Isolation and Violence
I have been very fortunate in that I have not suffered any of the stressors listed for this assignment and none of the people in my personal life have ever shared that they were affected by any of the stressors mentioned. A woman that I worked with at one time did share some information about the violence, abuse and isolation that she suffered as a young child. At birth, this person was rejected by her mother because of the color of her skin. She was left on the porch of the grandparent’s home when she was just a few days old. The grandparents were away for the entire day and so it some time before she was discovered. It is amazing that she survived since the weather that day was exceedingly hot. As a child, this person suffered at the hands of various adults. She was beaten and sexually abused. She still has scars on her back from where she was beaten. No new shoes were ever purchased for her. She was expected to wear the one pair that she had even after she outgrew them. Because of this, her feet were malformed and caused her pain all of her life. Because of the rejection by her mother and sexual abuse, she suffered in silence for many years. This person has never sought out any type of professional help. She has relied on friends for support and I would guess has gotten some comfort in her work with children. She is a very kind, caring and gentle teacher who has a gift for working with children with special needs. With adults, she is very passive and quiet.
Violence Against Children in Mexico and Latin American Countries
From the research that I did, I found that in Mexico and other Latin American countries, many children are exposed to violence- in the home, the school and in the community. According to Knaul & Ramirez,
“Violence is a severe social and economic problem, particularly in Latin America where it is more than twice the world average. An estimated 22 homicides per 100,000 people occur each year in the region, and every minute 54 families suffer a robbery. Evidence suggests that a large proportion of children suffer from intra- family violence, and that most live in poor families. Estimates indicate that almost 6 million Latin American and Caribbean children suffer some form of severe violence and an estimated 80,000 children die each year as a result of intra- family violence. In Mexico, deaths due to violence constitute 3% of all deaths. Between ages 0 to 4, it’s one among the 20 principal causes of death”.
According the World Report: Violence against children, babies and minors have higher risk of death by homicide. In Mexico, 77% of the victims are girls. The average age of female victims is 5.7 years old. These statistics point to the high probably of a child in Mexico or other Latin American country either being a direct victim of violence or witnessing violence.
The U. S. Department of Health & Human Services website (2009) lists the following affects of violence.
• Behavioral, social, and emotional problems. Higher levels of aggression, anger, hostility, oppositional behavior, and disobedience; fear, anxiety, withdrawal, and depression; poor peer, sibling, and social relationships; and low self-esteem.
• Cognitive and attitudinal problems. Lower cognitive functioning, poor school performance, lack of conflict resolution skills, limited problem solving skills, pro-violence attitudes, and belief in rigid gender stereotypes and male privilege.
• Long-term problems. Higher levels of adult depression and trauma symptoms and increased tolerance for and use of violence in adult relationships.
According to the UNICEF website (2007), “The high levels of violence in Mexico, and in Latin America and the Caribbean generally, are often linked to extreme economic and social inequalities and to the “machista” culture”. The UNICEF website details recommends that calls for immediate action be taken by government institutions to prioritize banning all forms of violence against children, including corporal punishment. It also seems that it is necessary to address the causes of violence against children.
References
Knaul, F. & Ramirez, M. A. Family Violence and Child Abuse in Latin America and the Caribbean: The Cases of Colombia and Mexico
UNICEF (2007). Violence causes the deaths of at least two children under 15 every day in Mexico. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/media/media_39505.html
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2009) Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System. Retrieved from http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/domesticviolence.cfm
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