The encyclopedia of child abuse

397 Pages·2007·2.07 MB·English

by  Robin E. Clark

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
CHILD ABUSE
THIRD EDITION
Robin E. Clark, Ph.D.
and
Judith Freeman Clark
with
Christine Adamec
Introduction by
Richard J. Gelles, Ph.D.
The Encyclopedia of Child Abuse, Third Edition
Copyright © 2007, 2001, 1998 by Robin E. Clark and Judith Freeman Clark
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Clark, Robin F.
The encyclopedia of child abuse / Robin E. Clark and Judith Freeman Clark with Christine Adamec;
introduction by Richard J. Gelles.—3rd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8160-6677-9 (hardcover: alk. paper)
1. Child abuse—United States—Dictionaries. 2. Child abuse—Dictionaries. I. Clark, Judith Freeman.
II. Adamec, Christine A. 1949— III. Title.
HV6626.5.C57 2000
362.76’0973’03—dc2l 00-035384
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CONTENTS
Preface v
Acknowledgments vii
Introduction: Child Abuse—An Overview ix
Entries A to Z 1
Appendixes 287
Bibliography 362
Index 369

PREFACE
Child abuse and neglect have many different Space and time considerations forced us to be
dimensions. Though we often think of child selective in choosing the topics we discussed. In
abuse only in terms of physical violence, various attempting to present an overall view of child
forms of psychological threats, coercion, sexual abuse and neglect, we chose topics that we felt
exploitation and even folk medicine practices can would give the reader a grasp of the central issues.
also produce serious and long-lasting damage. The Information presented in this book comes from
range of actions classified as child abuse or neglect the most up-to-date sources available at the time
is constantly changing as a result of social and eco- of writing. We have attempted to present material
nomic conditions, political ideology, advances in in clear language that does not require specialized
medicine, improvements in communication and knowledge of medicine, law or other disciplines.
melding of cultures. Absence of a single, explicit Our use of “simple” language should not be con-
and universally accepted definition of abuse makes strued as simplistic. We believe professionals and
studies of it difficult. Yet, child abuse and neglect general readers alike will find the book contains a
are not simply cultural inventions. As international wealth of useful information.
concern for the plight of children grows, those Though we have attempted to present child
concerned with preventing abuse and neglect are abuse and neglect from an international perspec-
beginning to find more and more common ground tive, readers will notice that most statistical infor-
for collaboration. mation comes from the United States. This is a
The Encyclopedia of Child Abuse reflects the reflection of the availability of such information
struggle to define, prevent and treat this problem. rather than a statement of relative importance.
Entries reflect the range of disciplines (including In selecting entries, we chose not to include
law, medicine, psychology, sociology, economics, biographies of individuals who have contributed to
history, education and others) that contribute to the understanding and/or prevention of child abuse
our understanding of child maltreatment as well and neglect. The list of these individuals is long,
as the scope of debate within and among disci- and new names are constantly being added. Such
plines. Where there is disagreement on a particu- a listing, though important, is beyond the scope
lar point, we have tried to identify the different of this book. Biographical information is included
arguments. Obviously, it is not possible to present only when it is relevant for the understanding of a
an exhaustive discussion of each of the hundreds particular case, concept or contribution.
of topics included in this book. For those who wish In this third edition of The Encyclopedia of Child
to explore a topic in depth, we make suggestions Abuse, we have both updated older entries and
for further reading at the end of selected entries. included new entries. For example, we offer a
An extensive bibliography is also included at the new entry on abusers, with an analysis of those
back of the book. individuals who neglect or physically or sexu-
v
vi The Encyclopedia of Child Abuse
ally maltreat children. We also offer a new entry well as other churches which discovered incidents
on adults abused as children, because numerous of sexual abuse.
studies have documented that child abuse often Other new entries include bullying, central
has a lifelong effect; for example, adults abused as registries of abuse, guilt and shame, pediatricians
children have a greater risk of substance abuse in and statutory rape. We have also heavily rewrit-
adulthood, as well as risks for psychiatric problems ten many entries, such as burns, civil commitment
such as depression and anxiety disorders. laws, family preservation, fetal alcohol syndrome,
Adults abused as children also have a greater foster care, Munchausen syndrome by proxy,
risk for suicide than individuals who were not parental substance abuse, sexual trafficking and
abused in childhood. Childhood abuse has a long shaken infant syndrome, to name just a few.
reach in its effects, and adults abused as children This third edition includes two new appendixes,
are more likely to be victimized in adulthood with including an appendix on state-by-state laws on
sexual and physical abuse. Not all adults abused as the involuntary termination of parental rights
children grow up to abuse their own children, but and an appendix with state-by-state definitions of
the risk is elevated, and as many as 40% will be abuse, physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and
abusive to their children. Without intervention the emotional abuse.
cycle may continue when their children grow up. We hope users of this book will be stimulated
We also offer a new entry on sexual abuse of to learn more about child abuse and neglect. Only
children and adolescents that was perpetrated by through a better understanding of the complex
members of the clergy, peaking in the 1970s to and often misunderstood phenomenon of child
1980s. This discovery shocked millions of people abuse can we hope to prevent it.
worldwide and rocked the Catholic Church, as
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Over the months that the third edition of this Kate Kelly, our former editor, was unfailingly
book was researched and written, we con- cheerful throughout all stages of the original proj-
tacted dozens of organizations to ask for informa- ect; her suggestions were thoughtful and her edito-
tion about child abuse and neglect. In particular, rial comments helpful. Elizabeth Frost Knappmann
staff at the Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and of New England Publishing Associates deserves
Neglect Information; the House of Representatives mention for her efforts on our behalf.
Subcommittee on Children, Youth and Families; Friends and colleagues have been generous with
staff of the American Association for Protect- support and encouragement during the time that
ing Children; and staff of the Incest Survivors we researched and wrote this book. Janet Logan
Resource Network deserve special acknowledg- and Susan Carter Sawyer are among those who
ment. Countless individuals at other public- and were especially helpful to us.
private-sector agencies answered our mail and Members of our family have been patient as
telephone inquiries and sent us statistics and facts we completed our work. We are grateful for their
on hundreds of topics. Although it is impossible to understanding and, in particular, would like to
mention each person by name, a sincere thank- acknowledge the support of our mothers, Martha
you goes to these people for their cooperation and Clark and Elizabeth Bartlett. Finally, a very special
assistance. thanks to Tim and Stephanie.
vii

INTRODUCTION
CHILD ABUSE—AN OVERVIEW
Today, child abuse and neglect is widely recog- how commonplace abandonment or killing was,
nized as a major social problem and policy issue we do know that infanticide was widely accepted
in the United States and throughout much of the among ancient and prehistoric cultures. New-
world. During the last 50 years, the United States borns and infants could be put to death because
and many of the world’s nations have responded they cried too much, because they were sickly or
to child abuse and neglect with legislative efforts, deformed, or because of some perceived imper-
a variety of programs and interventions, and orga- fection. Girls, twins and children of unmarried
nizational efforts to identify, respond to and pre- women were the special targets of infanticide
vent the abuse and neglect of dependent children. (Robin, 1980).
Today, there are innumerable local, national and Many societies subjected their offspring to sur-
international organizations, professional societies vival tests. Some Native Americans threw their
and advocacy groups devoted to preventing and newborns into pools of water and rescued them
treating child abuse and neglect. only if they rose to the surface and cried. German
parents also plunged children into icy waters as a
test of fitness to live (Ten Bensel, Rheinberger and
The Social Transformation of
Radbill, 1997). Greek parents exposed their chil-
Child Abuse and Neglect
dren to natural elements as a survival test.
While international concern about child maltreat- Survival tests and infanticide were not the only
ment is relatively new, child abuse and neglect abuses inflicted by generations of parents. From
is not a recent phenomenon. The maltreatment prehistoric times to the present, children have been
of children has manifested itself in nearly every mutilated, beaten and maltreated. Such treatment
conceivable manner—physically, emotionally, was not only condoned but was often mandated as
sexually and by forced child labor (Ten Bensel, the most appropriate child-rearing method. Chil-
Rheinberger and Radbill, 1997). Historians have dren were, and continue to be, hit with rods, canes
been able to document the occurrence of various and switches. Boys have been castrated to produce
forms of the mistreatment of children back to the eunuchs. Girls have been, and continue to be, sub-
beginnings of recorded history. In some ancient jected to genital surgery or mutilation as part of
cultures, children had no rights until the right culturally approved ritual. Colonial parents were
to live was bestowed upon them by their fathers. implored to “beat the devil” out of their children
The right to live was sometimes withheld by (Greven, 1991; Straus, 1994).
fathers, and newborns were abandoned or left to Summing up the plight of children from pre-
die. Although we do not have the means to know historic times until the present, David Bakan
ix