“How can child abuse/neglect be prevented? And how has it been addressed in policies and law?”

Heartbreaking to believe, there are over 3 million cases of child abuse reported on a yearly basis within the United States alone. 1 in every 7 children have experienced child abuse or neglect and almost 50% of these children are under one year old. This data isn’t considering the remaining 194 countries there are in the world and any instances pertaining to child abuse/neglect occurring within them. Child neglect is defined as when a child is not provided with the basic physical, emotional, educational, and/or medicinal needs to survive. Elements pertaining to these basic needs include but are not limited to, water, food, shelter, schooling, doctors’ visits, and any other essential normally provided to a child for them to have the ability to develop and mature as they should. On the other hand, child abuse is defined as an act performed by a parent, guardian, or caretaker which results in serious physical or emotional injury, sexual abuse, or ultimately, death. Although to some child neglect is not considered to be as harmful as child abuse, it is lawfully defined as a form of child abuse that greatly affects a child and halts their development whether it be physical, mental, or emotional. Children are vulnerable beings that cannot provide for themselves until at a minimum, their teenage years. Beginning from the womb, the child is dependent on their parents to provide them with basic needs along with care, love, and attention. Children lacking any of the above mentioned, have experienced child abuse or neglect in some manner. These children are much more likely to get become an abuser themselves once they become juveniles or adults. In fact, a study carried out by the CDC shows that about 60% of adults recall at least one traumatic event as a child. When an event is so traumatic, it is forever recorded in one’s memory and this memory can lead to provoke an individual to retaliate against society for what they have been through as a child. At one point in time these individuals were defenseless, but now they are dangerous. Each state has its own laws designed to protect children. Particular to the state of Florida, statute 827.03 has been established to protect children from child abuse and/or neglect.