October is Child Abuse Prevention Month in Ontario.
It's purpose is to draw attention to the very serious problem of child abuse in the province.
Child abuse shows it's ugly face in different forms:
Emotional Abuse: constant yelling and put downs targeting the child's self esteem.
Physical Abuse: extreme physical punishment for minor infractions often resulting in physical injury.
Sexual Abuse: sexual manipulation of children by pedophiles.
And frequently a combination of some or all of the above.
All forms of abuse create intense stress in children and can sometimes lead to mental illness, or at the very least severe emotional problems.
Child abuse scars children for the rest of their lives.
It often occurs in homes where one parent is also being abused by the same person abusing the child.
The resources required to help heal and support these devastated families are phenomenal, and scarce.
When abusers are reported and convicted, the sentences are so short that they are free to continue abusing for years. Some Pedophiles in particular have been known to abuse hundreds of children in their lifetime.
In my opinion, the best way to prevent child abuse is for the public to get involved and report it; to give significantly longer sentences to those people who are charged; and keep the pedophiles in jail for life.
We also need to increase the resources available to provide the families of the abusers the support and resources they need to heal and move on with their lives.
By doing this we show that we value our children.
Want to help? Canadian Center For Abuse Awareness
Child Abuse Is Everyone's Problem!
TORONTO - The Children's Aid Societies says more than 29,000 children in Ontario were abused or neglected last year, an increase of 24 per cent since 2000-2001. The child and family welfare agency also says it received more than 160,000 calls about child protection concerns last year, an increase of 25 per cent.
read more | digg story
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