Child Abuse

Child abuse is the physical, sexual or emotional maltreatment or neglect of children by parents, guardians, or others. While most child abuse happens in the child’s home, large numbers of cases of child abuse have been identified within some organizations involving children, such as churches, schools, child care businesses, and in particular native residential schools, or in government agencies. It also sometimes occurs almost anywhere like kidnappings, random murders and etc.

The number of child abuse cases in Peninsular Malaysia has increased twofold from 1990 to 1992. This is indeed alarming and is a frightening matter to all. It has been proven that any form of child abuse will affect the child physical and spiritual development and hence his future.

The problem is that although many child abusers are aware of the consequences of their act, they still involved themselves in child abuse. The immediate question is: How can we put a stop to child abuse?

A direct method to curb child abuse is that all relevant authorities should organize awareness courses for parents and guardians. The measure is to create more public awareness on the damaging effects of child abuse and neglect. It is proposed that both formal and informal education on the subject be promoted. The public should be made aware of their role make reporting abuse cases.

If possible, members of the public should be made to report cases of child abuse. Make it compulsory to doctors to be the relevant authorities of any cases of abuse they come across.

Apart from society’s role in fighting child abuse, a strong deterrent measure is in legislation. One such legislation is the Child Protection Act introduce in 1991. During of the old law of Child and Young Person Act, it usually took more than a year before any means of protection was offered to the child concerned.

Moreover, there was no guarantee of how much protection to be given to the abused and those who reported findings. The Child Protection Act guarantees anonymity to whose which report child abuse cases and also provided extra power to social welfare departments.

One way to reducing the child abuse is promoting positive family and ideas. Efforts should be made to create a caring society to emphasize values like respect for the young children and concern for out neighbors’ welfare. In contrast encourage the public to discard negative value such a discrimination against women and girls and authoritarian control of children.

Counseling should be given to those who are likely to abuse their children, especially alcoholic who cannot stay away from their bottle.