"Child Abuse" edited by Louise I. Gerdes

This Opposing Viewpoints book edited by Louise I. Gerdes and authored by a variety of skilled writers covers many aspects and perspectives to the pressing issue of Child Abuse, as suggests the title. The book consists of 4 chapters and many different view points throughout the chapters. Gerdes fashioned this book to display almost everything you need to know about child abuse in which she also suggests how to take action. The editor does this by choosing the best articles and showing many aspects in contrast with each other.

The first chapter, "What Causes Child Abuse?" Answers the title's question with many articles such as "multiple factors contribute to child abuse" and "substance-abusing parents are more likely to abuse their children." To prove their points the authors primarily use anecdotes and statistics. For example,  writer, Joseph a. Califano Jr. proves his point and shocks readers with facts such as, " The number of reported abused and neglected children who have been killed has climbed from 798 in 1985 to 1,185 in 1996; the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect sets the actual number much higher, at 2,000, a rate of more than five deaths a day. " Clearly this is a most shocking fact and that was nearly 20 years ago. Child abuse hasn't gotten better. In another article also in the first chapter, the National Coalition for Child Protection Reform uses true stories of neglect in poor families and the injust lengths child protective services took. " In Los Angeles, the pipes in a grandmother's rented house burst, flooding the basement and making the home a health hazard. Instead of helping the family find another place to live, child protective workers take away the granddaughter and place her in foster care. She dies there, allegedly killed by her foster mother. The child welfare agency that would spend nothing to move the family offers $5,000 for the funeral." This story really shocks and hits a person quite hard and makes you think about how bad child abuse really is. 

In the fourth chapter, authors cover "How  Can Child Abuse be Reduced?" Leading the editor to end the book making readers think not only about how the government could help children but about what they can do to make a change. Authors like Susan Orr talk about Family Preservation Programs and how they leave a child in an abusive household. The author also cover the underfunding of child protection agency's and how if people just donated money instead of getting, for example, a manicure every week or new items in general, then the country could be improved and even happier. For example, " Half of the 1,500 children killed by their parents throughout the country each year are already known to the child welfare system. They are victims of not only underfunding but of a more fundamental scandal: a 'family preservation' policy that the federal government and 30 states have carried. " this more than anything makes a person want to take action. Policies forcing kids to remain with unjust parents and underfunding! To end the motivation to help along with the masterfully structured book, Gerdes adds an article by Okey Chigbo describing what is and isn't okay in terms of punishing a child. This article is truly the Cherie on top making all parents aware of they are or are not abusive. 

Overall, the Opposing Viewpoints book, Child Abuse is masterfully edited and ordered to the most appropriate format, informing and concerning readers to making them want to take action and prevent abuse at all costs. The reality is children aren't just being hurt, they are dying because of a faulty protective system and a lack of support.