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AN INVESTIGATION INTO FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH CHILD ABUSE

1-5 Chapters
Simple Percentage
NGN 4000

Background of the study: Procreation is a phenomenon that ensures the survival and continuity of a nation. However, the rearing pattern of the children that are products of wedlock is a crucial task that is significant in determining the quality of citizens that make up a particular society. It is disappointing to note that juvenile cases and other social vices that characterized our society today are traceable to bad child patterns of many homes(Ogundele and  Ojo, 2022 ). Children who have passed through such homes were battered, abandoned, or abused in any other form. They were consequently toughened and eventually become liabilities to the community rather than assets. In Nigeria today, the rate of child abuse and neglect have assumed a worrisome and alarming proportion (Semenitani, 1998). Children are regarded as precious gifts from God. It is rather outrageous and unfortunate that these same children are subject to abuse and neglect.

Child neglect is the most prevalent kind of abuse and can be either physical, emotional or educational and can be intentional or unintentional.Children suffer from various forms of abuse such as child marriages, molestation, child labour, kidnapping and neglect among other forms (Olusegun, Olaitan O. and Idowu, Amos 2016). The ill-treatment of children by those who are supposed to care for them has been recognized as a major problem in child upbringing in the society. Child abuse and neglect is a prevalent problem all over the world and Nigeria is no exception. 

Child Abuse Prevention And Treatment Act of 1995 enacted in Nigeria defined child abuse as any behaviour directed towards a child by a parent, guardian, caregiver, other family member or other adult that endangers or impairs a child's physical or emotional health and development. Child abuse happens when an adult mistreats or neglects a child. The person who abuses is misusing his position of trust and authority (Mba 2002). This could be a parent, guardian, paid caregiver or sibling. Children depend upon adults to protect them, support them and help them survive. Being abused damages their sense of safety. It also makes them more likely to be abused and exploited in the future. Child abuse is a silent crime. It can happen in all cultures, social classes and religion, although it is now known that it does not occur equally over all groups (Fryer 1990). It is a sad irony that many abusers genuinely love their children, but they find themselves caught in life situations beyond their control and they do not know how to cope.