James loves his mom who got pregnant at age 17. His mom, Donna later had another baby at age 20. James and his brother live with their mom in an apartment. Some days James ‘s mom plays with the kids but other days she feels burdened with all she has to do. One day, she snapped and hit James when he scribbled on the wall. James started yelling and screaming when his mom hit him again and again. When the baby screamed she picked him up and shook him. James is now so scared of his mom. Why does this happen?

A child is abused or neglected in the United States every 47 seconds. There are four main types of child abuse. They are physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse. According to. “Why do my parents hit me? By Kate Hamelin” physical neglect accounts 54 percent of all child abuse cases in the United States. Physical abuse makes up 24 percent of all child abuse cases. Sexual abuses makes up another 12 percent. Emotional and medical neglect together makes up 67 percent of all child abuse cases. This shows that irresponsible adults often hit, kick, slap or punch younger kids if they don’t listen to them. This also shows that some parents can’t control their anger and they just put it on the kids.

Reasons abuse may happen is because many parents do not know how to parent and the abusers probably grew up being abused. Many people have babies and are not prepared for the responsibility. They do not know how to care for a child or understand the child development. This shows that parents get stressed about things and then they put it on the kids when the kids didn’t do anything. This also shows that teenagers who are not ready to take care of others and they are most likely to abuse children than are older parents. “Violence is a learned behavior and children where parents use violence often end up repeating that behavior.” This shows that usually many children grow up seeing domestic abuse between adults and then they are likely to hit their children as well, in the same house. This also shows that some children never see parents calmly because they are fighting with each other. Those kids don’t learn peaceful way to resolve a problem and those same kids are most likely to be violent as adults.

According to. “Why do my parents hit me? By Kate Hamelin” an estimation of 30 percent of all child abusers are under the influence of drugs or alcohol when the abuse happens. “Researchers are still trying to understand the connection between child abuse and substance abuse.” Nearly 14 million people in the United States have a drinking problem. This shows that alcohol and other drugs sometimes make people feel freer to act out. This also shows that those drugs can reduce people’s ability to think clearly and then they yell at their kids. Sometimes abusers are unable to care for children because they think they are incapable or sick. This also shows that those people who are incapable or sick because they are so wrapped in their own problems and don’t look outside the box. This also shows that people who are ill may not clearly and not realize that they are mistreating their children.

Keeping child abuse a secret is not a good thing. Telling someone may solve some things. It may not solve everything but it will give the child a chance to trust someone and tell them. Ujali, I have my own story. I was adopted when I was 5 and since have been in this family my mom always yells at me for no reason and most of the time she’ll ignores me. She loves her real daughter more than me which is my sister. She sometimes abuses me in physical and emotional way; she’ll call me bad names and make me sad. She neglects me oftenly and so I just choose not to talk to her and leave it to God. I know what it feels like to be abused and keeping it a secret. I just hope one day she’ll change. I am scared to tell someone because I don’t want her to get in trouble. Don’t know what to do. I know what it feels like to be abused and keeping it a secret.

Every child of any kind, race, or age is special, but do we all fund this? Those parents that don’t fund this, there is a special place for the children that are abused. There are several hotlines available 24 hours a day to help abused children. Child abuse is not a small thing to just let it slide. Every 47 seconds a child gets abused or neglected in the United States. This shows that there should be more counselors and doctors out there to help children in need.