

Pornography is a picture, film, or writing that intentionally stimulates sexual provocation. Child abuse and pornography are two of the extremely terrible and disturbing social problems that our society is facing today. If this kind of child abuse was a disease, we would have telethon, rallies and other public events to raise money for the cure. Just as people didn’t talk openly about cancer in the 1960s and 1970s, we must get past our discomfort talking about child sexual abuse, and give it the attention it deserves and that is why the sad truth of today is that millions of children have unwanted or abusive sexual involvements. Unfortunately, these two problems are also amongst the most challenging. We accept as true, pornography to be sin in itself, but when an innocent child is brought into this dark, demeaning word of perverts and pedophiles, the immorality grows to a whole different extreme. Child pornography has been defined under the federal statute as a graphic representation of a minor engaged in sexually explicit misconduct. Each child involved in the production of an image is a sufferer of sexual abuse. While some child sexual abuse images portray children in great pain and the sexual abuse is self-evident, other images may portray children that appear self-satisfied. However, just because a child appears self-satisfied does not mean that sexual abuse did not occur. In most child pornography cases, the abuse is not a one-time event, but rather an ongoing victimization that passes over months or years. It is ordinary for producers of child pornography to prepare victims, or make a connection with a child and slowly sexualize the contact over time. The preparation process promotes a wrong sense of trust and authority over a child to break down a child´s refusal of sexual abuse. Therefore, even if a child appears self-satisfied in a specific image, it is prime to remember that the abuse may have started years before that image was created.

Moreover, the sufferer of child pornography suffers not just from the sexual abuse imposed upon them to produce child pornography, but also from intending that their images can be marketed and seen by others worldwide. Once an image is on the Internet, it is irreversible and can resume spreading forever. The indefinite record of a child´s sexual abuse can change his/her life forever. Many victims of child pornography suffer from feelings of incompetence, fear, embarrassment, and lack of control given that their images are obtainable for others to view in forever. Crimes associated with child pornography are unthinkable.

It’s said that 53% of the children in India face some form of child sexual abuse. Now here a question also arises that why do adult fails to protect their child from these sexual involvements. Many adults wrongly assume a child would tell if they experienced traumatic sexual interaction. If the child doesn’t tell, they assume nothing happened. There are certain reasons which people overlook but when thought honestly these reasons can help a child to protect themself from these sexual involvements. Basically, in India, people don’t talk about these things openly and neither sex education is provided and because of this, children don’t know what is right and what is wrong. The problem of not giving sex education followed by generation gaps becomes a big issue, kids don’t open up with their parents and tell anything about what has happened to them and they start thinking that they are wrong that’s why this has happened to them or sometimes they feel shy thinking that what will their parents think or react after knowing this. Not only sex education but they should be taught how to protect themselves from this iniquity. One of the reasons why an adult fails to protect can be their job/work. Having a job or being jobless both can affect the child. If parents work, they can’t make time for their children, and even if the child wants to tell them something, they can’t express anything, as their parents are busy all the time. India has 30% of families which are Below Poverty Line (BPL) due to unemployment. Generally, what happens, due to lack of money and basic needs a person can become aggressive and due to which these people mostly take out all their aggression and anger by beating up their child. Some people are so worse that in the greed of money they push their children in these sexual involvements and thereafter photographs, videotapes, films and magazines of children in sexual poses and sexual act makes up the world of child pornography.

There are strict laws against child abuse and producing or obtaining child pornography. The Constitution of India carries several provisions for the protection of the children. It has authorized the legislature to make special laws to protect the rights of the children. Articles 14,15, 15(3), 19(1) (a), 21, 21(A), 23, 24, 39(e) 39(f) of the Constitution of India states certain laws for the protection, and well-being of all its people, including children. There are several acts and statutes dealing with the protection of children such as section 317, 366-A, 372, 373 of the Indian Penal Code. Acts such as The Juvenile Justice Act, 2000; The Immoral Traffic Act,1956; Child Labour Act, 1986 provides strict laws for children. One of the most important act is the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences Act, 2012, it has been prepared to brace the legal provision for the protection of children from sexual abuse. This act delivers strict punishment to the convicted person, which has been classified as per the weight of the crime. It criminalizes acts of immorality including child pornography.

Hopefully, these provisions, acts, and statutes are serving as an influential deterrent, but nonetheless, the crime has not stopped. There are the victims who don’t even know that they are being victimized, who have no understanding of the crime, the violence is done to them. This is the worst-case scenario, as who fall among this category includes insane, mentally challenged, and the innocent child. We accept that abuse can be in different forms but the condition that concerned us the most is the condition of an innocent child being victimized by sexual abuse. Our concern is strongly influenced by us being an Indian. India, where the subject of child sexual abuse and involvements is still a repugnant taboo and as we have traditional and conservative community structure, we are not supposed to talk on this subject and consider upholding the honor by keeping such topics even if its observed, within us. We think child abuse and pornography are the most horrible social problems we are fronting, and realistically, it will probably never be completely disregarded, but society as a whole needs to realize the severity of these crimes and work together to get a handle on the problem like these.

Thus, it’s high time we pay concern to mitigate and eradicate this evil from our society.

Child abuse refers to the maltreatment of a child by the parent or caregiver. It could also include neglect and might be physical, psychological, or sexual. Here, the parent or caregiver might fail to act causing actual and perceived harm to the kid. Abuse can occur at home, schools, or neighborhoods. Understanding the causes and effects of child abuse will help with the formulation of effective prevention strategies.

Child abuse remains a global concern as it affects all cultures. Not all kids exposed to similar abuse experiences are impacted in the same way. For others, the effects of abuse could be chronic while some might experience less serious outcomes (Mark et al, 2019). There are other factors that affect a kid’s vulnerability in the face of abuse. When there are few protective factors around an abused child, the risk of chronic outcomes increases. Risk factors that might lead to poor outcomes for abused and neglected children are a socio-economic disadvantage, depressed or alcoholic caregivers, social isolation, and when a kid is disabled (Jaffee & Maikovich-Fong, 2011). Factors leading to a kid’s resilience are aspects of the family environment such as quality of parenting, child attributes such as self-esteem, and community resources such as the school environment (Hunter, 2012). The main factors influencing the manner in which child abuse impacts kids include length and frequency of maltreatment. It also includes the co-occurrence of numerous kids of maltreatment.

Chronic maltreatment is connected with adverse effects. They occur over a long period of time. Research establishes the connection between different kinds of maltreatment (Mark et al, 2019). In other words, a high number of kids experiencing childhood abuse are subjected to more than one kind of violation. In addition, other kinds of victimization, for instance, bullying will always co-occur with child abuse. It has further been established that those experiencing different kinds of abuses will suffer high trauma levels. They will also experience more adverse effects. People experiencing trauma and abuse in childhood suffer negative effects in the later stages of life. Trauma can leave one without stress management skills. Focus has also been on the relationship between child abuse and drug abuse. More cases of child abuse have been reported among adults suffering from substance abuse disorders (Mark et al, 2019). Though alcohol consumption and use of drugs could be a coping mechanism in handling trauma, given that this population has a high impulsivity level, the odds of drug use might increase in the future.

There are different effects that are associated with child abuse. One is the emotional effect. Kids who are always ignored brutalized and shamed suffer as much as if they were subjected to physical torture (Mark et al, 2019). The child’s brain development is impacted by and responds to external experiences. These experiences could be from the family, guardians, and community. Kids who are abused might become insecure, show poor development and suffer low self-esteem (Maul et al, 2019). Most of them experience consistent challenges with trust, academic performance, relationships while some withdraw socially.

Babies can be affected differently compared to older kids. Babies and pre-school kids experiencing emotional abuse might show extreme love and attachment to strangers. They could develop anxiety or lack confidence (Mark et al, 2019). In addition, they may tend to withdraw from their parents and become aggressive towards other kids and animals. On the other hand, older kids might use bad language or behave differently from other kids of their age. They will face challenges controlling emotions, lack social skills, and become isolated from friends and parents. Reactive attachment disorder has also been reported among abused kids. This condition is described as disturbing social relatedness (Mark et al, 2019). It normally starts before one attains the age of 5. This condition could occur as a chronic failure to respond to social situations.

There have been suggestions to the effect that child abuse can make someone empathetic. In other words, an abused child will grow up understanding the pain that other people go through (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2014). He or she will be sensitive to the challenges other abused kids are facing and understanding the agony of their experiences. One can only be recognized that a person has been violated if he or she has been through the same experience. This is because it is easy to recognize the signs. Every broken or wounded person will always remain in the heart of an abused child given that it reflects the torment he or she went through. On the other hand, being an empathetic person with thorough knowledge of what it entails to be abused, one is more likely to offer love, care, and support to those facing similar challenges (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2014). This is true to the adage “water seeks its own level.”

Though there have been few studies on the long-term effects of emotional abusers, recent studies have now recorded these effects. It must be emphasized that emotional abuse is connected with increased levels of depression, poor relationships, and anxiety (Mark et al, 2019). It is highly likely for victims of abuse to engage in juvenile delinquency. In addition, kids are affected by domestic violence. Despite the fact that it is not the kid being abused, there are negative effects from witnessing domestic violence. In the same vein, it has been established that 36.8 percent of kids are involved in felony assault as opposed to 47.5 percent of abused kids (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2014). Research has established that kids who are subjected to domestic violence are vulnerable to behavioral and emotional difficulties such as depression, anxiety, poor performance in school, and language development issues. In general, emotional impacts attributed to child abuse can lead to short and long-term effects that impact the child’s development in the end.

Child abuse can also cause physical effects. The immediate effects of abuse could be minor including bruises and cuts. They could also be severe, for instance, fractures and even death. In other instances, the physical effects are short-term (Mark et al, 2019). Despite this, the pain and suffering a child experiences must not be discounted. Physical abuse might be accompanied by rib fractures. There are long-term effects of abuse on physical health. One is the shaken baby syndrome. A prevalent form of child abuse is shaking the baby which leads to permanent neurological damage or death (Morad et al, 2010). The damage is caused by intracranial hypertension following bleeding in the brain. It can also come due to damage to the neck and the spinal cord or fractures. Brain development can also be impaired. In other instances, child abuse could impede the formation or growth of important brain areas. This can lead to impaired development. Structural changes in the brain caused by child abuse include reduced corpus callosum density and smaller brain volume (Davis, 2011). These changes in brain development have major repercussions for cognitive, educational, and language abilities. On the other hand, these changes can affect the amygdala. They can also impact the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dealing with stress response, in turn causing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

It has been suggested that maltreatment can help ensure that someone avoids sociopath tendencies. The argument is that maltreatment can make one wise (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2014). Those who have not been mistreated might not even understand that their selfishness poses serious effects on others. The history of child abuse should never be used as an excuse for bad behavior in the future. This is because when one finally gets out of the abuse, he or she discovers that they have developed the skills to help entertain themselves in different situations. Moreover, they will realize that they can actually inspire others (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2014). In a nutshell, a history of child abuse should be able to make one stronger and better and ruin his life.

However, research has reiterated poor physical health as another effect of child abuse. Household dysfunction and maltreatment of the kid are linked to numerous physical and psychological impacts such as ill-health during childhood and subsequent stages of development (Thornberry & Henry, 2013). This is accompanied by increased cases of chronic conditions, reduced lifespan, and risky health behaviors. It is more likely for adults who were subjected to abuse as kids to experience physical ailments including allergies, ulcers, hypertension, and asthma. In addition, they are more likely to develop cancer in addition to immune dysfunction. A connection has been established between child abuse and impaired telomerase function. On the same note, a recent study established that there is a link between particular neurochemical changes and exposure to abuse. A number of biological pathways could result in the development of illness (Keeshin et al, 2012). On the other hand, some physiological mechanisms could help moderate the manner in which chronic illnesses affect patients of previous abuse

It is important to take rapid measures that can help ensure this problem is addressed with the seriousness that it deserves. Involvement of all stakeholders is warranted in ensuring that this problem is addressed (Maul et al, 2019). This is because child abuse is not only a complex issue, rather is accompanied by numerous challenges. These challenges are aggravated by limited resources in terms of staff availability and time. In addition, it is accompanied by numerous legal and social constraints and poor implementation of laws that aim to protect the child. Healthcare providers have a major role to play when it comes to child abuse prevention and management (Maul et al, 2019). Although they have the ability to detect abuse, in the absence of strong and effective social organizations, there would be a lack of clarity as regards the form of intervention that should be taken into consideration. Healthcare providers must be supported at the institutional level. This can be achieved through a combination of strategies such as training, hospital guidelines and mentorship, and assistance from the seniors. It is important to acknowledge the effect of culture in order to prevent the adoption of ineffective solutions founded on systems developed nations with immense resources (Maul et al, 2019). The impact of societal challenges must also be taken into consideration.

Conclusion

In conclusion, child abuse can present serious effects if left unmanaged. A number of physical and psychological functions are impaired in persons with a history of abuse and neglect. Given that child abuse is a problem that affects the entire society, all stakeholders must join hands to ensure that his problem is solved. Most important would be the role of healthcare providers who have the ability to detect abuse. Adequate resources must be provided to ease the work of these providers. In addition, there is a need for more research to examine the connection between child abuse, physical and psychological functioning as a component of the severity of abuse. Together with previous research, these findings might result in the development of effective intervention strategies. If implemented appropriately, these interventions can help alleviate the adverse neurological effects of abuse. Therefore, this would allow for improved functioning that could be of great benefit to victims in their lives.

References:

1. Australian Institute of Family Studies. (2014). Effects of child abuse and neglect for children and adolescents. Retrieved from https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/effects-child-abuse-and-neglect-children-and-adolescents
2. Davies, D. (2011). Child development: A practitioner’s guide (3rd Ed.). New York: The Guilford Press
3. Keeshin, B., Cronholm, P., & Strawn, J. (2012). Physiologic changes associated with violence and abuse exposure: An examination of related medical conditions. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 2012; 13(1): 41-56
4. Mark, C., Poltavski, D., & Petros. T. (2019). Differential executive functioning in young adulthood as a function of experienced child abuse. International Journal of Psychophysiology 135 (2019) 126–135
5. Maul, K., Naeem, R., & Khan, U. (2019). Child abuse in Pakistan: A qualitative study of knowledge, attitudes and practice amongst health professionals. Child Abuse & Neglect 88 (2019) 51–57
6. Morad, Y., Wygnansky-Jaffe, T., & Levin, A. (2010). Retinal hemorrhage in abusive head trauma. Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 38 (5): 514–520
7. Thornberry, T., & Henry, K. (2013). Intergenerational continuity in maltreatment. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 41 (4): 555–569

The abuse and neglect of children is something that, I have been aware of from an early age. While I may not have been able to discern or articulate it in legal terms; I was aware of what appeared to be right and or wrong at face value. Having benefited from growing up in a stable home with responsible and loving parents, I was fortunate enough to have an appropriate example of what a safe, stable, and loving environment was. Observing the households of friends while growing up, I quickly was able to identify things that were outside the “norm.” I witnessed inappropriate language and threats being utilized while speaking to children; I observed chastising that went beyond the “normal” parameters of discipline, been present in homes that were unkempt, and peered on the inside of refrigerators where there was absolutely no food. While I don’t wish these circumstances on anyone, those observations to which I made taught me vital lessons that I’ve continued to use in my personal life as well as my profession as a police officer.

The mistreatment of children in American society is deeply rooted and extremely provocative. Child abuse can result from physical, verbal, or sexual harm. Abuse that is deemed physical involves the intentional harming of a child that may result in broken bones, burns, bruises, or beatings. Threats of physical harm, sexual harm, and belittling are deemed as mental or emotional abuse. Child neglect which is another form of mistreatment occurs when a parent or legal custodian of a child does not provide the necessities of life, either intentionally or with reckless disregard for the child’s wellbeing. This type of neglect is a result of things, such as withholding food, clothing, shelter, or medical care. Emotional neglect occurs when a parent or guardian withholds love, comfort, or affection from a child. Research has shown that these forms of mistreatment go on to cause mental and emotional trauma well into the adulthood of the affected victim(s). Luckily in today’s society legislatures at the federal, state, and local levels are more informed on these issues which result in the enactment of statutory measures to ensure the safety and security of children. Governmental formed agencies and non-profit organizations have been an intricate remedy for the prevention and enforcement of child abuse and or neglect.

As a police officer in a major metropolitan city, a vast portion of training received during the initial recruitment phase, and ongoing training throughout my career has dealt with the enforcement of child abuse and neglect laws. Officers are trained to seek out the signs and or symptoms that are readily visible and be particularly paying attention to detail in determining the signs that are not so easily visible. It is my experience that children who are abused are often afraid to disclose this information, because of the fears of retaliation, disavowing by a parent, or because they want to protect and love the suspect in such acts. This makes it difficult for any outside influence, up to and including police officers to gain the trust of the victim. Many jurisdictions don’t have the luxury of working for a large municipal government where child protective service resources are available 24/7. I happen to work for an agency and government that has the benefit of having these services available at all times of the day. These organizations have a deep affection for the care and wellness of children and are very professional when carrying out their duties. I have learned these advocacy groups/agencies in many instances, have perfected building trustworthy relationships with young victims; who in turn assist law enforcement and prosecutors gather important evidence for prosecuting the offender.

“Prosecution of child abuse presents special challenges for everyone involved” (National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse 2004; Whitcomb 1992). The successful prosecutions of these cases are at times difficult; due to the emotionally stricken victims having to face the accused in adversarial proceedings. A majority of the time the offender in these cases is personally known to the victim. A child’s credibility is often questioned in court as well as in the court of public opinion; verified allegations of child abuse can oftentimes be met by skepticism if the accused is against an upstanding member of society. Children testifying to abuse can be vilified by family members or others who side with the offender and pressured to recant their allegations. The Sixth Amendment allows defendants to confront their accusers in open court; the victims then must relive the abuse in front of the accused, which creates a challenge for many victims.

Many states have statutory requirements, making it a requirement to report even the suspicion of abuse of a child. Law enforcement agencies become involved in a couple of ways, either a referral from a school, a doctor, child protective service agencies, or a notification made by a parent, neighbor, or family friend. The effective approach to successfully investigating cases involving child abuse or neglect is the multi-agency coordination and planning method. This includes social workers, doctors, therapists, and members of the criminal justice system all have important roles to play. All must work together to ensure the proper welfare of the child.

I have had the unfortunate experience as a police officer in responding, investigating, and preparing these types of cases to be presented to a detective or the United States Attorney’s Office. The preparation for such cases is exhausting and very demanding of the victims as well as the investigators involved. My experience is that a majority of these cases end up with the defendant being offered a plea deal. While this may not be ideal for the “layperson” societal view, it is important to understand the turmoil such a process takes upon the victim of these crimes.

The impact on children from a social point, who have been physically abused tends to be not so noticeable, but still substantial. The inability to form friendships, little social skills, underdeveloped cognitive and language skills, development of anger issues are just a few of the characteristics formulated from abused children. Once becoming adults, this mental health, behavioral health issues do not disperse, and at many times negatively affect victims’ relationships with their own partners or children. “All of these affect the community and society in general and are the social costs of physical abuse.”

Prevention of child abuse is proclaimed to be an important social policy, though I can attest that from an enforcement perspective little work has been done to research the effectiveness of preventative measures. The majority of programs focus on victims or suspects of child abuse and neglect crimes. Little to no emphasis, dependent upon jurisdictions is targeted towards preventing child abuse and neglect from occurring in the first place.

Researchers believe that the concept of treatment should be restricted to interventions that are therapeutic. It would much rather be appropriate to view therapeutic programs within a broader lens, one which includes social and legal agencies. Access to care is often decided and supplied or referred by social service or law enforcement personnel. The availability of these services is disproportionate in different social-economic environments. This results in many victims not being afforded the opportunity for treatment.

I have come to learn much more about the dynamic circumstances surrounding the maltreatment of juveniles. While there are many reasons why maltreatment begins, centers a majority of the time around the perpetrator’s own demons which then are projected onto vulnerable children. Through reading and my own experiences, it is clear that as heinous as these criminal acts are, they are very difficult to prosecute in many circumstances. While the accused enjoy the presumption of innocence and due process, this process tends to take a major toll on the victims in these instances, the long protracted span of time it takes to adjudicate these cases normally results in a plea deal offered by the prosecuting attorney’s office. Prosecutors traditionally use methods such as plea deals to prevent the victims and their family’s from enduring the heavy stressors brought upon by a trial which includes cross-examining of victims. I do not foresee in the near future the cases being adjudicated in a formal trial becoming any easier. The court’s framework is not built upon the comfortability of emotions but rather the traditional format of adjudicating cases, the most vial and despicable to the most emotional and draining.

Domestic violence is an issue that takes place far too often around us. It consists of spousal abuse, parent and child abuse, and abuse to elders. Retributive justice consists of knowingly violating the rights of others, but having the punishment of doing so fit the crime that was committed. With that being said, domestic abusers are often not convicted for those crimes. In fact, only about thirty percent of those arrested for domestic abuse are convicted and sentenced to jail time (McElroy, 2010). In addition to retributive justice, domestic violence goes against the idea of virtue ethics that Aristotle founded. Virtue ethics has been defined as acting according to morals. When an individual abuses someone else that they claim to love or care for, these morals are no longer in tact. The legalistic definition of crime is committing actions that violate the law. Domestic violence is evil and technically prohibited by law as well which makes it an act against mala in se law and mala prohibita law.

With all of these factors taken into consideration, it is obvious how domestic violence is an injustice, but even still, people are not punished to the extent that it should be. People get away with these crimes and less than half are convicted or found guilty. Domestic violence can either be considered a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the seriousness of the situation and the state the crime is committed in. However, each incidence of domestic violence is just as serious as the other and all citizens who abuse this law should be convicted and incarcerated.

It is clear to see how evident and prolific this problem is. There are a number of outlets available to victims, but the need far outweighs the resources. A major component for why victims do not leave their abusers, especially in intimate partner domestic violence, is due to fear of retaliation (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence). A study by the National Institute of Justice on intimate partner domestic violence found that of the abusers interviewed, a significant amount of them acknowledged that the victim threatening to leave the abuser lead to the murder of the victim (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). While there are legal means currently in place that attempts to protect the victims, they are not adequate (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence).

Due to this, the government has a responsibility to step up and offer more support to victims through safehomes. These safehomes would be structures similar to the witness protection program, but be specifically be for victims of domestic violence that have fled from their abuser and are awaiting trial. These safehomes would actually have protection near and around so that the victims do not need to fear retaliation. Security guards, increased police surveillance, and security cameras would deter the accused abuser from coming near the victim. The social workers and law enforcement would ensure that they are being cared and offered resources to be more financially independent and start their new life no longer dependent on their abuser. This program would allow the victims to feel safe and secure as they leave their abuser and start anew.

Domestic violence between significant others in today’s society has dramatically inclined throughout the years. One in four women and one in nine men experience violence in their relationship (National Statistics About Domestic Violence). These statistics are eye opening when thinking about how many people around us are affected by this horrible action. Domestic violence is a recurring action in the court that gets handled differently every time. There have been several instances where an abuser was convicted with assault and battery on their significant other, yet their punishment has been a fine or up to 5 years in jail (Hankerson, 2019). In 2017, more than 23,000 arrests were made for assault and battery, and only 22% of those arrests were convicted (Hankerson, 2019). These statistics go to show that something needs to change with today’s court system.

It is hard to establish what a justified solution would be, due to the amount of setbacks there is with this topic. Meaning, conviction all depends on the judge and or evidence they have towards the abuser. It can also depend on the victim as well. It is hard enough for the victim to make the call to law enforcement due to the threats the abuser make, so it all depends if the victim feels comfortable testifying against them. Regarding that situation, one solution would be to increase the sentencing, so that the victim does not have to worry about what might happen to them when the abuser returns after doing their time. The idea of maximizing conviction is not only a consequence of the abuser but in a way it can also protect the victim. Later on down the road, this could help many victims openly testify against their abuser.

Another potential way of going about reducing domestic violence in the United States would be to consider altering the way court systems go about handling domestic violence cases. Often times in divorce hearings there will be domestic violence allegations included in the case. However, even though the events that took place in the relationship are the reason for the divorce, historically the judicial system tends to prefer handling the matters using separate judges and in select cases different courthouses. This particular strategy for solving the problems at hand causes emotional stress on the victims and could potentially lead to the judges not having all the events that took place or information needed to make an appropriate sentencing.

The party considered the victim in these cases often have been through copious amounts of stress and anguish. In cases such as these, having to relive the events that have taken place by telling their stories repeatedly to different judges and figures involved in the court’s decision making process often has a negative impact on the victim’s mental health. However there is also the issue of family courts historically not handling domestic violence well. In most cases the rulings try to ensure the children involved are still able to maintain a close relationship with both parents even if one is abuser. The parent pressing the charges requested the children to have no interaction with the party at fault and will refuse to settle for anything less. The courts will try to mediate the existing problems via mental health professional who more times than not will have minimum domestic training. The counselors are taught to treat the problems in the relationship as mutual making the victim gain the wrong mindset that he or she is a part of the reason why the abuser does what he or she does. This is an unjust form of mending domestic violence problems and will not allow the victim to be truly content with the outcome of the case.

Obviously, at first glance, each of our proposed solutions to the issue of domestic violence seem logical and implementable. However, like all ideas, they each have their own strengths and weaknesses that allow for an easier or harder way to bring about change.

The first proposed solution was for the government to implement a greater number of safe houses and protection programs for victims of domestic violence. One of the strengths of this solution is that if victims feel as if they have a safe place to go where they can be protected and hidden from their abuser, they are more likely to report their abuser to the law. One of the weaknesses of this argument is that the government also has to provide safe houses and protection programs for others around the world. They can not implement more houses for domestic abuse victims without also implementing more houses for others who need protection as well.

The second proposed solution was for the government to increase the length of sentencing of those who are committed on a domestic abuse offense. The strength of this argument is that if victims of domestic abuse know that their abuser could be put in jail for a longer time, they will be more willing to report their abuser to the law because they know that their abuser would be locked up for a long time and would not be able to retaliate against them. The weakness of this argument is that jails are already too overcrowded. They do not have the capacity to keep domestic abusers in jail for longer amounts of time if it means that those who were found guilty of more serious crimes are not able to be put in jail cells. It would be far harder to implement the solution based on this one weakness.

The third proposed solution was for the court system to alter the ways in which they go about hearing domestic violence cases. A major strength of this solution is that victims would have to go through a less grueling court case, which helps with their levels of anxiety and shame about the situation. If victims know that the process will be less taxing on them, they would be more willing to report their abuser to the law. One major weakness of this solution is the time that it would take for court systems to debate over new ways to handle these types of court cases and then implement them into effect. This process would take far too long to reach agreements and then to put their ideas into practice.

Domestic violence, sadly enough, is one of the most widely experienced injustices in our country today. Far too many individuals have to experience this trauma from their abuser each and every single day. Our proposed solutions to this injustice attempt to find ways that can best help these victims. While there are strengths and weaknesses to all ideas, we believe that we have discovered some of the best ways to handle the problem at hand.

In “The Pedestrian,” mankind advances to where the technology takes over their lives and even focuses less on relationships. Leonard Mead is taking a walk when a police officer comes by and questions his actions, “‘Where are you taking me?…To the Psychiatric Center for Regressive Tendencies’” (5). In society today, it is not unusual to take a walk outside. Everyone is too invested in staying home and watching TV, and it is seen as peculiar to be out. The police officer represents control of the government when Mead is to be taken to a mental facility for doing the basic human thing.

The streets are silent and “In ten years of walking by night or day, for thousands of miles, he had never met another person walking, not one, in all that time” (98). Everyone is so occupied with watching TV, it is all they are doing. Instead of socializing, they sit around. This conveys their disregard to family which incites that relationships are demolishing since they are not focused on it. The streets are silent and Mead has never seen anyone out, because they are all inside, occupied with the T.V. Relationships are ruined because of the disregard for their surroundings, which is the result of man abusing technology.

In “Fahrenheit 451,” the laws forbid books, and firefighters burn them instead, “Montag gazed to the wall with the typed lists of a million forbidden books” (34). In this novel, they have strict laws expected to be followed, and reading books can kill one. There is not as much freedom as they should be getting. They are being controlled and censorship is exemplified. If they had freedom, they would not be forbidden to do simple things, like reading. A machine that is used to go after people who illegally had books, “The Mechanical Hound slept, but did not sleep, lived, but did not live in its gently humming, gently vibrating, softly illuminated kennel back in a dark corner of the fire-house” (24). They have a machine called the Mechanical Hound, which is built to tranquilize a person if they are caught with books.

The government puts people in harm’s way and this displays the control they put on everyone. If they had freedom, there would not be harmful control over something that does not put others in danger. There is total disregard for the citizens’ lives’, as they are put in this position for simply reading, only because the government does not want them to. This, therefore, elucidates the impression that strict laws are just one of the effects of control of the government. The book demonstrates a wide variety of government control and technology abuse, and the impacts it can have on society.

Vulnerable populations and abuse include the economically challenge, racial and ethnic minorities, individual who has a lacking insurance, low-income individuals, the elderly, the homeless and those with other health conditions, including severe mental illness. It may also include rural residents or barbaric places, who often encounter barriers to accessing healthcare services because of hindrances like transportation and support from their local government. The vulnerability of these individuals is enhanced by their race, ethnicity, age, sex, and factors such as income, insurance coverage (or lack thereof), and absence of a usual source of care. Their health and healthcare problems intersect with social factors, including housing, poverty, and inadequate education.

It can be difficult to identify abuse. But being aware of the risk factors can help. These include; a.) Being dependent on others and let other people do your responsibilities, b.) Family conflict like fights between siblings or worst to your parents, c.) Family violence like you is being neglected as a member of the family, d.) Being alone, e.) Stress in care or guidance relationships f.) Mature age children or dependents with a disability or health issues g.) Mental illness such as psychological incapacity and dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease h.) Poor literacy and/or awareness of rights as a citizen or individual

Current Situation of elderly abuse (New Zealand Healthcare Setting)

Elder abuse is not only a problem in New Zealand but also a global concern. Sometimes, things don’t work as they should or as we want them to be. Abuse can happen to anyone especially to elderly, and the likelihood is that it’s going to be at home at the hands of family members or “friends”. Sadly, Age Concern says they uncover at least two new cases of abuse or neglect of older people every day in New Zealand, and it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Age Concern New Zealand concluded that 10% of the population aged over 65 years’ experience abuse. In the healthcare setting, an analysis from Age Concern which was released in 2007 states that 68% of the reported abuse happened in rest homes followed by 16% and 13% happened in hospitals and retirement villages respectively.

Responsibilities and avenues for reporting (under the code of rights)

Elderly people are significant and valuable members of the society. They deserve our respect, our care and our attention because they also once been like us who provide, respect and care for the people and for we always say that we all grow old and be in that situation also. Unfortunately, some people take advantage of the vulnerability and weakness that age often brings. If you’re an older person, you’re entitled to the same rights as anyone else. If you feel you’re not being treated right, or if you’re concerned about how an elderly is being treated, you can get help from your local government unit. In cases where issues are not resolved within the organization, they can be brought to concerned agencies such as Age Concern and the like. As a DT and a part of a service provider for instance, you are obliged to report whenever the rights of the clients under Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights are being violated.

Practical scenario:

A vulnerable dementia sufferer was so badly neglected by her niece that she was found with her body fused to a couch, an ulcer down to her bone and skin peeling off her body. The 89-year-old woman was under the care of her niece and her niece’s husband in Auckland, who have both pleaded guilty to failing to protect a vulnerable adult. The couple, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had taken on caring for the elderly woman in April 2017 as she suffered from acute dementia, incontinence and immobility. Because of her inability to take care of herself, it was the niece’s responsibility to bathe her, take her to the toilet, prepare meals, feed and transport her, according to court documents seen by the NZ Herald. Court documents revealed one morning in November 2017, the niece found her aunt unresponsive on the couch, so she called an ambulance. Emergency crews arrived to what they described as a horrific scene as the 89-year-old was naked on the couch, with just a blanket covering her. Under the blanket they found her body had fused to the couch and she had urine feces and pus which had created the adhesive that fused her to the sofa. Police were also notified of the horrific scene and attended the home to investigate, where they found a ‘strong unpleasant odor’. Upon investigation, police found used diapers strewn across the lounge room and visible remains of bodily fluids on the couch. Paramedics had no way of removing the elderly woman from the couch without further injuring her, so they took to cutting the couch away. She was rushed to Middlemore Hospital with the sofa material still glued to her left thigh, hip and lower back, court documents said. Medical staff said the woman was in a life-threatening condition, suffering from dehydration, bacteremia and low albumin. Doctors found the 89-year-old was suffering from multiple stage-four pressure ulcers, with one so bad it had reached her bone. She also had broken down skin and parts of the skin on her back was so dry it was peeling off. Medical staff noted the woman was severely underweight and said they do not know how long it may have taken for the injuries to develop. The niece admitted that she should have called for help sooner while her husband also confessed he should have called an ambulance. Both the niece and her husband are set to be sentenced later in the year and face a maximum prison term of ten years. Chief executive for the New Zealand Aged Care Association (NZACA), Simon Wallace, said the elderly woman’s case was ‘appalling’.

Legislations:

1. 3PR Act (Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988)

The 3PR Act aims to protect the personal and property rights of people who cannot fully manage their own affairs. The PPPR Act covers situations where a person is able to make their own decisions but may need some help dealing with their affairs now or in the future (through an enduring power of attorney) and also when the person has lost all mental capacity (Court orders). This is the main law that safeguards the elderly from such abuse. While they are mentally capable, this act helps them to prepare ahead by arranging a power of attorney (POA) to someone qualified. This POA authorize a person or a company to act on the don’s behalf. An individual or organization can be the POA to both health and property or there could be two separate attorneys of each. In an event when there’s a conflict for both attorneys, the personal care attorney prevails in making decisions on the donor’s behalf. However, either attorney can consult the family court for guidance. From the scenario given above, the niece was not able to do such POA because both the niece and her husband are set to be sentenced later in the year and face a maximum prison term of ten years.

2. Crimes Act 1961

This is an Act of the Parliament of New Zealand that forms a leading part of the criminal law in New Zealand that mainly states that anyone who is 18 years of age or above, member of a household or a hospital staff has the responsibility to report any serious abuse of a vulnerable adult. From the scenario given above, the 89-year-old woman has been neglected by both the niece and her husband, by not bringing her to the hospital for treatment. She was also abused physically, financially and emotionally. It was very clear that both the niece and her husband violated Crimes Act section 195A by failing to protect the 89-year-old woman. They are proven guilty and face a maximum imprisonment for ten years.

3. Domestic Violence Act 1995

Enables individuals affected by domestic violence to apply to the Family Court for a protection order. This act serves to protect an adult from an abusive domestic relationship. Older adults are the ones vulnerable to abuse by their children, siblings, spouse or live-in careers. Through this act, they can apply for a Protection Order from the Family Court whenever they are at risk to protect them from further abuse. From the scenario given above, it was said that the 89-year-old has been abused and the protection order that was granted to her protects her from her abuser.

Supporting a client to promote self-advocacy

Some older people experience elder abuse. Elder abuse occurs when someone in a position of trust (usually family, friends or a care worker) causes a person physical, psychological, sexual, emotional, or financial harm or neglect. That’s why there are some strategies to promote self-advocacy to the elderly abuse. One is to provide you with information and advice about your rights and responsibilities; two is to support you to be involved in decisions affecting your life; three is to assist you to resolve problems or complaints in relation to aged care services; and lastly is to promote the rights of older persons to aged care service providers and the wider community. It is, therefore, everyone’s duty to support this population to build their confidence to speak or to ask someone to advocate for them. Supporting a client to promote self-advocacy also means respecting their choices and decisions. From the scenario given above, the niece admitted that she should have called for help sooner while her husband also confessed he should have called an ambulance.

Most people would describe Domestic Abuse as violent and threatening behaviour towards a spouse or partner which could be physical or mental. However, it could also have an effect on other people in the family including children, and it can also be done by a family member or carer. Domestic Abuse is said to be more usually male towards female aggression.

Domestic Abuse can include a partner controlling and causing the isolation of the other using sexual or physical abuse. It could also include psychological abuse and stalking or harrassment.

People think the main cause of Domestic Abuse is when one partner is controlling takes the upper hand in the relationship and wants things their own way all the time. This may be prompted by a reaction to their own low self-esteem or jealousy and problems with anger. Some people have beliefs that women and men are on different levels and the men should have the dominant role in the relationship, some people may have learned this from the way they were brought up or the home that they grew up in that it is okay to treat their partner in this way.

Others believe that alcohol and drugs are a main cause for Domestic Abuse. Drunk or high people may be less likely to control their anger and emotions and take personal issues out on those who live with them so, people believe that it may be better to keep drinking and drugs to a minimum to develop and maintain a positive and safe relationship. Worldwide studies show higher chances of domestic abuse happening if one or both partners are dependent on alcohol. However, it has been suggested that rather than alcohol causing people to abuse their partners, it is just a collision of two different social problems. The World Health Organization estimates that just over half of domestic abusers were drinking alcohol prior to assaulting their partner. Women who are abused are 15 times more likely to have a problem with alcohol.68% of young people involved in criminal activity in Oregon treatment services had seen their mothers being abused or had been on the receiving end of abuse themselves.

According to the government not enough is being done to stop child abuse and help children and family members who see domestic abuse. Even though the police, health professionals, social workers etc. are doing a reasonable job at trying to prevent domestic abuse, not enough is being done to stop it or help the people who witness it. If children are involved or witness domestic abuse the fine or sentence is automatically worse as a child is involved.

A minor conviction is crimes that often carry penalties of up to one year in prison. On the 1st of April 2019 a new law about domestic abuse was introduced in Scotland. The law is that Psychological abuse counts as well. Domestic abuse doesn’t have to be physical or sexual it is also mental, emotional and psychological too. Depending on how serious the offenses are, the criminal can get a sentence of between 12 months and 14 years in prison.

Most of the time when there is a child involved in an abusive situation the child witnesses the most of it or is even hit and abused themselves. No matter what happens the children will still be affected by the abuse that goes on in their home. Young children may start to become anxious and afraid of their own family they may also grow up to think that hitting and abusing is okay, or they may grow up to have trust issues and have difficulties forming relationships. Some children lose the ability to feel empathy for others. Others feel isolated, unable to make friends as easily due to confusion over what is acceptable within a relationship.

It can be difficult to tell if someone is suffering from Domestic abuse or has witnessed it. Those who have been abused may keep it a secret as they may be afraid of what their partner would do if they found out. Children may also keep quiet but it may be more obvious that they are witnessing it. Signs that a child or young person is witnessing Domestic Abuse could be that they become aggressive or start bullying others because they may think that if they see it at home then it is okay. Young people may also start to neglect themselves from people and become anti-social. Children who are very young may suffer from nightmares or start to have tantrums. Older people such as teenagers may start to take drugs and fall behind with school which can then lead to them having a difficult time in the future.

Violent and threatening behaviour. This is many people’s experience of domestic abuse. It isn’t just women who are victims; men and children are also affected by it or witness it. Domestic abuse is awful and unacceptable behaviour. It must be stopped. Would you be able to spot the signs? Would you be able to talk to someone suffering in silence and get them help?

Did you know that roughly 47,100 deaths occurred by suicide in the US in 2017, due to the underlying depression? Many of these deaths were influenced by alcohol or drug abuse. Substance abuse can fill a person’s mind with negative thoughts and the feeling of loneliness, which in return, puts them in a more depressive state than they already had. Being in this depressive state causes the mind to think poorly and things such as loneliness and suicide run through the mind. I strongly feel it something that affects the work and is completely avoidable. It is not as common in men as it is for women, but everyone has a depression of some sort.

There are a few different types of depression, such as SAD, dysthymia, atypical, and major depression. Depression is the largest leading problem, compared to heart disease, cancer, and HIV/AIDS. It is not always one can see with the plain eye; it can simply be something tearing one up inside with no immediate side effects. This disease must be confronted directly and taken care of with immediate, full force. It must be recognized as a problem for there to be a proper form of solution for each individual and their circumstance. There are a few different signs to look for in a person struggling with depression, suicide and drug, or substance abuse. They isolate themselves away from any situation that puts them in the center of attention, or in a place where they feel they might be put on the spot. Other signs of depression and suicide are irritability, hopelessness, loss of interest in their favorite hobbies or dream jobs, changes in weight and food desires, and even changing of their sleep patterns.

A person with underlying depression will always seem to be “okay” or “fine,” or even have a huge smile on their face anytime you see them. The ones struggling will always deny help or refuse to acknowledge that what they are going through is a problem, or a health condition they could get good help for. Sometimes, whether dealing with substance abuse or depression or suicidal thoughts, that person doesn’t feel as though they deserve to have a happy or healthy life, or even want a chance at life at all. There is likely an underlying secret or possible traumatic instance which can influence one to spiral down and begin to depend on substances causing an overdose or excessive abuse to, where their mental state will never be the same, without getting the right kind of help. At the worst times, one would become more and more suicidal, feel worthless, and rely on alcohol or any harsh substance to change the way they’re feeling, not necessarily realizing that it’s just making an even worse outcome. Some even risk having to be revived in an emergency situation.

With the right diagnosis, the right kind of help, anyone has the chance to overcome their Depressive or suicidal state. There is always something for someone to help make it avoidable while doing it in a healthy way. Options such as many therapy groups, doctors, therapists, and treatments that exist today that are very beneficial for anyone feeling this way, or will openly acknowledge their substance abuse. There are different forms of “therapy” or ways to seek help available such as psychotherapies, brain stimulation, anti-depressants medications, herbal/natural medications, group meetings, playing a favorite sport, and even making a new friend. Getting proper exercise, eating good, talking about what may have caused the depression or abuse of a drug, and eliminating that factor completely will most definitely help with the healing process as well.

There are unfortunately places that anyone with money can have access too. If there was a way to rid the “medical pain doctor” offices that prescribe substances based on pain levels and not accepting insurance, this would greatly help those who drug or depression problems. Allowing access to places like these make it hard to track or control what someone in this state of mind can do. Personally, this is the only reason why this completely avoidable situation has downfalls. Having a family friend who put herself in a place like this, where I witnessed the downward spiral, makes me want to report and build an awareness to places like this. Patients struggling with substance abuse or any form of underly depression should be watched with close eye, and NOT have whatever access they want to a doctor’s office like this.

Men and women can both experience depression, but it is not as likely for men as it is for women. One in eight women suffer from this disease. For most women, hormones are a huge factor for different forms of depression, especially those who give birth. Women tend to get “lazy” or lose interest in a certain hobby, some even feel worthless or guilty, but men are the ones who tend to lean more towards substance and alcohol abuse to cover up their depressive state. Men tend to get upset and irritated, which then pushes them to become abusive and angry. It is sad to know that anyone dies of suicide due to any life factor, but men are more successful over women with any attempt.

Depression is a leading problem all over the country, but it is a very treatable and healable problem. It is apparent that we, as a society, are blinded by a smile or simple change in attitude, that hides when too many people are suffering. Simply be as supportive as one can, lend a hand, and look through those little changes to make sure they’re healthy. Take care of your neighbors and create an environment where it is okay to not be okay, and make sure they all know there is real help out there in the world. It all begins with, “I’m not okay, I need help.” That is where the healing begins. Acknowledging substance abuse, acknowledging underlying problems and depression, confronting suicidal thoughts, and being willing to get the help that is deserved. All in all, it is something that causes the most harm in this world, but with the right kind of help, there is success in making it completely avoidable.