The purpose of this article is to find out the significance of international perspectives for research on child abuse and neglect. Child abuse is not a new phenomenon. Increased international communication and exposure has brought awareness in many that child abuse is a phenomenon intrinsic to all human society since the beginning of time. Abuse…

While only a minority of children who have been abused or neglected engage in delinquent behavior, they are at a significantly higher risk. When youth do become involved in both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, they present unique needs that require collaboration between the numerous systems and people involved in their lives. The…

The voices of adults and children with disabilities who have experienced violence and abuse are slowly beginning to surface in the public domain. Segregated residential institutions run by religious congregations appear to be dangerous places for children with disabilities and perceived differences--according to the former residents, speaking and…

The professional literature contains research and anecdotal information on various maltreatments affecting children and youth with and without disabilities. Unfortunately, little information exists on abused children with hearing loss. Reasons relate to a lack of quantity and quality in research on this population; challenges in conducting…

The "World Report on Children and Violence", (Pinheiro, 2006) was produced at the request of the UN Secretary General and the UN General Assembly. This report recommended improvement in research on child abuse. ISPCAN representatives took this charge and developed 3 new instruments. We describe this background and introduce three new measures…

If the abuse of a child were at the hands of a schoolyard bully or lurking pedophile, parents most likely would applaud intervention. However, precisely because most cases involve an abusive parent, intervention is almost automatically deemed a dicey proposition. The law, however, now requires teachers to report cases of suspected child abuse or…

There are students in school who have experienced trauma. Generally, traumatic events evoke feelings of extreme fear and helplessness. Reactions to traumatic events are determined by the subjective experience of the child, which could be impacted by developmental and cultural factors. What is extremely traumatic for one student may be less so for…

Children make up the segment of society that is the most defenseless, vulnerable, and completely dependent on adults. It is the fault of adults when children end up in areas of natural disasters and catastrophes or zones of military combat operations and become the hostages and victims of physical, sexual, and emotional violence. As E. Fromm…

This paper examines definitions of child abuse and neglect as put forth by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and the Child Abuse Amendments of 1984. Four types of child abuse and neglect are identified and briefly described: physical abuse, child neglect, sexual abuse, and mental injury (also referred to as emotional/psychological…

The Clinton administration prioritized the issue of improving the lives of maltreated children. Critical programs administered by the Administration on Children and Families included the Adoption and Safe Families Act, Children's Justice Act programs, and Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act research and demonstration projects. Projects serve…

Confirmed reports of abuse and neglect cases (up to 31,000) were analyzed. Results indicated boys tended to more frequent and more serious injuries; victims of male perpetrators had more serious injuries; there was same-sex perpetrator victim pattern; boys outnumbered girls in all cases except sexual abuse. (Author/DB)

Professional responsibility mandates daily assessment of each child in the classroom in order to identify the child at risk of abuse, to intervene through immediate reporting, and to aid in the prevention of further abuse. What behaviors to look for, how to report suspected abuse, and how to prevent abuse are described. (MT)

This book, written by staff members of the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN) and of NCCAN-funded projects, presents their reflections about their experiences in providing, supporting, and evaluating treatment to abused and neglected adolescents. It is intended to serve as a source book for those concerned with the problem of…

This paper presents a theory and model for treating adolescent victims of physical and sexual abuse and neglect. The theory examines issues related to abuse or neglect and the effect that an abusive history has on adolescent development. Specific issues noted are depression, anger, low self-esteem, self-shame, lack of trust, a sense of…

Results of surveying 440 teachers indicated most teachers believed they had never had an abused or neglected child in class, that they would recognize signs of physical abuse but not sexual abuse, and that they knew their responsibilities under law (though few would report suspected cases if parents or principal objected). (DB)