Child abuse is the physical, psychological or sexual maltreatment of children. While most child abuse happens in the child’s home, a significant portion also occurs in organizations involving children, such as churches, schools, childcare businesses, and residential schools.
In Korea, the physical maltreatment by parents accounts for 80% of all child abuse. This is a very serious problem. The reason why there is a lot of physical maltreatment by parents in Korea is that Korean people think corporal punishment is natural. Korean people think corporal punishment is ‘whipping with love’ and inflict corporal punishment on their children. For that reason, corporal punishment accounts for 33% in Japan, and 26% in America, but 72% in Korea!
I think we need legal, social, individual solution to physical maltreatment by parents. First, legally, We shouldn’t see parents’ physical maltreatment as only home’s problem and leave as it is. They must be punished strictly. In Korea, they are punished lightly and backed home. Then their physical maltreatment is repeated. Korea also should deprive parental rights and forbid them to approach like other country. Secondly, socially, child abuse more often happens in poor home. Therefore we expand more organization to protecting abused children. Third, personally, we should change our recognition. Parents should change their conventional thinking that corporal punishment is natural and find new punishment way. We also shouldn’t see parents’ physical maltreatment as only home’s problem. We should immediately notify when we see that and have a mind to help children.
