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Child Abuse And The United States

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Every year more than 3 million reports of child abuse are made in the United States involving more than 6 million children. The amount of children abused is doubled due to the fact that a single report can include multiple children. The U.S has one of the worst records among industrialized nations, losing an average between four and seven children everyday to abuse and neglect. The sociological theories that can be used to research the issue of child abuse in the US are symbolic interactionism and the conflict theory. Physical abuse of a child is when a parent or caregiver causes any non-accidental physical harm to a child. Physical abuse may include, but is not limited to: striking, kicking, burning, biting, hair pulling, choking, throwing, shoving, or whipping. Even if the caregiver did not mean to cause harm, if the child is injured, the action is considered abuse. Physical discipline from a parent that does not injure or impair a child is not considered abuse; however, non-violent alternatives are always available. There are signs that a parent or caregiver is causing physical harm to the child, and they include but are not limited to a history of violence/abuse, that keeps the child away from school, church, or clubs, delays or prevents medical care for the child, takes the child to different doctors or hospitals, displays aggression towards the child, is overly anxious about the child’s behavior, and last, cannot or will not explain the injuries of the child, or

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