Child Abuse and Neglect

Abstract

Abstract The concepts of both child abuse and child neglect are social constructs that have developed differently in different times and places. Prior to the nineteenth century, very little was written on the subject of child maltreatment. Child abuse and a concern for children generally revolved around issues of the exploitation of children in the workplace. In industrialized countries such as Britain and the United States, this concern was expressed through labor laws. Beginning around 1819, Britain enacted a series of child labor laws meant to protect children (Tuttle 2001). While several states in the US had passed restrictions on child labor in the early 1800s, national regulations would not find their way into law until 1938 (29 USC §203[l] and 29 USC §212). And while these and subsequent laws indicate a growing appreciation for the plight of children in certain parts of the world, they are not indicative of a universal agreement about what constitutes child abuse and neglect. In certain instances, family violence or child abuse is not distinguished from other types of harm, but is covered by charging offenders under the applicable criminal code (e.g., the Canadian Criminal Code). The socially constructed definition of abuse and neglect thus suggests that a fair amount of cultural relativity pervades the issue as not all cultures recognized the same acts or omissions as harmful.