| In the Philippines, there are more than | | | | behavior as juveniles and adults than |
| 36 million people under 19 years old who | | | | others. |
| are living in utterly inhuman | | | | Although it is said that the most |
| conditions. About a million and a half | | | | important relationship for all beings is |
| children are estimated to live on the | | | | that with their parents or with their |
| streets. They survive by begging for | | | | families, child maltreatment often |
| food and through petty theft. In spite | | | | starts at home. Unfortunately, an |
| of laws against child labor, more than | | | | alarming number of parents do not |
| three and a half million children from 5 | | | | understand the importance of the |
| to 17 years old work under grueling | | | | parent-child relationship. They are |
| conditions. The data regarding child | | | | often too young or unprepared for such |
| abuse and neglect in the Philippines are | | | | responsibility. Their inability to |
| considered to be below the actual | | | | commit to good parenting techniques |
| figures since the current statistics | | | | causes serious detriment to the lives |
| only reflect reported cases of abuse. | | | | and well being of their children. |
| Recently, a survey by the Department of | | | | Children who have been maltreated are |
| Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) | | | | usually unwilling or unable to reveal |
| reflected a sudden increase in the | | | | their situation to someone because of |
| number of children that resulted from | | | | parental threats, or a feeling of |
| increased awareness and reporting in the | | | | loyalty to the family. For children who |
| community. Most of these children in | | | | are in school, while carefully asking a |
| this survey were victims of child abuse | | | | child may help to unearth details of |
| and neglect, also known as "child | | | | maltreatment, teachers need to be aware |
| maltreatment." Child maltreatment is a | | | | of non-verbal ways in which the message |
| behavior toward a child that is outside | | | | of abuse may be communicated. The |
| the norms of conduct and entails | | | | presence of one indicator alone does not |
| substantial risk of causing physical or | | | | necessarily mean that maltreatment has |
| emotional harm. Child maltreatment can | | | | occurred. If there are a number of |
| be a single incident, but it is usually | | | | indicators, then immediate counseling is |
| a pattern of behavior that takes place | | | | needed for the child. It is the process |
| over time. There are four types of | | | | by which a professional helps a person |
| recognized maltreatment. These are | | | | cope with mental or emotional distress, |
| physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional | | | | and understand and solve personal |
| abuse (psychological abuse), and | | | | problems is called counseling. |
| neglect. | | | | Individual and group counseling sessions |
| The causes of child maltreatment are | | | | usually take two years or even longer. |
| varied and not well understood. Abuse | | | | The goal of undoing life-long damage can |
| and neglect are often associated with | | | | be very difficult because the damage |
| physical injuries, delayed growth and | | | | pervades every aspect of a child. There |
| development, and mental problems. They | | | | may also be physiological changes that |
| are more common in poor and extremely | | | | cannot just be "counseled" away. |
| poor families than in families with | | | | Medication can be useful for the |
| higher incomes. Child maltreatment is | | | | symptoms of depression, anxiety and |
| also associated with psychological and | | | | other symptoms, but should never be |
| emotional problems such as aggression, | | | | dispensed in the absence of counseling |
| depression, and post-traumatic stress | | | | for the root of the problem. For |
| disorder. In extreme cases, child abuse | | | | children, play therapy and family |
| and neglect can lead to death. | | | | therapy can be helpful. |
| Child abuse is also linked to an | | | | It is important to help a child deal |
| increase risk of substance abuse, eating | | | | with the abuse as well as the |
| disorders, obesity, depression, suicide, | | | | psychological problems they report. |
| and sexual promiscuity later on in their | | | | Research indicates that without some |
| lives. Women who were victims of | | | | form of intervention against child |
| physical assault during their childhood | | | | maltreatment, the long-term consequences |
| are twice as likely to be victims of | | | | for children can be nightmares, feeling |
| physical assault as adults. There are | | | | of insecurity, feeling unsafe, poor |
| also evidences which suggest that | | | | school performance and low self-esteem. |
| victims of child maltreatment are more | | | | They are also more likely to be abusive |
| likely to engage themselves in criminal | | | | or become victims of abuse themselves. |