Child maltreatment or abuse cases are arguably on the rise across the globe. Acts of abuse include physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. Neglect is also considered an act of child maltreatment. While there is no definite set of factors that facilitate child abuse, it is projected that such elements as extreme cultural norms, gender discrimination, and alcoholism may make a parent to mistreat their children. Child abuse has far-reaching repercussions on both the child and the abusers. The child has to endure direct negative impacts including emotional, psychological and physical torture (Lai, 2016) while the abusers may be jailed for the act. Despite the rapid rise in the number of cases of child abuse and the consequential suffering on the parties involved, detection and management of child abuse still remains at its lowest; authorities are yet to make any significant strides in stopping this looming menace.
Child maltreatment overlies a wide range of issues from all the spheres of life. Chong (2016) notes that personal frustration is one such social issue after a Filipino maid got jailed for hitting the face and feet of his employer’s baby. The accused admitted that she was taking out her marital frustrations on the baby, thus, hit the defenseless victim before seeking for forgiveness at the court. Economic hardships may also result in child abuse. The New Paper (2012a) documents the case of a boy who remained completely disfigured following a two-year long maltreatment involving his grandaunt. After the disappearance of the mother, the 10-year old moved in with his aunt who assaulted him for ‘stealing food and playing with gas stoves’ (The New Paper, 2012b, pp. 1). In a separate 2010 instance, Little Natalie died after a vicious punch by her father for chewing on his cigarettes. Similarly, young Shaurya was starved by the guardians who also inflicted various injuries on her (The New Paper, 2012b). Extreme societal norms and beliefs also contribute to acts of child abuse. An 11-year old was thrown to the storeroom, away from the family, where she ate, studied, and slept after her parents considered a jinx that caused their troubles (Tan, 2016).