Key:

Blue-Vicki Lam
black-Zoe Phuong
pink-Hana Thai

Executive Summary
Child abuse is the physical or emotional harm towards a child, that can be caused by
anyone. Our objective is to declare the importance of child abuse and why it must be stopped.
As the CAT League, we are dedicated to this cause because not only does abuse cause problems
regarding your health, but it can also result in death and emotional impairment. Abuse is
caused by many magnifications but the majority of the time it is provoked by:
The odd behavior: rebelling or being stubborn (more than usual)
Frequent unknown absences at school
Depression; signs of suicide
Poor health and hygiene, concerning diets and growth
Lack of confidence and low-self esteem
Unexplained injuries (in unusual places)
Pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases (STD)
Children all around the world are being physically and emotionally abused, but the
worst part is that no one knows. Since about 34% of the victims are being abused by parents,
children dont understand whats wrong. Theyre afraid of disappointing and disrupting the
family. However, its not only the victim's choice to not tell, it's also the abusers. They
sometimes threaten the child, or shame them, saying that their parents would be angry and
point out that it was the childs fault that this abuse happened. This is why we need to act now,
but first, you must know exactly what child abuse is.
Child abuse plays a major role in who the victim will grow up to be. According to the
article The CDC-Kaiser ACE Study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, child
abuse puts its victims at high risk of severe outcomes such as depression, illicit drug use,
alcoholism, suicidal thoughts, and more. These consequences send victims down a bad path
early on in life and can ultimately affect their adulthood. However, not all children who are
abused even live to experience life as an adult. The article "11 Facts About Child Abuse by Do
Something states, Approximately 5 children die everyday because of child abuse. Eventually,
the amount of innocent lives taken accumulate adding up to over 1,800 deaths each year. Child
abuse is a serious issue that must be addressed.
Weve talked about why children wont talk, but why do abusers abuse in the first
place? Sometimes, its normal for these abusers, since they were abused in the past
themselves. Its kind of like how they were taught, so they dont know any other way to treat
others. Its like saying treat others how you want to be treated, but a little more twisted since
it be more like treat other how you were treated or taught. Some people just like being in
control. If they were given the choice between out-of-control victim or the in-control abuser,
most would choose to be the one in control. They just want to choose their own destiny, and
not be at the mercy of others. However, some of the causes of abuse is because of health issues
and disorders including anger management issues, alcoholic drinking, drug problems, and brain
damage. Nevertheless, this doesnt make it an excuse for people to start abusing children, this
is to show the abuser's perspective and what theyre thinking. Its crucial for these people to
notice their actions right away or try and not let this affect others around you.
Not all is lost when someone is being abused. You might not be able to prevent this
issue, but it is possible to help and aid these children. Its best to know how the abusers think.
Know that abusers tend to try and befriend the child and their family to gain their trust. If you
do have a child yourself, try to look for group situations to involve your child instead of placing
your child alone with another adult. We all know children and their social media, so its be
better to watch and monitor their internet use. Even with the help and assistance of other
organizations, such as ASCA, Child Help, and Child Welfare, child abuse is still occurring. We
would like to discover more beneficial sites and useful research/information to improve this
cause. In addition, the CAT league is planning to create a powerpoint presentation,
exemplifying the symptoms and conditions of which the victim faces. For example, as the
article, Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities 2015: Statistics and Interventions by Child Welfare
Information Gateway states, In 2015, 72.9 percent of children who died from child
maltreatment suffered neglect either alone or in combination with another maltreatment type,
and 43.9 percent of children who died suffered physical abuse either alone or in combination
with other maltreatment. Children all around the world can be physically or emotionally
abused by anyone. Whether its from family members, to other adults, to online strangers, you
never know when this problem would occur. The best way to avoid this predicament is to
apprehend it before it's too late. You must realize the problem before it takes place, exposing
the suspect in advance. If you sense any signs of abuse happening to you, or anyone in general,
you should contact:
Police Department
A dependable parent or guardian
Anyone at school (teacher, counselor, coach)
Hotline services (EX: 1-800-4-A-CHILD)
However, even with the proof and gestures of abuse, some children lack of confidence,
blocking the courage to tell anyone about their quandary. That is why were attacking this
problem. Our goal is to aid those in need, we might not be able to stop it all together, but wed
like to try and prevent it from happening.