Child Abuse: Analyzing a Problem in Our Society

Everyone will recall the case of Susan Smith. She was the South Carolina woman who killed her two children by taking off the emergency break of her car and letting it coast into the lake and drowning her two children as they slept. She was convicted of their murders and was given life in prison. She will be eligible for parole in 2025.

Most would say that she does not deserve to even be eligible for parole. Yet, she will get the opportunity to present her case to the parole board. This does not mean she will get paroled, and we certainly hope that she doesn't. Still, most agree that at the very least it should have been life without the possibility of parole or death.

Still, there are many families of murdered children who only wish they could get this type of justice. Life with possibility of parole in 30 years is far better then the justice their murdered child will get. The family of a murdered 22 month old baby girl in Kentucky will see the murderer of this precious child get 5 years in prison. Another child in Florida who was nearly starved to death, will see the abuser face a sentence of one year in county jail and 5 years probation.

These are but a couple of cases. All across this great country of ours. children are being abused, and the sentences of their abuses hardly express the justice they deserve. Short sentences, limited jail terms, and plea bargains allow Child Abusers to run free to create more children to abuse. Many do not even see one day in jail.

I know of a mother and father in my own county, in Ohio, who were only charged with misdemeanors when they allowed their children - 4 and 2 - to run the streets. Oh, they did finally lose custody of these kids, but even that took a near accident to make this happen.

There are cases where children have been found bruised, beaten, and near death with no charges filed at all. The reason was not enough evidence. There are still many more unsolved murders of children who are known to have been killed by parents, but not enough evidence exists to even take them to trial.

It is sad that you can kill your next door adult neighbor and get life without parole, but if you kill children you can get not only parole in 30 years, but is other cases you can get 5 years. I know of people who got longer then that for theft where no violence was involved.

Don't our children mean more to us than this? Aren't we responsible for the protection of our children? If you say, "We are responsible to protect our children;" I would say that we are failing in this task. Our children are living in homes of fear, and the abusers are not being punished for it. Babysitters who should be caring for children are beating, shaking, and hurting the children in their care.

This article will address this issue in great depth. It will look at all aspects of this issue including, but not limited to, community involvement, our justice system in terms of child abuse, and other aspects involved in protecting children who are abused. It will give the basics of child abuse, but not in the usual manner. I want to bring child abuse to the reader through the eyes of the children, and the families fighting for justice. I will use real life scenarios and excerpts from my own past. Instead, of just listing the warning signs of child abuse, I will use the real life impact of witnessing an abused child.

The time to just give a sugarcoated and meek view of child abuse is long past. These are children who deserve to be heard. These are children who are crying out for someone to care about them. Someone needs to be the voice of these precious souls who do not have the strength or voice to speak for themselves.

If the reader is expecting a litany of facts and figures, please do not continue to read this article. Facts and figures are located all over the internet. If you visit resource links within this article or those listed with the article, you can get this information. Here I am bringing the reader face to face with abused children.

We spend far too much time on idle facts and figures when explaining or promoting a cause. People do not respond to anything unless it is made real and explained through the personal expression of those who experience it. We need to stop being nice about it, and start letting people see the brutality, pain, personal hardship, and loss which is felt by victims and their families.

Child abuse is not just the stories you see on the news on your T.V. set, on the internet, in news papers, or learn about through other media sources. Child Abuse is next door, down the street, and within your own community. It is not a bunch of words written or abstract figures and terms, it is a child suffering.

There are many people who are fighting for abused children, but we all need to fight. The lives of our children depend on it. The time to take it seriously is now.

The goal of this article is not just to give information about child abuse, but to put it right into the hearts of the reader. How can you see an abused child or even think a child is abused and do nothing? Has our society gotten so cold that we have become callused to the suffering of its children? If we can't protect our children, then there is no hope for any of us. How can we expect to rid out communities of crime when we allow child abusers to go free?

Feel free to disagree with me. You have that right. Like always I only ask that you read the entire article before deciding to disagree with it. We all have our own opinions and beliefs. I will continue to express mine, and you are free to disagree with them.

The Warning Signs of Child Abuse and The Attitudes that Keep it Growing and Allowing Abusers to Roam Free

You are faced with the warning signs of child abuse each and every day and probably pay no attention to them. You just go on with your daily life while a child suffers in silence. Below are examples of these signs which go unnoticed. They go unnoticed until it is too late. In many cases, they are only recognized or mentioned when the child has been killed. No one spoke out when the child could have been saved.

Below are not only representations of the warning signs of child abuse, but how they are perceived by many people within communities all across our country. The problem of Child Abuse is allowed to continue and abusers get the minimum sentences because people do not want to get involved.

It amazes me that people can gossip about who is sleeping with who or other activities of meaningless proportions, but will keep quiet when they see a child being abused or recognize strange behaviors of children who are hurting. I think the priorities of many people within our communities is miss guided.

* The screams of a child are heard in the night, but you go back to sleep thinking you may not have really heard it, the child may be throwing a temper tantrum, it is not your business, or someone else can deal with it.

* You know the neighbors have children, but you never see them. "Oh well!!! Not your problem."

* A child you know seems to always have bruises, cuts, or scrapes. Gee, that child must be accident prone or maybe has some kind of health problem. "Oh well!! The parents must know about it, and they must be getting some kind of help for it. Not your place to get involved."

* A child you see seems to be awful skinny and sickly looking. "You don't want to cause any trouble so you just keep quite about it."

* You see a child with her head down just sitting on the front porch. You never see her play with other kids or move from the porch. You speak to her, but she just keeps her head down and does not respond. You just walk on and give it no more thought.

* You see a child dirty, with stained clothes, and greasy unwashed hair. "Oh my!!! Someone needs to take better care of that child, you may think to yourself, but you never do a thing to help."

* You actually witness a child being beaten and know that abuse is happening in that house, but you don't report it. "You don't want to get involved."

* A child has been killed next door. "Gee, you knew that something like this would happen sooner or later, but why didn't you do something before the child was killed. I guess it was just not your problem."

* A child is killed in a house fire after it was discovered that the child was chained to a radiator. Neighbors said that they knew these things were going on. When asked why they didn't report it they gave the usual answer, "Because we didn't want to get involved."

* A child you are babysitting starts beating on her baby doll. When asked why she is doing that she says that it is because she was bad. "You just shake your head, but do nothing."

* You see a child banging his fists off the concert. You go back in side to avoid it. "Maybe if you leave it alone it will go away."

These are but a few. I could go on and on, but I think the reader gets the message. These were actual signs and there was abuse happening in all these situations and neighbors did nothing. If you see any strange behavior coming from a child; see a lack of hygiene in a child; see a child who looks hungry and sick; see bruises, cuts, scratches, or other abrasions on children; or anything which seems unusual about a child, would it be all that terrible to tell someone about it? Is it really that much of a chore to help a child? Maybe you are wrong. Maybe it isn't abuse. Would it really embarrass you that much to inquire about it? What if the child is really being abused? Better to be safe then sorry when children are dying at an alarming rate because of Child Abuse. I think a little embarrassment is a small price to pay to save a child. Think about what price an abused child will pay if you don't say something. You could be the one person who could save one child from death. Isn't the life of one child worth the price of a little embarrassment.

Many abusers could get the punishment they deserve if more people would speak out. Abusers are getting away with murdering our children because at the very beginning, when the knowledge of criminal behavior could be expressed, people refuse to speak out. Prosecutors could have enough evidence to go for maximum charges and penalties if people would give them the evidence they need.

I am sickened by the attitudes of many people who I have talked to me about these very ideas. One such person actually had the audacity to Email me with the following message when I did a poll a couple of years ago on Mandatory Reporting for Everyone. I saved it because it represents the attitudes of many people.

"You know that it is not fair to expect people to report this to authorities. What about our protection? If these people will beat up a kid, what will they do to someone like me. They could shoot us even. You never know in this day and age who is carrying guns or other weapons. Is it really fair to ask me to risk my own life?"

This is only part of the Email. I left out the vulgarity.

To respond to this attitude and to make my message clear to all who share the above attitude, let me just say this; as long as, we all show our fear instead of fighting against abuse and other crimes, we can never know true safety. You are just as likely to be hit by a stray bullet as a child abuser retaliating for your reporting. Besides you never have to even give your name when you report Child Abuse. Even if you did give your name, testified in court, and the person is sent to prison; you wouldn't have to worry about it.

What if it was your child who had been abused by someone else, would you want anyone who had seen it to report it? Of course, you would.

Another person I have talked to put it this way.

"I never got involved when I saw or heard anything in my neighborhood. I just believed it was none of my business, like everyone else around here believes. I saw bruises on my daughter after she returned from the babysitters house down the street one night. I asked her about them, and she told me that the babysitter had beat her with a wooden spoon and a belt. I went straight to the police and reported it.

"The Neighbor next door to the babysitter told me a few days later that she had heard my daughter scream and saw the bruises on her. When I asked if she would testify, she said no that she had to live next to this person and did not want any trouble.

"I was shocked, but I couldn't really get too upset with her. All I said was, 'Thank you. I hope nothing like this ever happens to you. I felt the same way as you do until it happened to me.' It is funny, how it has to hit your own family before you see the seriousness of it. I am now an advocate in my community against Child Abuse. I regret that my daughter had to pay the price for me to wise up."

If you think that Child Abuse will never be something you have to deal with, think again. If you send your children to day care, have a babysitter, let your child play at other children's homes, send you child to school, let your boyfriend/girlfriend watch your child, or let your child have any involvement with anyone at all; the threat of Child Abuse exists. Do you really know the person who is caring for your child when you are not around?

Am I scaring you? I hope so. You need to know that there is no such thing as a rosy colored world of reality. The minute you start thinking that something can never happen to you is the same moment you become the most vulnerable. Those who are not seriously aware of the dangers which exist in reality are those who get hit the hardest when danger strikes. Those who are unprepared will experience the worst pain when disaster does strike.

Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect

I mentioned Mandatory Reporting for Everyone earlier when announcing an Email I received. In case the reader is unfamiliar with this let me take a minute to explain it. I will post a link at the end of this section so the reader can learn more information and find out how this is implemented in your own home state.

There was a time when only health care officials, school officials, law enforcement personnel, counseling services, and other such professionals were responsible for reporting Child Abuse. Many of us fought, signed petitions, wrote letters to legislators, and have seen some minor changes in this law. Now all 50 states have passed and set into place some form of the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect Law to maintain their funding under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA)(Jan. 1996 version)http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/42/ch67.html. Some even require any person to report it. We still have a long way to go.

In some states, you can be fined for non compliance of this law based on their criteria. Visit the following page to get all the facts and find out how your state handles this law.
Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect

There has been a huge debate over this law. I am not going to give much debate here. I will only say that I fought for it and continue to support it. Other views I have would cause many readers more frustration, and I think this article covers my view quite well. The reader can probably guess where I would stand on this issue and can probably figure out that I continue to fight for Mandatory Reporting for Everyone. I am a strong advocate of community involvement in all forms of Family Violence.

The Families Quest For Justice through the Court System

After abuse is determined and it is shown that a child in fact has been the victim of Child Abuse, the real battle begins. The pain a family must endure who is fighting for justice for an abused or killed child is something which could not fully be understood unless you have been through it yourself. It is a nightmare and painful experience to relive and experience the abuse suffered by an innocent child.

My Aunt and Father fought for 11 years to get me taken away from my abusive mother. They spent many days going back and forth into court to fight for me. They endured untold pain day after day for 11 long years never knowing if I would survive or not. When I was finally taken from my mother, I was in such a mess it took a very long time for me to recover. I still deal with certain health problems as result of neglect and abuse.

As bad as my situation was there are still others who have gone through worse. At least, I did survive. There are many children who will never recover. The families have to first bury their child and then endure long battles to even get to court. Then, once in court, they endure pain that no one should ever have to face.

The case of Little Madi is just such a case. For almost 4 years, Hope, Madi's Grandma, and the rest of the family had to endure insurmountable pain, suffering, and a bunch of hard work to even get Madi's killer brought to Justice. They sent letters, launched campaigns, established petitions, and talked until they could not talk any more just to get a court date. Finally, in December 2007, 3 years and 7 months after Madi's Murder, they had their court date.

For almost two weeks of testimony the family had to relive the whole ordeal and wait to see if their Madi would finally get the justice she so deserved. Madi's Killer was convicted, but not of Murder like we all hoped. The woman, was convicted of Reckless Homicide which carries a maximum sentence of 5 years. This killer will be eligible for parole after serving just 11 months.

This seems hardly worth the effort, but as we all saw it, it was better then nothing. I have been with this case since the beginning. I helped write letters, signed petitions, and launched campaigns myself. All of us close to this case found it quite discerning that a killer of a 22 month old child could get such a small sentence.

I would like to tell you that this is a rare case, but in all actuality, it is pretty much the norm. It is actually rare to see murderers of victims of Child Abuse get extensive sentences.

Many say it is because murders or abuses of children are hard to prove. It is harder to find the evidence they need to secure the higher convictions which will lead to longer sentences.

Well, another fact most people do not want to face is that the very dynamics of court procedures often hinders more then it helps victims find justice. It is a complex maze which is more like a crap shoot. Each attorney shoots and hopes they come up with the winning numbers.

This may seem simplistic, but it is true. The attorneys are more like players in the crap shoot then true seekers of justice. They just want to shoot what they believe will be the winning set. They may not present all the evidence, only what they believe will secure a win. Who cares how large the win is as long as it is a win which will put another notch in their belt.

In Madi's case, a lot of facts were not presented because the Prosecutor believed he could secure the desired conviction with the evidence he wished to present. The rest of it didn't matter. Well, he came up short and only got a minute portion of the sentence he could have gotten if he had presented all the evidence. Who cares though, he secured a conviction and put another notch in his belt. It is Madi who has paid the biggest price, and her family must now try to go on with their lives knowing that her killer will do only the max of 5 years if she is not paroled before she has done the entire 5 years.

It is a win for him, but falls short of giving Madi's family the true closure and peace they so deserve after their long battle to get to the trial.

They say we have the best court system in the world, and I do not doubt that fact. It is not perfect, and it can certainly be improved. This is the quest of all of us who fight for the rights of all victims of Child Abuse. To change the system to recognize that killing children should bear tough consequences. Murder is murder. If you can murder an adult and get life without parole or death, then this same rule should apply when killing children. This fact should not be altered regardless of who the killer happens to be.

There needs to be more people coming forward to testify to what they know and Prosecutors need to use all the evidence at their disposal and not pick and choose.

I have heard attorney friends of mine say many times that you can never predict what a jury will do, and what they will believe or not believe. Knowing this fact, should make Prosecutors even more complete in the evidence they present.

A detective friend of mine told me that there is no evidence which is too small or minute. What may seem like it has no bearing could be the one fact or item which will sway a jury one way or the other. If this is true, why should Prosecutors hold anything back? Unless, a judge excludes it, present all that he will allow. Give the jurors the whole story, instead of, just part of it.

We need to get everyone, who comes in contact with an abused victim, to understand that the abuser they lock up today can save a child tomorrow.

You can not fully understand the battle ground of a court room unless you have ever been in one. The Prosecutor slings his arrows at the defendant, and the defendant's attorney slings his arrows at grieving families, victims, and anyone else who can cast some doubt on the defendant's guilt. The victims and the families are the ones who hurt the most in the sling fest. It is an ordeal which is tougher then anyone can imagine. If the killer gets a short sentence or is acquitted, there is even more pain endured by the victims and/or the family of the victim.

It has been said that there needs to be a third attorney in the courtroom. One especially for the victim. Maybe one day we will see this happen, but for now we are stuck with only the Prosecutor. Just remember, the prosecutor represents the state and not the victim.

Court procedures vary a bit from state to state. Although they do follow the same basic format, there are still some very clear differences when you enter courtrooms in different states. Even from county to county within a state, you find noticeable differences. Different Judges follow different rules. What one judge will allow as evidence another judge will throw out. This is because of morals, beliefs, values, and biases. If you think that bias does not exist in a court of law, then you have not been in a courtroom or you were not paying close attention when you were in one.

Everyone in the courtroom has them, and they are based on their own opinions of what they see and hear. This can impact on how evidence is presented and can impact the outcome.

The bottom line here is that the road to justice is a rocky and painful road for victims and their families. This is why many victims refuse to go this route. They would rather see the abuser go free then to deal with the ordeal of a court case. We must find ways to make this process as bearable for the victims as we can. If we do this, we will make them more willing to participate. This is a dilemma which is always under debate.

No matter what we do, we can never make it easy. Whenever a victim and the family have to face the one who committed the crime against the victim, it will be an ordeal of extreme magnitude. Offering support, encouragement, hope, compassion, and understanding can certainly reduce the stress felt during this strenuous process.

Making the laws tougher and giving judges more to work with can certainly help. The wheels of justice turn slowly, but if there is an outcome which fit's the crime then it will have been worth the effort for all those who seek justice. The little angels killed can finally rest in peace. They deserve that much after paying the ultimate price.

There are Many Different Forms and Aspects of Child Abuse

There are many different forms and aspects to child abuse which are so great in number an entire article could be done on this in and of itself. I am not going to deal with all of them because most readers can certainly figure out what most of them are.

Forms of child abuse range from simple neglect to murder which is ultimate result of Child Abuse. I have listed some below as actual examples of these forms of Child Abuse. This is in keeping with the goal of this article to bring to the reader the personal aspect presented from the actual victims of Child Abuse and bringing Child Abuse to the hearts of readers.

* A child is beaten, burned with cigarettes, and locked in a closet.

* A child is tied to a radiator and then the house is set on fire where the child is left inside and burns to death.

* A child is deprived of food and nearly starves to death.

* A child spends 10 years locked in box and fed very little food. The child lives for only 3 months after being let out of the box.

* A baby is found in a dumpster and pronounced dead.

* A child is found in a home after she had missed school for 4 months. She is obviously malnourished, withdrawn, and appears to be very weak and frail. It takes several months before she seems strong and normal for an 11 year old little girl. Physically she has recovered, but her mental health will take much longer.

* A child is brought into an emergency room with 12 broken bones. He recovers, but with noticeable disability.

* A child dies of what appears to be pneumonia after being denied medical care for what appeared to be around 6 months.

* A 14 year old boy commits suicide after it is determined he lived a life of put downs and ridicule from his parents which was so intense, he could not find a reason to continue living.

* A child was molested by his coach who had molested several other children he had also coached. He was convicted of 17 counts of Child Molestation and was given life in prison.

* A young girl of 13 jumps off a bridge after learning she is pregnant by her stepfather. She had jumped a total of twice. The first time she had obviously broken her leg witnesses had said and they thought she would give up, only to find she climbed back up on the rail and jumped again before they could reach her. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

* A 22 month old baby girl is shaken violently by her dad's girlfriend, who was suppose to be watching her while the baby girl's dad was at work. She died the next day after being taken to the hospital.

There are many others. Child abuse in any form is wrong. Even emotional and mental abuse can have dangerous affects on children who are growing in minds and bodies. Growing up is hard by any standards. When you grow with verbal abuse in the form of put downs, ridicule, name calling, and other degrading language directed at you; you grow up with a low self-esteem, depression, and other emotional problems. These may cause children to find destructive behaviors to rid themselves of their pain. For some they find the only solution is to end their lives completely. Many who have endured physical or sexual abuse also find suicide to be a welcomed solution to their pain.

Death of any child as a result of child abuse is the ultimate sacrifice. We all bear the burden for every child who dies within our communities if we fail to help them. It is not just a loss to the family of the victim, but it is a loss to us all. We need to help our children before it is too late. Saving our children should be our top priority.

There are as many different ways to kill a child as there are to kill an adult. The difference is that the smaller the child, the easier it is to kill them.

For infants a condition called Shaken Infant/Baby Syndrome is found to be a very deadly form of child abuse in infants and small children. Children can end up with any or all of the following injuries.

The child is held around the chest and violently shaken back and forth.
This causes the extremities and the head to flail back and forth in a whiplash movement.
Intracranial injury occurs as a result of severe angular acceleration, deceleration and direct impact as the head strikes a solid object. (It bangs against the inside walls of the skull with great force.)
The chest is compressed resulting in rib fractures.
Arms and legs move about in a whiplash movement resulting in the typical 'corner' or 'bucket-handle'-fractures in the metaphyseal region.

More detailed information of this type of abuse is available at the following websites.

The Radiology Assistant
The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome

This problem is highly debated, but for me it is not hard to understand. It takes little imagination to figure out how shaking a baby or small child with brute force could result in death. If an adult is in an angry rage and is viscously shaking a baby or small child, common sense can predict the outcome. Death or at the very least severe brain damage is likely to happen.

There is no reason anyone should shake a baby or small child with that kind of force. This is the way little Madi died. It should warrant a much stiffer penalty then 5 years in prison. It is a vicious and cruel way to end a young life as are all Child Abuse murders.

Who Are Child Abusers

Mothers, fathers, uncles, aunts, family friends, grandparents, babysitters, teachers, and many others have been know to abuse children. They wear no mask or billboard that says they are child abusers. They are the person who lives next door, the nice lady you talk to at the supermarket, the teacher you to talk to at the school, and just about any other type of person you can think of or imagine. They live in all areas, towns, and locations. They are from all different classes and professions.

We need to get rid of the myths; that parents don't murder their children; that only the poor abuse their kids; that certain areas do not contain child abusers; and any others you may have heard. We know they can be anyone, and the penalty should be harsh for any one who abuses children. Anyone can be a child abuser and they do not appear as monsters, but look like any normal person you could run into on the street. Many times it has been said that they are the ones who were least expected to be abusing their children. The cycle of violence must be stopped. Saving children today will save those in the future by ending the cycle.

Many child abusers were abused as children themselves. It is not uncommon for victims of child abuse to grow up to abuse children. The prisons and the grave yards are full of victims of child abuse. If the abuse doesn't do them in, their own destructive behavior may do it. There are those who go on to lead normal lives without continuing the cycle of abuse. These are those who have had extensive counseling and have found an outlet. Like me, many become advocates against Child Abuse.

What Can You do to Help Abused Children?

We all need to take up the fight against child abuse. Children are precious gifts, and it is our responsibility to protect all children. They are our future. Listed below are many different ways we can all help these children.

1.....Well, one of these has already been covered in this article, but it is very important to the survival of victims of child abuse. That is to report any odd, strange, or peculiar behavior of the children or those caring for them. If you think it could be a sign of abuse, by all means report it.

2.....Advocate for tougher laws and penalties for those who abuse our children.

3.....Volunteer your time to help abused children cope with life after abuse.

4.....Talk to people about ways you can get involved with troubled children.

5.....Talk to your legislators, sign petitions, support child abuse campaigns, and any other programs which are working to help victims of Child Abuse.

6.....Educate yourself and others within your community. You can never research too much. Knowledge is our greatest tool and weapon.

7.....Go to court with a victim or the family of a victim to offer support. It will also educate into court procedures. You never know when you may need this information in your own situation.

8....Offer whatever help you can provide when the opportunity presents itself. The only wrong effort is no effort at all. Victims and their families will be grateful for any help and support they receive. Some times it is as simple as just knowing someone cares.

How to Protect Your Own Children from Potential Abusers

You can never assume that your children are completely safe from child abusers. They are everywhere. Teachers, coaches, family friends, relatives, and even clergy have been known to be child abusers. There are some simple ways which you can protect your children. This is a basic list. The link at the end of this section will offer much more information. Please, take this seriously.

1....The most important thing you can do is too know the backgrounds of every person your child comes in contact with. Especially those who are responsible for their care. Babysitters, day care, school staff, coaches, and others who spend any length of time alone with your child.

2....Talk to your children about safety as early as you believe they are able to understand what you are explaining to them. Make sure to put it in terms which they can understand.

3....Establish a safety plan with your child. Make sure you child knows he/she can talk to you if they have been hurt in any way.

3.....Don't be afraid to ask questions. If you suspect that your child has been abused, get the facts and reassure the child that they did nothing wrong. Always approach the child with caution. Get help from a counselor if you find you have difficulty approaching the subject.

4.....If you learn your child has been abused, get medical verification and report it immediately. Don't wait.

5.....Read the Parents Guide at the following link. There is a lot of valuable information which will certainly help you to better protect your child from the threat of child abuse.

Save this PDF file to you computer for further reference. This will be the most valuable document your computer will contain.
How to Protect Your Children From Child Abuse: A Parent's Guide

Closing Thoughts

Children are dying at alarming rates from child abuse. It is sad and frightening to think that we are failing so terribly in protecting these precious souls who look to us for their very survival. If we can't protect our children, what does it say about us as a society.

I know this article may not contain the most happiest of information. I know I have been quite blunt when stating certain facts. Well, it is time to be blunt. There is no time to sugar coat it; try to minimize it ; or downgrade the problem. It is gotten far to out of control.

Children are dying and the killers are going free or getting slaps on wrist for their crimes against children. Adult victims get more justice then many of our children and that is very wrong. All victims should be able to find the justice they deserve and criminals who take the lives of these victims should be punished according to their crime. If you kill a child, it should be murder.

We all bear the responsibility for reporting abuse that we witness or behaviors which may be abuse. We need to watch out for warning signs of children who are in distress.

There is no one who should read this article who refuses to report Child Abuse. Especially parents, grandparents, or anyone who knows a child which they care about. If you care about children at all, how could you not report abuse when you see it.

Let me say this. I just became a grandmother of a beautiful baby boy this past April. When I look at this precious little boy, I can't even imagine him as a Child Abuse victim. I can assure you all of one fact. If I knew my daughter, though I love her dearly, was abusing him; I would have no problem reporting her. To me this little boy is worth it. My daughter knows I would.

If you still don't think you would be able to report child abuse or suspected child abuse; look at the child you care about, gave birth to, adopted, etc. Think of him/her as being abused and hurting. Would you want someone to report it if they had seen you child this way? If you answer yes, then you should also be able to report any suspicious behavior which could possibly be determined as child abuse.

Ask your self what our children are worth. Are they worth all the effort we can put forth to protect them? I think there is no way anyone could deny that our children are worth the effort.

The child you save today will be one less child killed tomorrow. Protect our future and save our children.