Social Health Issues, Violence, Abuse and Neglect

Social Health Issues, Violence, Abuse and Neglect

People while interacting in society have both positive and negative experiences. As a result of positive communication, successful cooperation models like family or business are created. However, the negative results of the aforementioned interactions affect not only main actors of such communication, but even those that are not directly involved in conflict also suffer. These are children. This fact is associated with the deviation that is distinguished by contemporary scientific world as social illness. This essay is an attempt to analyze family violence as social health issue from the point of view of its affect on society, and provide recommendations for remedying it based on the corresponding literature. The issue will be discussed from the point of view of two components that have direct and indirect influence on children as the most vulnerable family members: child abuse and child neglect.

Family Violence

Many scholars write on the topic of family violence. For example, Dube and Anda raise this issue delineating the relations between children and parents. The scholars argue that women tend to be more affected both physically and mentally as a result of violence. Despite the fact, that most mothers-victims not willing to speak about their children and their conditions, it does not mean they is safe. Even if they are not exposed to physical abuse, being a violence witness vastly influences the childs mental health. It reflects on depression, stresses and reticence.

Child Abbuse

In many cases, as the researches indicate, children are not only present during humiliation and observation of cruel treatments between the adults, but are also exposed to violence. Firstly, one should distinguish verbal abuse, which includes insulting, swearing, intimidation, and detraction. The second point concerns physical abuse including sexual outrage. The studies demonstrate that child sexual abuse concerns girls more frequently whereas boys are reported on more instances of physical abuse.

Any type of abuse reflects on childs behavior and expresses in dejection and fear. In addition, in many cases, it reflects on the childs attitude to life and others. Victims are unconfident as they are unaware how to solve the problem. As a result, they become rude and aggressive in the relationship with the surrounding people. Thus, a child who is being a witness of violence or exposed to it may consider such behavior as an admissible, and decide that reaching the aim by assault means is normal.

Sociologists demonstrate that nearly one-half of people that had an experience of maltreatment in their childhood later become offenders. Moreover, the victims of violence are more likely become criminal offenders than others. In addition, children who are abused at home have risk to be arrested for offences in early years. What is more important, they are frequently connected with those types of offences that they have experienced. For instance, those who were physically abused before, often abuse their own children. Girls that experienced sexual abuse are likely to become prostitutes.

Drugs and alcohol abuse is another problem that occurs as the result of maltreatment. Children try to find the way to escape their trauma as they cannot bear the circumstances they live and are unable to act themselves properly. As a result, they take drugs and alcohol in order to receive temporary relief. That means that physically abused children need a treatment as their self-medication often leads to addiction.

Child Neglect

Speaking of the problem of living in an unhealthy family, one could not omit the point that there exists a high risk for children to be neglected. Some sociologists distinguishemotional and physical neglect. Emotional occurs when the child does not feel that he or she is needed and loved. It is strongly connected with the unhealthy relationships among the family members. Parents often remain depressed and are not interested in any of the family activities. For instance, battered mothers might be mentally pressed and do not pay much attention to their childrens feeling. Sometimes when the husband prevents his wife from going to school or work effectuating a strict control of her privacy, it dejects her and effects on her attitude to the other family members.

Physical neglect is presented when parents do not take care of their childrens prosperity. Such behavior might be caused by financial problems in the family, though it occurs more often because of parents irresponsibility. In particular, physical neglect includes leaving child alone at home, insufficient nourishment of the child, apathetical attitude to the childs appearance, and medical observation or even treatment. One of the most common reasons why physical neglects exist in the family is the parents addiction to drugs and systematical drinking alcohol.

There are many other scholars who explored the topic of neglect. For example, Asscher, Van der Put, and Stams look at the issue of violence within the frames of the gender differences. The scholars compare the influence of neglect and abuse on offending behavior between both females and males who are adults. Other scholars analyze the exposure of children to domestic violence. The research is based on the example of Minnesota experience. All of that suggest that it is possible to formulate the remedying recommendations to this issue.

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Measures of Improvement

There is a great variety of methods that society can improve to prevent the appearance of mental illnesses, treat existing ones, and help people recover and lead normal lifestyle. First of all, the society should draw the attention to those who live in adverse families. Specialists who treat battered mothers should not omit taking care of well-being of their children as their witnessing of assaults impacts mental health. In addition, decisive actions should be taken as for the general safety of the exposed to violence children. Their parents need to receive consultation and advice on how to become responsible parents. If they refuse, their children should be isolated from the disastrous surrounding. It is inadmissible that young generation witnesses violence as causal component of family relations.

There is a number of measures that could be taken to overcome the phenomenon of neglect in the family. First of all, the financial problems that may cause physical neglect should be solved. The goal is to teach families to balance their earnings and expenses, spend money wisely, and find additional sources of emoluments. Secondly, the parents who systematically use drugs or alcohol beverages should take the corresponding treatment as their addiction not to impact further their childrens well-being. Moreover, some action should be taken to avoid the irresponsible parenthood that characterized by unavailability of many couple to be parents.

As mental neglect is a complicated problem, it requires careful step-by-step actions. The neglected children need attention. Little human beings should know that they are loved and needed, and someone takes care of them. If the child does not receive the appropriate attention, the school could help. Good marks, praise, pleasant voice and benevolent attitude will help children remain confidence and have a proper level of self-assess.

One of the possible ways to avoid mental neglect is improving family relationships. The goal is to create strong and supportive family where everyone is needed. That condition may be achieved by creation of family routine system for all the members to be connected with each other and spend more time together in their safe home environments.

Special attention should be also paid to the connections between mental and physical health. The solution to this problem has two aspects. The first one refers to the initial causes and has the intention to treat mental illness. The second point is about the result of mental illness improving the health of all family members. For example, regular physical exercises are perfect to struggle with obesity. It does not only have a positive influence on the health state, but also helps improving the relationships between family members.

Conclusion

The problems of family violence as social health issue existed and will continue progressing until people start comprehending the essence of the problem. It is not somebody that should come and treat the others; everything should start from themselves. There is enough scientific evidence on different aspects of family violence and the ways how to treat children as the most vulnerable family members. Thus, it is significant to start acting to create a healthy youth generation by diminishing the level of mental illness but put all efforts for prosper in positive environment.