Physical Abuse

                                                     Physical Abuse

The definition of physical abuse is “an act of another party involving contact intended to cause feelings of physical pain, injury or any other physical suffering or bodily harm.” This is the most common abuse amongst young people. 1 in 14 children will experience this type of abuse before they turn sixteen. If you think of the average classroom there is thirty students, and two of those students will have suffered from physical abuse. 4 children will die every day from severe physical abuse. This means 1,460 children will die every year from physical abuse. I was shocked upon finding this out as this means an average of 1,460 will go without having the childhood they truly deserve. This is only what has been reported so there will be many cases that will go unheard of and the child is unable to get the justice they truly deserve. Can you imagine having your innocence taken from you at this age?

There are many well known cases of children dying from physical abuse such as Peter Connolly (Baby P), but there are also survivors of childhood physical abuse who grew up to help others. A case that gained national attention was Clayton Moss. He lived with his biological father and step mother who would tie him up and lock him up in a closet, and he would often go without eating for days. Now he is in mid-20’s training to be a police officer to help people who were just like him. He even went on the Oprah show and told his story. This shows how far a person can come after experiencing such a traumatic event early on in life.

If a child doesn’t receive the necessary help in order to move forward in life after experiencing abuse they could then go on to abuse other children which leads to a destructive cycle which is often passed down through the generations. However there are some people who grow up to be an advocate for the abused. This is how many people overcome their pain and trauma as it turns such a horrendous event to something more positive and helpful for not only other experiencing the same thing but also for themselves.