Child abuse is one of the debatable issues in the United States. In a broader perspective, child abuse refers to sexual, psychological or physical mistreatment of children by a caregiver or a parent. In the State of Alabama, child abuse is defined in both criminal and civil statutes. Sometimes there are mechanisms that parents and caregivers used to discipline their children that may lead to criminal charges and child abuse. In Alabama, there are various code sections that focus on child abuse prevention, reporting of child abuse, as well as the general perspective of child abuse. In the state of Alabama, child abuse is constituted by various components. Child abuse is threatened harm or any harm to the welfare or health of a child through mental injury or exploitation or non-accidental physical or the sexual abuse of a child. Notably, child abuse can occur in school, homes, communities and the organization that the child interact. What constitutes to child abuse can be streamlined into sexual abuse, mental injury, physical abuse, exploitation and psychological abuse.
There are various types of child abuse. Most of these types are linked to the emotional impact in the child. Physical abuse is one of the types of child abuse. It refers to non-accidental physical injury on children, which include biting, burning, kicking, and striking a child. In the state of Alabama, physical abuse entails circumstance or acts that threaten to harm the child. Also, sexual exploitation is a type of child abuse (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2016). Some of the acts that lead to sexual exploitation include prostitution, engaging a child in pornographic production, and persuading them to be part of sexual activities. Emotional or psychological abuse entail emotional maltreatment and injury to the emotional stability of a child.
In the state of Alabama, statutes provide definitions of persons who can be reported as perpetrators of child abuse. These individuals have a role and relationship with the child. They include foster parents, parents, guardians, caregivers, and relatives. In Alabama, there are laws that have been put in place to provide a definition of child abuse. It is categorized into physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse/exploitation, emotional abuse, and abandonment. The code sections include Alabama Code Title 26, Chapter 14, 15 and 16. The codes entail Reporting of Child Abuse or Neglect, Child Abuse Generally and Child Abuse & Neglect (Prevention) respectively (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2016). Some of the best practices that are streamlined towards child abuse include prevention, medical assessment, treatment, advocacy, reporting and interviewing. Reporting is one of the crucial components in preventing and dealing with child abuse. Individuals who come in regular contact with a child can help in reporting and provide medical care. They include medical practitioners, clergy, cops, teachers, day caregivers and social workers. The reporting can be based on suspicious bruises, child behavior, reports by other people and general child observation. The State of Alabama has made it stress-free and possible to report cases of child abuse.
Law enforcement and Family Court System play a critical role in matters of child abuse. One of the roles is prevention and advocacy. Law enforcement agency is a symbol of public safety. They raise community awareness on issues of child abuse and neglect. Also, they participate in educating and enhancing knowledge of communities to reduce child abuse. Investigation and provision of child protective services is a role played by these systems. They ensure that those accused of child abuse are punished, and children receive justice (Mathews & In Bross, 2015). Law enforcement team is given the responsibility to investigated reported cases of child abuse. Family Court System exercise jurisdiction on issues that affect children. They exercise proceeding that enhances protection of children against abuse. In the state of Alabama, staff from Family Court is assigned to Judicial, Administration and Bessemer Divisions.
The state of Alabama, have statutes that identify the persons who are mandated to report suspected cases of child abuse or maltreatment. The reports are made to appropriate agencies, which include law enforcement agency, child abuse reporting hotline, and child protective services. The mandated persons to report cases of child abuse include medical examiners, law enforcement officers, school personnel, teachers, physicians, nurses, therapists, counselors, child care providers, as well as social workers (McCoy & Keen, 2013). They are mandated by law because they are frequently in contact with children. Other professionals include photograph processors, commercial filmmakers, and substance abuse counselors. Institutions are also mandated to report cases of child abuse. Mandatory reports are expected to report circumstances and facts that led them to suspect child abuses cases.
Removal of a child is crucial, especially if the child faces an imminent danger. Anyone is granted by the court to apply for emergency protection of the child. For example, if a family member feels that the child is in danger, they could apply for a protection order. If the court finds it necessary, permission is granted for the child to be removed from the premise. The court attaches producers for removal and provide security to social workers during the removal process. Also, the court will decide on issues of reasonable contact, with parents or people they were living before the removal. Other issues that are associated with removal of a child include a medical examination, appeals, and complaints. The appeals and complaints are directed towards the court about the emergency protection order.
There are several preventive initiatives that are in place to protect a vulnerable population. Some of the initiatives include community awareness, parenting education, mentoring, home visitation, respite care, and community-based programs. The preventions initiatives are meant to protect the vulnerable population, especially the children.
In the general perspective, child abuse is a global issue. In the United States, states have different definitions and components of child abuse. In the state of Alabama, child abuse refers to into sexual abuse, mental injury, physical abuse, exploitation and psychological abuse. The types of child abuse include sexual exploitation, non-accidental physical injury, emotional abuse and mental abuse. Alabama Department of Human Resource offers child protective services. The mandated persons to report cases of child abuse include medical examiners, law enforcement officers, school personnel, teachers, social workers, physicians, nurses, therapists, counselors, as well as child care providers. The statutes in Alabama help in ensuring that the law is followed in cases of child abuse and preventive measures are undertaken to eliminate child abuse in the state of Alabama.
References
Alabama Department of Human Resource (2016). Child Abuse. Retrieved on 27th July 2016 from http://dhr.alabama.gov/services/child_protective_services/FAQs_CA.aspx
Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2016). Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect. Children Bureau.
In Mathews, B., & In Bross, D. C. (2015). Mandatory reporting laws and the identification of severe child abuse and neglect.
McCoy, M & Keen, S. (2013). Child Abuse and Neglect. New York: Taylor & Francis Group.
