children suffer is unimaginable, the emotional damage can often be much worse. Maltreatment has been proven to be a major cause of dissociative disorders. For example, many times abuse victims take on multiple personalities to hide from their pain. (Morris 451) Also, in a study done by the National Institute of Justice, it was concluded that childhood abuse increases the likelihood of arrest for juvenile crime by 53%. (Breckenridge B3) Many of these children also follow the Intergenerational Transmission of Violence, where they learn violent behavior as a child and grow up to be abusive parents as well. In fact, about 30% of abused kids follow the same violent pattern with their children. (Encarta 2) In the 1960s, it was thought that fewer than 1000 children were physically harmed per year. It actually wasnt until the 1990s when the matter of domestic violence came into the spotlight, and now it is known to be over 1000 times that amount. (Melton vii) Fortunately there are now more havens from abuse where adolescence can be counseled and educated about the wrongs they suffered. One of these centers, the Laurelwood Child Center in Cleveland, Ohio focuses on the recovery of child abuse victims. Although many of the patients at the center do grow up to better themselves, a good amount do not respond as well. In an article in The Plain Dealer, Kay McKenzie, the head psychiatrist at Laurelwood said, There are children so badly broken in their first years that they just cant be fixed. Unfortunately, that statement has often been proven correct. Above all other forms of child abuse, neglect is by far the most prevalent. In fact, out of the 3 million children abused in this country every year, 52% of them suffer some form of neglect, whether it is physical or emotional. (Encarta 1) Physical neglect is defined as the failure to provide adequate food, clothes, shelter or medical care. In addition, poor supervision and a consistent failure to prot...
