Child Abuse and Neglect in the Media

Childhood is a period when memories form, emotional, social, and cognitive development happens, and when children become sensitive to their surrounding environments. Their experience later shapes up who they become as adults and influences their well-being career, and life, in general. Child abuse and neglect are considered some of the leading causes of fatalities and death in the world. Most often, there is no single contributor to child neglect stems from multiple factors such as environment, communities, parents, inadequate policies, and poverty, societies and communities experience higher rates of crime and violence through an increased number of cases related to child abuse and neglect. The media plays a vital role in reporting on child abuse and neglect and the operation of the child production system. Media coverage helps to raise awareness of this issue of great public interest among victims and parents; it has an important role in prevention and in highlighting new and emerging issues and the media can also hold agencies and policy makers to account when necessary. However any media scrutiny of a situation involving the death or injury of a child should also respect the rights and dignity of the children and families involved