The Lesser Known Form of Child Abuse – Neglect

There are many crimes that are heinous and wicked, but none as bad as the ones committed against children who don’t even understand them. An adult who takes advantage of a child and abuses him/her because of their insecurity and self-confidence issues is the lowest kind of human being, the very dregs of society. Child abuse takes various forms – the child is physically abused as in he/she is hit or hurt in various ways, the child is sexually abused either by touch or more, the child is mentally tortured with words or actions, and/or the child is neglected and not cared for properly.

While the first three forms of child abuse are generally visible offences, not many people consider neglect to be a serious issue. They feel for children who have been abused physically, sexually and emotionally because the scars are either visible or have manifested themselves in other forms (like disrespect, disobedience, belligerence, depression, withdrawal, and many more). But neglected children seem almost normal, except that their needs are not being met.

But just because the signs of neglect are not readily visible immediately or otherwise, that doesn’t mean that neglected children are better off than those who have been abused in more serious ways. Parents who neglect the physical and/or emotional needs of their children are not fit to be parents – when they fail to ensure that their child is well-fed, in good health, clothed and educated, they are neglecting their responsibilities as parents.

Neglect is a curious form of child abuse in that some parents cannot help neglecting their children because of their circumstances – they are too poor to provide them with regular meals and adequate clothing, leave alone ensure their good health and send them to school. When poverty becomes a cause for neglect, the children tend to migrate to the wrong side of the law – they steal, get into street fights, and sometimes even sell drugs or themselves for money. This makes poverty-induced neglect a very sensitive issue because it becomes a danger to society at large.

But even with poverty being a millstone around their necks, some parents are determined that their children will lead better lives than they have, and so they strive to keep their kids in school and out of the streets even though they live in unsavoury neighbourhoods. Their efforts are augmented by free education initiatives and healthcare schemes for minorities and people who are considered the lower strata of society. If more parents gave the idea considerable thought before having children, the issue of neglect would never arise.

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This guest post is contributed by Brooklyn White, who writes on the topic of Forensic Science Technician Programs  . She can be reached at brookwhite26-AT-Gmail.com.