The Role of Media in Reporting Child Abuse Essays -- The Media and Chi

The media began to report upon child abuse when society decided that it was no longer a family issue. A study conducted by Fishman in 1978, stated that crimes perceived as â€Å"family matters†, such as child abuse and wife beating, were keep private because they were too common to warrant interest from journalists (McDevitt, p. 264, 1996). In fact, public attention to child abuse as a problem within our society â€Å"has often been tied to media attention on the subject† (McDevitt, p. 262, 1996). The media’s role in reporting child abuse is to help deter child abuse perpetrators and to inform the public. The media has the ability to make a negative or positive impact on the preception of child abuse. The publications about child abuse inform the public about different types of child abuse and neglect and incidents that happen within their community, and how to report child abuse. They serve to â€Å"sensitize, arouse public opinion on issues, influence policymakers, and call problem agencies to account† (McDevitt, p. 270, 1996). Understanding Emotional Abuse Emotional abuse is prevalent within our society. Some child experts â€Å"argue that almost all parents are guilty of emotional maltreatment of child at some time or another† (Crosson-Tower, p. 211, 2010). However, it remains â€Å"the most difficult type of abuse or neglect to define or isolate† (Rees, p. 59, 2010). While physical abuse leaves detectable signs like scars and bruises, emotional abuse is hidden deep within a person. It lacks the public profile of sexual or physical abuse (Rees, p. 59, 2010). Emotional abuse can be understood as the â€Å"failure to provide children with an emotional environment conducive to adequate psychological, developmental and physical progress to ac... ... Goldman, R. (2011, March 7). Jorge and Carmen Barahona's alleged beating death of daughter called 'subhuman'. ABC News, pp. 1-2. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/US/police-jorge-carmen-barahona-beat-death-adopted-daughter/story?id=13077739#.TyF0fPlG3xg Green, T. D. (2012, January 17). Alleged child rape, torture recounted in trial. The Leaf Chronicle, pp. 1-4. Retrieved from http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20120118/NEWS01/201180314/Alleged-child-rape-torture-recounted IJzendoom, M., Euser, E., Prinzie, P., Juffer, F., & Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. (2009). Elevated risk of child maltreatment in families with stepparetns but not with adoptive parents. 369-375: Child Maltreatment. McDevitt, S. (1996). The impact of news media on child abuse reporting. Child Abuse & Neglect, 261-274. Rees, C. A. (2010). Understanding emotional abuse. Arch Dis Child, 59-67.