Introduction
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers child abuse as a cause of potential cause of mental and health problems in many people around the world. The institution defines child abuse as the maltreatment or abuse as any form of action, failure to act, omission or even commission that results into actual harm, threat to harm or potential harm to children. It may be perpetrated by the caregiver, a parent or any other person.
Modern studies in psychology and sociology agree that child abuse or maltreatment are under four major categories: physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and emotional/psychological abuse. In most nations, especially in the western world, child abuse is highly illegalized and prevented through strict policies and detailed laws.
Importance of the sociocultural issue and why it is an interesting topic
The interest of carrying out the study on child abuse is based on the fact that it is a critical issue in any society, especially due to the actual and possible consequences on the child and the society in general. It is worth noting that the need to control child abuse and maltreatment is based on the knowledge that the acts result into a number of short-term and long-term consequences on the victim, which affects their normal development and many chronic and psychological effects such as ill-health, high-risk health behaviors, high rates of chronic health and mental conditions and reduced lifespan (Middlebrokks & Audage, 2008).
Moreover, a study by Thonberry and Henry (2013) has shown that maltreated and abused children have a high risk of becoming maltreating parents or adults. Starr and Wolfe (2011) indicated that more than 90% of the adults who abuse or maltreat their children were abused in the childhood. This shows that the critical nature of child abuse in any society and economy. Therefore, the desire to carry out an investigation on the issue is motivated by the knowledge and observation that a society with a high rate of child abuse and maltreatment is likely to face serious sociological issues, including high rates of violence on children and other people, poor health, high prevalence of people with poor mental health and reduced lifespans.
Referencing theories to explain child abuse and its consequences
The intergenerational transmission theory (IT Theory) is one of the most effective theoretical models that explain the issue of child abuse and its impacts on the victims. In particular, the IT theory states that several multiple levels of a person’s exposure to a traumatizing event, especially in terms of abuse, increase the likelihood of the person being involved in violence. Such violent invents include violent acts, violent relationships and crimes of violence in nature during their later stages of life (Fox, Robson & Gover, 2005).
The model presumes that the victims or those who have witnessed violence perpetrated on other members of the family are under the risk of developing different perceptions of violence. For instance, they are likely to develop a perception that violence is a good method of forcing others do what they want.
A number of studies indicate that women tend to have a higher rate of exposure to IT violence. In particular, women are more likely to experience abuse in their sexual and marriage relationships. According to a study by Alexander (2009), women who were abused early in life are about two to three times likely to experience intimate partner violence (IPV) later in life.
The Mimetic Theory is another important theoretical model that attempts to explain the consequences of child abuse. This concept indicates that a child’s exposure to trauma has the potential to generate aggression. They are likely to increase the probability of the child developing into a violent adult. The theory also indicates that individuals who witnessed abuse perpetrated are likely to learn the act. They are likely to think that the violent individuals are role models, superior beings or heroes because they are able to subdue others to act as they wish (Craig & Sprang, 2007).
Discussion of child abuse issue within the context of the United Arab Emirates
Although the United Arab Emirates is not one of the nations with a high rate of child abuse in the world, it is worth noting that the reported cases are increasing significantly, especially due to lower parental involvement in childcare. For instance, in 2013, about 47 cases were reported, but the number increased to 59 in 2014. Moreover, it is worth noting that most of the cases are not reported for various reasons.
For instance, the Emirati culture is basically an Arab tradition that allows parents and adults to discipline the children through caning. Moreover, use of abuse language against the children is not considered a vice in most Arab societies, but theoretically, it amounts to child abuse.
One of the major causes of child abuse in the UAE is the emergence of a new social system that has seen childcare becoming a commercial activity that involves foreign workers. With most UAE cities becoming globalized, the number of foreign workers in childcare and child education has increased. Most parents are increasingly taking little roles in the process. The number of domestic workers hired for childcare is significantly high in cities like Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The population of foreigners in this urban centers is higher than that of the locals. The change of the local culture to a globalized and commercialized cultural system has allowed foreign workers to take the roles of childcare and teaching. Consequently, the increase in the reported cases of child abuse has been blamed on foreign workers both at home and in school.
Possible recommendations and application with my society
Nevertheless, it is worth noting that the prevalence of child abuse in the UAE is not comparable to the prevalence of the issue in other nations, especially the developed western nations like the USA. For instance, the American culture is highly globalized because the society is diverse, with people from different social, ethnic, racial, religious, cultural and geographical backgrounds. Studies have shown that America experience high rates of reported and unreported child abuse every year.
For instance, it has been shown that about 690,000 children aged between 0 and 17 experience a substantial degree of maltreatment, especially neglect that amounts to about 78% of the total abused children in the US. This is highly comparable to the cases in the UAE because most of the affected children in the US are those from minority groups such as African-Americans, Hispanics and Latinos. In addition, Asian communities in the US have a higher rate of child abuse and neglect compared to the white population.
To control the problem, some suggestions should be considered. For instance, most people in the UAE are not aware that child abuse does not involve only physical and sexual abuse. They should be made aware that even verbal abuse and neglect lead to emotional abuse. Secondly, foreign workers should be vetted to examine their ability to handle children at home and school. Parents should not leave the entire work of childcare and education to hired workers, whether local or foreign. Rather, the level of parental involvement should be significant.
References
Alexander, P. (2009). Childhood trauma, attachment, and abuse by multiple partners. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 1(1), 78-88.
Craig, C. and Sprang, G. (2007). Trauma exposure and child abuse potential: Investigating the cycle of violence. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 77(2), 296-305.
Fox, K., Robson, S., and Gover, A. (2005). The Intergenerational Transmission of Violence: A Gender-Based Analysis of Social Learning Theory. American Society of Criminology, 12(4), 122-134.
Middlebrooks, J. S., & Audage, N. C. (2008). The effects of childhood stress on health across the lifespan. Journal of Psychology, 4(2), 46-51.
Starr, R. H., & Wolfe, D. A. (2011). The Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect (pp. 1–33). New York: The Guilford Press.
Thornberry, T. P., & Henry, K. L. (2013). Intergenerational continuity in maltreatment. J Abnorm Child Psychol 41(4): 555–569.