Child and Elder Abuse

Each and every day we hear about child, elderly, domestic abuse and many other types of abuse. We see then on the news, in the paper, on TV, and online. In a recent case of child abuse and neglect, in February of 2011, three children whom are under the care of foster parents are burned severely, and forced to eat dog food, and live in inhumane conditions. The fifteen year old boy was confined in a plastic dog carrying cage for two months with no food. The younger children were also being burned and beaten by the foster parents, ending in death for the youngest which was only six years old. The couple adopted the three children from Wisconsin, and was receiving $1500 per month for each child (Mims, 2011). According to the police, this was one of the worst cases of child abuse and neglect, they had ever seen. Both foster parents are in custody, and charged with several counts of child abuse neglect, and murder.

I guess what comes to mind is how these types of people get custody of children do. These types of child abuse cases can result in both short-term and long-term harm, including psychopathology for the survivors later in life. Psychological, emotional, physical, and social effects include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, eating disorders, poor self-esteem, etc. But, the survivors tend to be considered the lucky ones, because many of the abuse cases end up in death. Long term negative effects may help you to say they are not so lucky. Often times these abused children grow up being criminals, or commit suicide because they have a problem with coping with life and other things after being abused (Mims, 2011). The effect of child abuse and neglect has been known to leave life lasting scars. Many of the scars are physical, but emotional scarring has everlasting effects for the rest their lives. It damages a child's sense of self, ability to have healthy relationships, and ability to function at home, at work and at school.

Many of these abused children end of turning to drug or alcohol to numb feeling of pain or embarrassment. Children need a sense of security and need to be able to trust people, and that they will be protected.

In addition to child abuse cases there are many other case of abuse happening all over the world. The next prevalent type of abuse happens to the elderly. Many of the elderly are not able to take care of themselves and do not have family members to care for them. But, on the other hand, some of them occur in the elderly person's home. Elder abuse is a one of the most silent epidemics, which affect senior all over the world every day.

In a recent case on Los Angeles, a daughter is arrested when her elderly mother of 85 was found covered in her own waste. The woman had not been fed for month, and was living in filth. Not only did she have horrific bed cores, she has bruises, scars, and current cuts, and lump on