PROTECTING THE ABUSED CHILD IN NIGERIA: ‘THE CASE OF ENUGU URBAN AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

ANICHE, ALEXANDER (2003) PROTECTING THE ABUSED CHILD IN NIGERIA: ‘THE CASE OF ENUGU URBAN AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. Nigerian Journal of Social Development, 1 (2). pp. 56-69. ISSN 0189-5958

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Abstract

Historically, child abuse exists in the cultural, religious and economic practices of all human societies. During the fourteenth century in the western culture, according to Harper (1904:75)“young children were beaten and forced to perform dangerous and unhealthy tasks for long hours in filth-ridden environments. Throughout history, young boys and girls have been sold, kept for sexual purposes and exploited by adults for some selfish reasons”. According to Arries (1962:1.25) “Societies resolve to stem the abuse of children came latter. Indeed, the first legal intervention on behalf of abused children occurred in United States in 1874”. The outcry was raised by the American society for the prevention of cruelty to animal. The report of Kempe (1962:107) heightened interest and research by paediatricians, social workers and sociologists in most of Europe and American on the problem of child abuse and their complexities and far reaching consequences. Thus, in the western world child abuse is a well known phenomenon but yet in Nigeria, not much is well known about it. The common view among many Africans and Nigerians in particular is that child abuse is more prevalent in the western world where it is regarded as psychological disorder. African culture in general and Nigerian culture in particular place much importance on the child often regarded as a precious gift from God. If such importance is attached to children why should Nigerians abuse children? In a society which attaches much importance children, one would expect that it would be difficult to experience child abuse but this is not the case as shown b newspaper and magazine articles. But despite this increasing concern, Kinard (1988:481) pointed out that “the problem of child abuse has continued to def’ solution” in Enugu urban, child abuse is on increase as shown by available social welfare records. Thus, this work is a response to the above observation in relation to the incidence, causes and consequence of child abuse and the interventive programmes in treatment of the families of tbe abused child. Services to the families of the abused children are essential as a result of the rapidly increasing rate of child abuse. The work aims at providing insight into the problem of child abuse and the implications for national development.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Divisions:	Faculty of Management and Social Sciences
Depositing User:	mrs chioma hannah
Date Deposited:	24 Sep 2019 09:28
Last Modified:	24 Sep 2019 14:58
URI:	http://eprints.gouni.edu.ng/id/eprint/2063

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