TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background of child Study
1.1 Statement of the Problem
1.2 Research Question
1.3 Purpose of the Study
1.4 The Significance of the Study
1.5 Hypothesis
1.6 Definition of Terms
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Causes of child Abuse
2.1 Broken Homes
2.2 The Home
2.3 Economic Status of the Parents
2.4 War
2.5 Unwanted Pregnancy
2.6 Problems Facing Abused Child/Children
2.7 Suggested Solutions
2.8 Some steps taken by individuals, government
and organization to address the issue of
child abuse in Nigeria and some other countries
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY
3.1 Population and Sampling Techniques
3.2 Method of Data Collection
3.3 Description of Instrument
3.4 Method of Data Analysis and Interpretation
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION AND
ANALYIS OF DATA
4.0 Presentation of Data
4.1 Table 1
4.2 Table 2
4.3 Table 3
4.4 Discussion of Findings
4.5 Consequences of child abuse and neglect
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY,
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.0 Summary
5.1 Conclusion
5.2 Recommendations
5.3 Suggestion
for Further Research
REFERENCES
QUESTIONNAIRE
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background of child Study
Child abuse
constitutes one of the most terrible crises of childhood. The occurrence of
such attacks is fundamentally repugnant to went virtually ignored and
uninvestigated. Statistics only began to grow as late as 1962 when Kempe put
forward the first survey on the subject. Over thirty years, we still lack
correct data. Recent estimate of abuse range from a low estimate of one million
children for years in the United States to 1.7 million per year (Straus 1980).
It
can be difficult to distinguish between abuse and ordinary punishment. What
qualifies as child abuse in a relative question and must be viewed in the light
of community standards. Historically, many cultures have condoned and encourage
physical maltreatment that we considered shocking and brutal. It was used to
discipline and educate children to exercise evil spirit or to placate the gods.
Furthermore, some cultures engage in certain form of physical cruelty such as
foot binding, skill shaping or ritual scarring with a deep symbolic meaning.
Traditionally,
children were viewed as a property of their parents and parents have legal
rights to treat them in any way they considered right. The abandonment of
unwanted babies was a time honoured method for desperate adults trying to cope
with hunger, illegitimacy, or birth defect (Radbill 1974). We have different
standards now causing injury or death to
a child and is considered to be a serious crime. But sadly, it is not an
uncommon one. It is an indisputable fact that human relationships are unique,
those existing between parents and child posses certain characteristics that
explain the tremendous and permanent impact of one upon the other. The intimacy
and intensity of contact and everyday interaction and interchange exists in an
emotionally charged atmosphere. A child service as a mirror to parents, who
sees reflected there his own childhood. His own unresolved and frequently long
term conflict and his own needs and aspiration.
The
phenomenon of child abuse clearly shows the emotional intensity of parent,
child interaction, and recent professional and public concern with the
“battered child syndrome” has revealed the starting extent of its occurrence. A
study by the American human society found six hundred and sixty two cases of
child abuse reported in newspaper, most of the victims were under four years of
ages, most of the parents were young. The legal aspect of child abuse are
multiple with forty seven states in the United States of America adopting
statuses similar to the model law proposed by the United States children’s
bureau (Paulsen 1966). But whatever the legal solutions to the problem may be,
the psychological implications are indisputable. Frustrated and disturbed
parents unable to cope with the psychological, economic and social problems
facing them, they discharge their hostility on the young child, who may be a
partial cause of hostility. More important, the young child is a partial of an
ailing family system.
Although
child abuse is hardly new, the extent may represent in part of modern societies’
failure to create the kind of conditions that are conducive to the mental
health of the individual and permit him to function successfully within the
family system.
In
Nigerian Observer, on Monday September 25th 1995 in an article titled
“African Children”. The way forward (1) stated that about eighty million
African children are now said to endure civil strive, armed conflict,
exploitation, neglet and child abandonment and that some also struggle with
disabilities. It further stated that while there are both boys and girls in
such circumstances, the impact upon the girls is often more profound.
On
the 16th of June 1995, Nigeria joined other African countries to
commemorate the Day of the African Child (DAC). The celebration of DAC provides
an opportunity to reflect on the States of the African Child. DAC was first
marked in 1991 and it has since become an avenue to disseminate information on
major problem and achievement relating to the African Child. These years UNICEF
States of the World’s Children reports that more quietly the continued economic
and social marginalization of poorest nations and of the kind of childhood
which would enable them become part of tomorrow solutions rather than
tomorrow’s problems.
According
to daily times of Monday December 11th 1995, in an article titled
“safeguarding the right of the child” stated that health statistics shows that
though Nigeria may have largely recovered from the ravages of its 1967 to 1970
civil war, the country is still encumbered by a host of what is referred to as
“silent emergencies” which rank a sizable percentage of its young generations
among children especially difficult circumstances. For a fact, over two hundred
Nigerian childrenn still die yearly of easily preventable diarrhea, dehydration
and most health indicators for the country fall for shot of sub-Sahara and
other regional averages. For instance, the UNICEF report says, while Nigeria’s
infant mortality rate was 204 in 1960 and 191 in 1994, those of sub-Sahara
African, 101 and 9 for developing and industrialized countries respectively.
These
and a host of others had showed the reality fact that if the Nigerian child
were to be meaningfully improved and the country’s future safeguarded, there
has to be prioritization and restoration of the lack of the requisite political
and sustain the promises the country and 178 other countries have made to their
respective children in ratifying the 1989 convention on the right of the child.
Adopted unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly the convention if
implemented in the spirit and later, guarantees adequate social economic,
cultural and civil right for our children irrespective of their accidental
circumstances of birth, with ample pledges for protection from violence was
disasters and exploitation of any sort.
On
November 20th 1959, the General Assembly of the United Nations
unanimously adopted the declaration of the right of a child. The spirit of the
document was reflected in the preamble which said, in part “mankind owes the
child it has to give”. Many of the rights and freedoms set forth in the declaration
was a restatement of sections of the 1948. Universal declaration of Human
Right, but the International Community was convinced that the special needs of
the child were so urgent that they called for a separate, more specific declaration.
On
December 21st 1979, the General Assembly adopted a resolution
declaring 1979 the International year of the child. The resolution encourages
all countries rich and poor to review their programmes for the promotion of the
well being of children and recalls that the year 1979 will be Twentieth
Anniversary of the declaration of the right of the child and could serve as an
occasion to promote and further its implementation.
In
ten careful words, principles of declaration affirmed the right of the child to
enjoy especially protection and to be given opportunities and facilities to
enable them to develop a healthy and normal manner and in condition of freedom
and dignity, to have a name and a nationality from his birth. To enjoy the
benefits of social security including adequate nutrition, housing, recreation
and medical services to receive special treatment, education and care if he/she
is handicapped to grow up in an atmosphere of affection and security and
whatever possible in the care are under the responsibility of his parents to
receive education, to be among the first to receive protection and relief in
times of disaster, to be protected against all forms of neglect, cruelty and
exploitation and to be protected from practice which may foster any form of
discrimination. It also emphasizes that the child shall be brought up in the
spirit of understanding, tolerance, friendship among people, peace and universal
brotherhood.
The
child by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards
and care including appropriate legal protection before as well as after birth,
where as the need for such safeguard has been stated in the General Declaration
of the right of the child of 1924 and recognized in the Universal Declaration of
human right and in the status of specialized agencies and international
organizations, concerned with the welfare of children.
Mankind
owes the child the best it has to give, the General Assembly proclaims this
Declaration of the right of the child to the end that he/she may have a happy
childhood and enjoy in his/her own society the rights and freedom set forth and
calls upon Voluntary Organizations, local authorities and national governments
to recognize these rights and other measures progressively taken in accordance
with the following principles.
Principle
One
The
child shall enjoy all the rights set forth in this declaration.
All children without any exception what so
ever shall be entitled to these right without distinction of discrimination on
account of race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion
national or social origin property birth or other status, whatever of
himself/herself or his/her family.
Principle
Two
The child shall
enjoy special protections and shall be given opportunities by the law and by other
means to enable him/her to develop physically, mentally, morally, spiritually
and socially in a healthy and normal manner and condition of freedom and
dignity. In the enactment of laws for this purpose, the best interest of the
child shall be the paramount consideration.
Principle
Three
The
child shall be entitled from his birth to a name and a nationality.
Principle
Four
The child shall
enjoy a benefit of social security. The child shall have the right to adequate
nutrition, housing, recreation and medical services.
Principle
Five
The child who is
physically, mentally or socially handicapped shall be given the special
treatment, education and care required by his/her particular condition.
Principle
Six
The child for a
happy development of his personality needs care, love and understanding from
his/her parents in an atmosphere of affection. Particular care should also be
extended to children without a family and to those without adequate means of
support.
Principle
Seven
The child shall be
protected from practices which may foster racial, religious and any other form
of discrimination. He shall be brought up in a spirit of understanding,
tolerance, friendship among people and universal brotherhood and in full
consciousness that his energy and talent should be devoted to the service of
his fellow men/women.
1.1 Statement of the Problem
The issue of child
abuse is not limited to a particular family, community, state or country. It
cuts across all ethnic groups in different parts of the world. The major
problem that can be said to be facing abused children is that they are unable
to fight back or to even tell those close to them or people whom they are close
to what they are going through. This can be true especially of young children.
What
seems to be a great problem in child abuse is the problem which results from
physical attack, physical abuse or attack of the child a most horrifying,
because it may even result in the death of that child. Though physical abuse
might be difficult to prove in court, it is easier to substantiate than psychological
abuse or neglect of the young children (Kent, 1977).
The
researcher will be centered on finding out ways in which the child has been
abused. The problem encountered by the abused child, step taken to safeguard
the right of the child. There are more questions to be answered in this
research.
1.2 Research Question
1.
Does child abuse have any significant
impact on parents and the public?
2.
Does child abuse constitute one of the
terrible crises of childhood?
3.
Does child abuse affect the child
negatively or positively?
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The researcher is out to:
a.
Give a clear account of the issue of the
child abuse
b.
Identifying the causes of child abuse
c.
Identifying and discuss problems
encountered by the abused child.
d.
Suggest how this problem can be solved.
1.4 The Significance of the Study
Child abuse is
currently a worldwide problem and any light thrown into use, effects and
solutions to avoid abuse will be of great benefit to mankind. The need for this
study also is to educate the public, the government, teachers and parents the
role they can play in safeguarding the right of the child.
The
issue of child abuse has called for steps to improve the condition of the
world’s children with the help of various organizations such as UNICEF. Day of
the African Child (DAC) celebration and also the world summit for children.
There will be a considerable decrease in the number of children that have been
abused, it is not a total eradication of the phenomenon of the child abuse.
Addressing
the study of child abuse will be of importance on a major role in eradicating
the public on the evil effect of child abuse.
In
conclusion, a study of child abuse will be of importance as a major role in the
eradication of child abuse.
1.5 Hypothesis
To guide the
researcher, the following hypothesis are formulated
1.
Child abuse has no significant impact on parents
and the public.
2.
Child abuse constitute one of the terrible
crises of childhood.
3.
Child abuse has a negative impact on a
child.
1.6 Definition of Terms
Under
five mortality: This refers to the probability of dying between
birth and age of five.
Infant
Mortality: Infant mortality refers to the probability
of dying between birth and age of one.
Infant
Homes: Infant homes simply mean a home where both the husband
and the wife still married to each other and live in the same house.
Reconstituted
Homes: Reconstituted homes simply refer to home created by
the remarried parent in custody of the child.
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