Child abuse and neglect is a crime that occurs in all fifty states and territories (Dubowitz & DePafilis, p. 101). "Children are society's most vulnerable members. More than two million American kids may suffer abuse and neglect every year" (DeHahn, p. 13). It a shame that such a thing as child abuse happens. Children are a blessing from the Lord yet people take them for granted and even go to the extreme of mistreating them in awful ways through physical and sexual abuse, as well as neglect. In his book, Hubner makes a very compelling statement, he says, "children are defenseless and in this world terrible things happen to the defenseless" (Hubner & Wolfson, p.114). This is true but it is certainly not

heir own family and friends shows the lack of morals of today's society. What motivates people to do something so horrible as sexually abuse a child? What is involved in the perpetrator's action of this crime against children?

After considering several aspects of abuse and the dynamics of abuse, there are many more issues to address, such as how is child abuse reported? How is it brought to the light? Who deals with such reports and what do they do about them when they receive the reports?

In answering the question of what exactly is child sexual abuse, it is "a sexual act imposed on a child who lacks emotional, maturational, and cognitive development. The ability to lure a child into sexual relationship is based upon the all-powerful and dominant position of the adult or older adolescent perpetrator, which is in sharp contrast to the child's age, dependency, and subordinate position" (Sgroi, p. 9). Child sexual abuse occurs when an adult using his/her authority, directly or indirectly, to coerce a child into sexual compliance (p. 9). This is obviously an act of manipulation on the part of the perpetrator to be able to get a child to agree with his/her suggestion to engage in such behavior.

e factors of influence that can be used to determine the similarities and differences among perpetrators are the nature of the abuser, the abuser's family relations, and the environment, in which the abuser lives and works (p. 40-41). Social stress, including losing a job or going through a divorce may be associated in the abuse of children. Also, families that are socially isolated and outside the support of a neighborhood are more at risk for maltreatment of children than families with strong social involvement (Hughes, Kroehler, & Zanden, p. 345). Society must be careful, then in making stereotypes about who the perpetrators of child sexual abuse are.

As far back as 1548, there are examples of child neglect. Mary, Queen of Scots was sent away at the age of five to live with her future husband's family (DeHahn, p. 24). Although she was adequately fed, clothed, and educated, she did not receive the kind of nurturing that modern science recommends for the development of a happy, healthy child (p. 25). She had no choice but to lie a life of loneliness in an unfamiliar place at a young age.

The maltreatment of children takes on the form of physical and sexual abuse as well as neglect and. Physical abuse is usually defined as non-accidental physical harm or injury (DeHahn, p.16). This could probably range from uncontrolled discipline of a child to downright unthinkable acts of torture. In his book, "The Lost Boy," Pelzer describes his experiences of growing up in an abusive home. In fits of anger his mother would scream at him, pinch him, and slap him. She would not allow him to move or cry or he would be "punished" and get worse treatment (chap. 1).

Mary Ellen Wilson had lived in the home of her foster parent, Mary Connolly, when a neighbor began to notice that Connolly treated Mary Ellen abusively by brutally beating the child, and allowing her to go without adequate clothing in bad weather (Nelson, p. 7). The neighbor sought out help with New York's Society for the Prevention of the Cruelty to Animals since

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Approximate Word count = 2183
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)