Effects Of Child Abuse In The Society

Driving the streets of Nigeria, indeed Africa in general, one can’t help but observe with sadness the number of children on the streets slaving to survive.
The child right act section one expressively says that the best interest of a child must be paramount in all actions but a lot of time we see the contrary been practiced in our society.

Although child abuse occurs in Nigeria it has received little attention, this is probably due to the emphasis placed on more prevalent childhood problems of malnutrition and infection.
Another possible reason is the general assumption that in every African society the extended family system always provide love, care and protection to all children yet there are traditional child rearing practices which adversely effect some children such as purposeful neglect or abandonment of severely handicapped children in some rural areas.
“Children are the heritage of the lord and the fruit of the womb is the Lord’s reward.”

Children should be treated with utmost care and not the case in reverse.
With the alteration of the society by rapid social economic and political changes, various forms of child abuse have been faced and identified particularly in the urban areas.

This may be considered the outcome of abnormal interaction of the child’s parents, guidance or society through spoken words or actions.
Some forms of child abuse include abandonment of normal infants by unmarried or poor mothers in cities, increased child labour and exploitation Of children from rural areas in urban elites families and of children in urban nuclear families by child molestation, especially with the girl child.

One of the most alarming abuse in today’s contemporary society is the child molestation abuse, the impact on a child last a life time and it is devastating for survivors and also affects those close to them as well as the community they live in, it is basically the root cause of many social and health issues.
Preventive measures should be put in place to cube the menace of child abuse as well as teaching students, parents, guidance and teachers prevention strategies; all these can help to keep children safe in all works of life.