Child abuse and elder abuse are crimes that unfortunately occur often in the U.S., and part of the focus of this paper is how to recognize those abuses and what to do about them. Children who are abused don't always say what has been done to them because they are afraid, but knowing the signs can help teachers and parents to be aware of abuse. Older people too are vulnerable to abuse, and those signs must be recognized for any preventative action to take place.
Child and Elder Abuse
Child Abuse
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) publishes a website called healthychildren.org. -- and the section called "What do I need to know about child abuse?" provides excellent information on the particulars of child abuse. The Healthy Children site points out that child abuse "…is common," and hence, with all the reports on television and in the newspapers about children being mistreated, it should cause parents, guardians, teachers and others to wonder if their child is truly safe. The advice given to teachers and parents is not to become "…overprotective" and not to make the child frightened of the unknown. But rather, to recognize the "actual risks" that are out there. And for those who interact with the child (like teachers, friends and parents of friends) it is important to become familiar with "signs of abuse" so that if indeed a child is suffering from abuse, something can be done (Healthy Children).
What are the signs of child abuse?
First of all, children who suffer from abuse are not likely to tell anyone because they fear they may be "…blamed or that no one will believe them"; moreover, children who are being abused may not want to tell anyone because the person abusing them is someone "…they love very much" (Healthy Children). Also, the person abusing the child may be a bully at school, and the child is afraid to report that activity because of possible repercussions (e.g., the bully may try to get even with the child for reporting him).
But that having been said, alert parents, teachers and others should know the signs that suggest a child has been abused. For parents, the following behavioral signs should raise serious concerns: a) the child has "unusual fears" or nightmares and seems depressed; b) the child starts bedwetting and complains of abdominal pain; c) he may try to run away; d) for older children, a boy or a girl that is being abused may engage in "extreme sexual behavior"; e) he or she lacks self-confidence, has headaches and abnormal fears; f) failure in school and "sudden dramatic weight gain" are also common in abused children (Healthy Children).
Child abuse can run the gamut from emotional neglect, physical violence, medical neglect, psychological abuse (parents who say, "You're worthless and no good for anything" are being psychologically cruel), and a simple lack of shelter and comfort is also considered abuse (Healthy Children).
Preventing abuse is not always easy because a substantial amount of child abuse is done in the home, and within the family. Interfering with a family based on speculation is not recommended. And even though doctors are "legally obligated to report all suspected cases of abuse or neglect to authorities," if a child doesn't go to regular physical checkups, he or she is not going to be helped in that way. Good parenting involves teaching the child "…some basic rules of safety in a nonthreatening manner," and encouraging the child to never do something against his will and to "keep his distance from strangers" (Healthy Children). When a teacher suspects that a child is being abused at home, he or she should follow through and notify the counselor and principal, and let the process take its course through the legal channels.
What crimes are elderly people most susceptible to?
Older people are sometimes physically and psychological abused, and they are not always able to defend themselves from scams and financial abuse, but those are problems they face constantly. The Medline Plus website (provided by the National Institutes of Health) says that elderly people are mistreated in three basic ways: through physical, sexual and emotional abuse; through "neglect or abandonment"; and through "financial abuse" (Medline Plus).
The National Council on Aging (NCA) has listed "10 scams Targeting Seniors" and they will be listed here with some explanations to accompany some of the topics: a) health care / Medicare / Health Insurance fraud; b) counterfeit prescription drugs (counterfeit drugs are sold online and they are often fake or even harmful); c) funeral & cemetery scams (a grieving elderly widow might fall for rip-off artists' scams); d) fake anti-aging products; e) telemarketing scams (probably the most common crime against seniors is money solicited for charities that don't really exist); f) Internet fraud (pop-up windows urge elderly people to click on a link that supposedly will protect them from invasive, malicious software, but in fact is malicious); g) investment schemes; h) homeowner / reverse mortgage scams; i) sweepstakes and lottery scams (almost anyone should see this hoax, when an email arrives telling you that millions of dollars are yours from distant lottery winnings); and j) "The Grandparent Scam" (a person will call and pretend to be a grandson or granddaughter and request money for an emergency) (NCA).
As to other crimes perpetrated against older people, the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) lists a number of crimes that happen to older people on a daily basis in America. Whether they are at home, or in a relative's house, or in a nursing home, they can be physically abused and psychologically abused. The "emotional abuse" listed by the NCEA includes "verbal attacks, threats, rejection, isolation or belittling" -- and the sexual abuse perpetrated on older people usually occurs when they are either "tricked, threatened…or otherwise coerced" (NCEA). Neglect is a very serious crime for an elderly person who can't help himself; a caregiver should always be available to assist that person.
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