How to Prevent Child Abuse?

Preventing child abuse – advice for parents

• Be cautious in hiring babysitters and other caretakers.
  • Make sure you know their full names and if necessary ask for references
  • Choose nursery with well trained child minders
  • Consider having another adult like the child’s grandmother or CCTV if you are hiring a new domestic worker

Example of other discipline methods include ;

• Stress on other forms of child discipline rather than physical/corporal punishment which involves physical or emotional measures. Corporal punishment uses external control and involves power and dominance much like the act of abuse.
  • distraction and redirection
  • the fixing of a cooling-off period
  • the setting of rules and limits appropriate to the child’s age and developmental level
  • problem-solving
  • the withdrawal of privileges

• Some parents cane their children to try to get them to study harder. If your child does not meet your expectations or appears slow in development or learning, ask for help, he/she might need an assessment by a psychologist or pediatrician or having specific Learning Disorder eg. Dyslexia
• If you have difficulty with your baby eg. non-stop crying please consider and look for help from community service providers
• If your child is beyond parental control seek help
• Anyone who suspects abuse should immediately report those suspicions to the police or teledera hotline

How to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse?

• Increase awareness of the public on sexual assault
• Positive attitudes towards survivors of sexual abuse
• Teaching children on social and moral values and respect for each other’s body
• Eliminate sexism and sex role stereotyping
• Eliminate the shame and stigma associated with sexual assaults
• When children reach age three, parents should begin teaching them about ‘bad touches’ and about confiding in a suitable adult if they are touched or treated in a way that makes them uneasy.

Other Links

• Direktori Pelindung Kebajikan Masyarakat Daerah – www.jkm.gov.my
• Teledera hotline 1800-88-3040
• www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/deliveringservices/commoncore/
• http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/Home/InformHomepage_ifega26884.html
• Child Welfare Information Gateway (National Clearing House on Child Abuse and Neglect), USA http://www.childwelfare.gov/
• Majlis Kebajikan & Pembangunan Masyarakat Kebangsaan Malaysia, No. 17, Jalan 1/48A, Bandar Baru Sentul, 51000 Kuala Lumpur = tel : +603 40447640/ 40447641 fax : +603 40447705 = email – ncswm@po.jaring.my
• National CBR Co-odinating Committee Malaysia, room 3, 2nd Floor, Bangunan SSAAS, 16, lorong utara A, 46700 PJ Selangor
• Women’s Aid Organisation, P. O. Box 493, Jalan Sultan, 46760 PJ Selangor. tel : +603 79563488/ 79575068 fax : +603 79563237
• Rumah Ozanam, No. 1, Lorong 4/48D, Jalan Padang, 46050 Petaling Jaya Selangor
• All Women’s Action Society (AWAM) no. 85 Jalan 21/1 Sea park 46300 PJ S’go. tel : +603 78774221 fax : +603 78743312
• Malaysian Care, 15, Jln 3/146 Metro Centre Bandar Tasik Selatan 57000 KL tel : +60390582102 fax : +603 90584057
• Women’s Center for Change (WCC) 24-D Jalan Jones 10250 Pulau Pinang tel : +604 2280342
• World Vision tel : +603 77221505

References

• Hobbs C.J., Hanks G.I.,Wynne J.M. 2000. Child Abuse and Neglect – A Clinician’s Handbook. 2nd edition. Churchill Livingstone
• Giardino E.R., Giardino A.P. 2003. Nursing approach to the evaluation of child maltreatment. G.W.Medical Publishing Inc., St Louis
• WHO and International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. 2006. Preventing Child Maltreatment: a guide to taking action and generating evidence. WHO Press.