Child Abuse

CHILD ABUSE

The Facts about Child Abuse
&
How We Can Help

"Someone was hurt before you.....beaten before you; humiliated before you; raped before you; yet someone survived."
~Maya Angelou


TABLE OF CONTENTS



What is Child Abuse? 1-2

Causes of Child Abuse 3-4


Statistics 5-6


Signs of Abuse 7-8


Effects of Child Abuse 9-11

Stories of Abused Children 12-14



How can we help? 15-16





WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE?

The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) defines Child Abuse as:

· Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation.
· An act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.

There are five major types of maltreatment:
Physical: failure to provide food, shelter, lack of appropriate supervision or beating and hitting the child
Medical: failure to provide necessary medical or mental health treatment
Educational: failure to educate a child
Emotional: not paying attention to a child’s emotional needs, failure to provide psychological care or permitting the child to use alcohol or other drugs.
Mental: calling the child names or telling them they are worthless

Physical Abuse: is injuring the child, from minor bruises to severe fractures or even death, from punching, beating, kicking, biting, shaking, throwing, stabbing, choking, hitting, burning or harming a child. These injuries are considered abuse even if it wasn’t intended or on purpose

Sexual Abuse: a parent fondling a child, penetration, incest, rape, sodomy, indecent exposure and exploitation through prostitution or pornography

*Emotional abuse: is a pattern of behavior coming from the parent that impairs a child’s emotional development or sense of self- worth. This includes constant criticism, threats or rejection, also neglecting the child love, support or guidance

*this kind of abuse is hard to detect and prove but emotional abuse is almost always present when other forms of abuse are present.


CAUSES OF CHILD ABUSE

It is extremely hard to try to explain why child abuse occurs. Child abuse results from a combination of personal, social and cultural factors. Many people in our society assume that abusive parents suffer from some kind of mental illness but in reality less than 10% of abusive parents have mental illnesses. Experts say that most abusive parents love their children but have very little patience and less maturity than most parents. So this makes it difficult for these parents to be able to tolerate their children and this increases the chances of physical and emotional abuse. I am not trying to find a good reason why parents treat their children this way because there are no reasons to justify this.

There are three primary categories, which are:
1) genetic violence
2) social stress
3) social isolation/ low community involvement

GENETIC VIOLENCE:

While growing up, watching your parents’ do this and that you somehow adapt it and do the same thing when you are older.
Children learn violent behavior from their parents and grow up to abuse their own children. So one reason why parents abuse their children is because it is passed through generations.

FACT:
30% of abused children become abusive parents
But this reasoning could only be given to about 30% of abusive parents. The majority of abused children do not become abusive parents because they have realized that their parents were wrong for abusing them. The ones that do become abusive parents do this because they are the ones that believe that what their parents did was their entire fault because they behaved bad and deserved it.

SOCIAL STRESS:

Most cases of abuse have come from homes stricken with poverty. The risks of child abuse increase when there are social problems like:
· unemployment
· illness
· poor housing conditions
· a larger-than-average family size
· presence of a new baby or disabled person at home
· death of a family member

♦ Alcohol and drug use, which is very common within abusive parents, may worsen the stress and increases violent behavior.

♦ If a child suffers from mental retardation or physical/ mental disabilities, it can also increase stress of parenting and the risk of abuse.

SOCIAL ISOLATION/ LOW COMMUNITY INVOLMENT

Parents who abuse their children tend to be socially isolated. This could be that they do not belong to any community organizations and have little or no contact with family and friends. This lack of involvement with others does not give these parents the chance to have people there to help them with their problems.


STATISTICS

► Each week, Child Protective Services (CPS) agencies throughout the U.S receive more than 50,000 reports of suspected child abuse or neglect.

► In 2001, an average of about 2,475 children were found to be victims of child abuse each day.

► In 2001, nearly 3 million reports concerning the welfare and well being of approximately 5 million children were made.

► In about two-thirds (67%) of these cases, the information provided in the reports was sufficient enough to begin investigations. As a result of this, approx. 903,000 children were victims of abuse.
59% neglect
19% physical
10% sexual
7% emotional

► Child abuse is reported every 3 seconds.

► In 2002, 896,000 children were victims of Child Abuse:
60% neglect
20% physical
10% sexual
7% emotional

► Approx. 2.5 million cases reported each year:
35% physical
15% sexual
50% neglect

► In 2002, about 1,400 children died due to abuse
76% were younger than 4 yrs old
12% were 4 to 7 yrs old
6% were 8 to 11 yrs old
6% were 12 to 17 yrs old

► An average of three children die every day as a result of child abuse.

► Overall rate of child fatalities is 2 deaths per 100,000 children.

► Approx. 59% of victims received services and help.

► Almost one-fifth of victims were placed in foster care.

► The rate of child deaths due to abuse have increased.

► Child Abuse Death Victims in 2002
41% younger than 1 year
35% 1 to 3 yrs old
12% 4 to 7 yrs old
6% 8 to 11 yrs old
6% 12 to 17 yrs old


SIGNS OF ABUSE

Signs of Physical Abuse

Physical Signs:
unexplained bruises and wounds on the face, throat, upper arms, buttocks, thighs or lower back in unusual patterns or shapes
unexplained burns, cigarette burns, especially burns on the palms, soles of feet, stomach and buttocks
rope burns
infected burns which point out that there was a delay in treating it

Behavioral Signs:
extreme withdrawal, violence, anger and depression
excessive fear of parent
substance abuse, truancy, running away, fear of going home
unusual shyness, paranoid with physical contact
inconsistent explanation for injuries

Signs of Sexual Abuse

Physical Signs:
torn, stained or bloody underclothes
unexplained sore throats, yeast or urinary infections
frequent pain and irritation of the genitals
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD)
Pregnancy

Behavioral Signs:
Thumb-sucking, bedwetting or fear of the dark
Seductive behaviors
Nightmares, not being able to sleep at night
Age- inappropriate interest in sexual matters
Difficulty in walking or sitting

Signs of Emotional Abuse

Physical Signs:
Eating disorders such as obesity or anorexia
Speech disorders such as stuttering or stammering
Developing speech and motor skills late
Wight or height level below the normal
Nervous disorders such as rashes, hives, facial tics or stomach aches

Behavioral Signs:
· Constant biting, rocking or head- banging
· Cruel behavior (getting pleasure out of hurting others)
· Bedwetting, wetting or soiling

Signs of Neglect

Physical Signs:
Poor hygiene, including lice, scabies, bedsores, body odor or severe diaper rash
Squinting
Inappropriate clothing such as missing articles of clothing like underwear, shoes or socks and overdressed or underdressed for the climate
Untreated injuries or illness
Excessive exposure to elements such as excessive sunburn, insect bites or colds
Height and weight significantly below age level

Behavioral Signs:
Unusual school attendance
Chronic hunger or tiredness
Begging or collecting leftovers
Assuming adult responsibilities
Reporting that there is no caretaker at home


EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE

What kind of effects does child abuse have on a child? Can you just imagine a child getting abused physically, emotionally or sexually most of their childhood? Who will they grow up to be? What will their lives be like after going through this?

Physical injuries are immediate effects of abuse but how about the effects that this has on them or their families in the long run?

Not all abused children will experience the same consequences. Outcomes of each individual case vary depending:
The child’s age and status of development when the abuse occurred
The type of abuse (physical, emotional, sexual)
Frequency, duration and seriousness of the abuse

Wonder why some children come out unmarked after the abuse and others seem to be scarred for life? The ability to cope and even thrive following such an experience is referred to as “resilience.” A number of individual characteristics contribute to this, such as:
1) Optimism
2) Self- esteem
3) Intelligence
4) Creativity
5) Humor
6) Independence

Also some protective factors contribute to this too, such as:
A caring adult in the child’s life

The Impact of Child Abuse is often put into three terms of Consequence:
Physical
Psychological
Behavioral

Each and everyone of these consequences link in one way or another, here is an overview of each term.

Physical Health Outcomes

Minor:
Bruises or cuts
Severe:
Broken bones
Internal bleeding
Death

Impaired Brain Development
Effects:
Hyperactivity
Sleep disturbances
Anxiety
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Attention deficit disorder
Conduct disorder
Learning and memory difficulties

Poor Physical Health
Effects:
STDs
Heart disease
Cancer
Chronic lung disease
Skeletal fractures
Liver disease

Shaken Baby Syndrome
Immediate effects:
Vomiting
Concussion
Respiratory distress
Seizures
Death

Long- term effects:
Blindness
Learning disabilities
Mental retardation
Cerebral palsy
Paralysis

Psychological Outcomes

Immediate:
Isolation
Fear
Inability to trust

Life Long Consequences:
Low self-esteem
Depression
Relationship difficulties

Poor Mental and Emotional Health
Effects:
Depression
Anxiety
Eating disorders
Suicide attempts
Panic disorders
Attention deficit disorder
Post- traumatic stress disorder
Reactive attachment disorder

Behavioral Consequences

Effects:
Delinquency/ violent crime
Teen pregnancy
Low academic achievement
Drug and alcohol abuse
One-third of them will abuse their own children

SARAH’S POEM


My name is Sarah, I am but ten.
My eyes are swollen, I cannot see,
I must be stupid, I must be bad,
What else could have made my daddy so mad?
I wish I were better, I wish I weren’t ugly,
Then maybe my Mom would still want to hug me.
I can’t speak at all, I can’t do a wrong
Or else I’m locked up all day long.
When I awake I’m all alone, the house is dark and my parents aren’t home.
When my mom does come I’ll try to be nice.
So maybe I’ll get just one whipping tonight.
Don’t make a sound!
I just heard a car; my dad is back from Charlie’s Bar.
I hear him curse, my name he calls.
I press myself against the wall.
I try and hide from his evil eyes.
I’m so afraid now, I start to cry.
He finds me weeping.
He shouts ugly words; he says it’s my fault he suffers at work.
He slaps me and hits me and yells at me some more.
I finally get free and I run for the door.
He’s already locked it and I start to bawl.
He takes me and throws me against the hard wall.
I fall to the floor with my bones nearly broken.
My dad continues with more bad words spoken.
“I’m sorry!” I scream, but it’s too late.
His face has been twisted into unimaginable hate.
The hurt and the pain continue, again and again.
Oh please God, have mercy!
Oh please let it end!
He finally stops and heads for the door, as I lay there motionless sprawled on the floor.
My name is Sarah.
And I am but ten
Tonight my daddy
Murdered me.


STORIES OF ABUSED CHILDREN
At this moment these children are being taken care of by the Community Coalition Against Family Violence

ANGELA 10 yrs old
By the time she entered CCAFV, she was taking medications and showing sexual behaviors. She wore dirty clothes and walked with her head down, dragging her feet. From the age of 4 to 7, Angela had been sexually abused by her stepfather, who was eventually locked up for the abuse. Her mother, who was also sexually abused by her stepfather as a child, was dealing with the guilt of how this trauma kept her from protecting her own daughter. After many months of working with the staff at CCAFV and a specially-trained therapist who focused on her special needs, Angela moved into their Aspire program and now lives at home with her mother and new, caring stepdad. She is learning to trust again and how to develop healthy relationships

TIMMY 6 yrs old
Once Timmy arrived at the CCAFV he stole food and hid it in his pocket. Nobody knew why he did this until they found out his story. His mother was a prostitute. Timmy's father beat him and then "made up" through sexual acts with Timmy and because of the household violence; things like regular meals and having food on hand were unheard of. Timmy had learned to steal and hide food just to stay alive. Now that Timmy isn't worried about being abused or finding food, he can focus on his recovery.

CARLA For the first 10 years of her life, Carla didn't know what love was. All she knew was getting slapped across the face, punched in the chest, or screamed at because she was "worthless". Her mother did not care about her, but usually one or another of her mother’s live-in boyfriends did. Some of the men took advantage of Carla or let their anger out on her. Even at age 10, Carla began hanging out with a group of older kids and bragged that she was in a gang. In her healing process, Carla learned to understand her value and is staying on the right path now.

CODY
Cody’s dad would take his rifle and hold it near Cody's head, making threats about "blasting" the little boy. Fortunately, he never did. His father made these threats because Cody tried to protect his mother. When Cody tried to intervene; his father would make him stand in a corner, then aim a rifle near Cody's head. Now he is being treated at the CCAFV.

JOE
The cycle of abuse was a constant cycle in Joe’s family. Joe's mother had left home because of abusive parents. At age 9, Joe started hurting himself, acting out because he'd been sexually and physically abused. When Joe came to CCAFV, he had already been in another treatment center and two psychiatric hospitals. Eventually his mother joined him in therapy, and they have begun to make progress.

KIKI 11 yrs old
Kiki entered the CCAFV after revealing in a prevention education class that the man she called father had been sexually abusing her for a number of years. Kiki's mother was a drug addict that was unable to care for her daughter. So, she found a seemingly good-hearted couple to take Kiki in. The 56-year-old man began raping Kiki almost as soon as she came to live with them. When Kiki told her "mother", she was dismissed as a liar and trouble-maker. This went on for three years. When Kiki finally got the courage to tell someone, she was already 4 months pregnant by the man who was supposed to protect and care for her. Today, Kiki and her child are with a loving family, and Kiki is receiving therapy.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

- Volunteer your time. Get involved with other parents in your community. Help vulnerable children and their families. Start a playgroup.
- Discipline your children thoughtfully. Never discipline your child when you are upset. Give yourself time to calm down.
- Use privileges to encourage good behavior and time-outs to teach your child that what they were doing was not good.
- Watch what you say and do. Abuse is not just physical. Both words and actions can inflict hurt as much as beating.
- Educate yourself and others. Simple support for children and parents can be the best way to prevent child abuse.
- Teach children their rights. When children are taught they are special and have the right to be safe, they are less likely to think abuse is their fault, and more likely to report an offender.
- Support programs that help in child abuse cases. Many of us want to help after the damage is done. We should begin to help so we can prevent.
- Know what child abuse is. Educate yourself so if you see something that might be child abuse or maltreatment you know what you are dealing with.
- Treat children with the utmost respect. Children are very sensitive so be careful with what you say or do to them.
- Know the signs. Not just the noticeable bruises but the way the child acts. Be very attentive and cautious.
- Report abuse. Even if you might have a doubt in your mind you should report anything that doesn’t seem right to you.
- If a child confides in you and tells you that he/she is being abused by a parent you must reassure them that what they did was the right thing and that their parent is wrong for doing what they do to them.

Human Services... Wanting to Help Others

When I first heard about Marketing I thought it was going to be an exciting major to look into but as I started my first year in college I realized that I was not happy with this choice. The business world was too boring for me and I knew right away that I was not going to be happy going into this field of work. It was then that I realized that my passion is to help people in any way possible. I love the feeling I get after helping someone. It could be the simplest thing but I love knowing that I can make a difference in someone’s life by helping them with the simplest thing or the most complicated problem in their life. I love seeing people smile and bringing at least a little bit of joy back in their lives.

In my journey to seek a new career path and a new major I decided to speak to my Freshman Advisor. He asked me why I wanted to change my major and I told him I didn’t think the business world was for me. I know every field out there requires a lot of persistence, challenges and competition, but I believe that the business world requires a lot more out of life because the benefit is for you; it is more of a greedy field. Then he asked me what I see myself doing in life and I told him I would love to have a career helping people. He told me that I should look into Human Services and in perfect time our Research papers were being assigned to us and I thought it was a perfect chance to look into my new career choice.

Human Services careers offer many opportunities. Some are Human Service workers and Assistants. This term is used for people who are responsible for various jobs. Some are social service assistant, social work assistant, community support worker, alcohol or drug abuse counselor, mental health aide, community outreach worker and life skill counselor. These skills require fields like nursing, psychiatry, psychology, social work, rehabilitative or physical therapy. These fields are ones that require much attention and a passion for the job.
Social workers are split into about four areas in which they can work in. Some of them are individual and family services, residential care, job training and vocational rehabilitation services, and various social services. I could see myself working in one of these fields because they are jobs that help people directly.

The individual and family services provide welfare, counseling, home-delivered meals, adult day care and home health and personal care. Other services that this field offers focus on children, such as youth centers or groups, foster care and adoption services. I love working with children so I am leaning more towards helping children. It could be either in a foster home or in an Adoption Center. This is a position where I know my services will be appreciated and I can make a child smile or happy at least for a little while.

Residential care units help children, the elderly or anyone who does not have the ability to care for themselves. These people also deal with residents of group homes and alcohol and drug rehabilitation centers. Job training and vocational rehabilitation centers train the unemployed, disabled or people with any other disadvantages. This also seems like a great opportunity to help others, especially these people who have trouble finding the help that they need and the jobs that are more adequate for them and the skills that they have.

As a follow up on my Research I decided to look up what others in this field have said about the work I would like to pursue. Before I did that I decided to look into what people I know that do this think about it. I was discussing my interest in this major with my friend Maribel because I recall her working in this field. Maribel went to St. John’s and received her bachelors in Human Services and then went on to Stony Brook to receive her masters in Social Work.

She has worked with women who were on Medicaid to make sure that they are ready to get jobs and be on their own. After that she worked in a Social Service office helping many people such as the elderly, young and the disabled. She helped them get jobs and get on their feet. Now she works with kids at P.S. 318. She told me that her job is her life and she loves it. She is eight months pregnant and is still dedicated to her job. Maribel told me that her job fulfills her in all ways possible. She loves going to work and knowing that she can help people in any way possible. I would love to feel like that one day. I would love to wake up every morning with a smile on my face because I am going to work in a place that makes me happy.

As I spoke to Maribel she told me that one of her friends is majoring in Human Services and I asked her if there was any way I could reach her or get in contact with her. We decided to go visit her and the only question I decided that I needed to ask her was, “why that major”? She told me she has worked with kids and the disabled and loves the feeling she gets after a day of work. She loves knowing that she can make someone smile, laugh and feel loved every day. I agreed with her 100 percent because I have worked in after school programs and I have spent a day with disabled people. I don’t think there is any feeling better than the one I receive after a day of helping someone.

After all of my interviews I decided to check what others in this field thought of their own jobs. Ms. Jill Eisenhard was one that really caught my eye. She works with teenagers in the Human Services field. She was interviewed on her views about her job, what she loves about it, how she came about to this career, and she gives some advice too. She was asked what she loves most about her job and she responded by saying that, “the best part of my job is working with the teenagers, developing programs and ideas and making a difference”. I have to agree with this because even though I am not in this field yet I know I would definitely agree with the idea of making a difference.

Ms. Eisenhard was asked what makes her get out of bed every morning and she responded, “At the end of every day there is at least one person who is a bit happier, more confident, or in a better position because of the work I did to help him or her.” This says it all to me; this is why I want to help people. I want to become that person that at least one or two people can say I helped them or I made them smile or made them just a little happier than they were before they came to me.

She elaborates on some books that she has read that will help me in understanding this career a little better, such as There Are No Children Here, The Welfare Queen, and Savage Inequalities. To end her interview she was asked, “In what ways have your values changed since you graduated from college?” Ms. Jill Eisenhard answered, “I've learned far more since college than I did when I was in college. I've worked with low income families, immigrants, drug addicts, pregnant 13-year-olds, and people living in total poverty. I have become a more emotional person and have become thankful for everything, every day.”

I would love to be able to graduate with a degree in Human Services from St. John's University. I feel like I can learn a lot more about life and myself in general working in this field. I get to see events and feel things that I might not see or feel in other professions. I feel that this could help me become a better person and help me appreciate everything I have.

Revised Research Paper

Human Services… Wanting to Help Others

Going into college I thought Marketing was going to be the major I would go into and stick to. When I enrolled in St. John's University I chose to major in Marketing because it seemed an interesting career. As my first semester here came to a close I realized that the business world wasn’t for me. I have realized my passion, and it is to help people. I love the feeling I get after helping someone. It could be the simplest thing but I love knowing that I made a difference in someone’s life. I love seeing people smile and bringing at least a little bit of joy in their lives.
In my journey to seek a new career path and a new major I decided to speak to my Freshman Advisor. He asked me why I wanted to change my major and I told him I didn’t think the business world was for me. I know every field out there requires a lot of persistence, challenges and competition. But I believe that the business world requires a lot more because it is for your own benefit, it is more of a greedy field. Then he asked me what I see myself doing. I told him I would love to have a career helping people. He told me that I should look into Human Services. In perfect time our Research papers were being assigned to us and I thought what a perfect chance to look into my new career choice.
Human Services careers offer many opportunities. Some are Human Service workers and Assistants. This term is used for people who are responsible for various jobs. Some are social service assistant, social work assistant, community support worker, alcohol or drug abuse counselor, mental health aide, community outreach worker and life skill counselor. These skills require fields like nursing, psychiatry, psychology, social work, rehabilitative or physical therapy. These fields are ones that require much attention and a passion for the job.
Social workers are split into about four areas in which they can work in. Some of them are individual and family services, residential care, job training and vocational rehabilitation services, and various social services. The individual and family services provide welfare, counseling, home-delivered meals, adult day care and home health and personal care. Other services that this field offers focus on children, such as youth centers or groups, foster care and adoption services. I love working with children so I am leaning more towards helping children. It could be either in a foster home or in an Adoption Center. Somewhere where I know my services will be appreciated and I can make a child smile or happy at least for a little while.
Residential care units help children, the elderly or anyone who does not have the ability to care for themselves. These people also deal with residents of group homes and alcohol and drug rehabilitation centers. Job training and vocational rehabilitation centers train the unemployed, disabled or people with any other disadvantages. This also seems like a great opportunity to help others, especially these people who have trouble finding the help that they need and the jobs that are more adequate for them and the skills that they have.
As a follow up on my Research I decided to look up what others in this field have said about the work I would like to pursue. Before I did that I decided to look into what people I know that do this think about it. I was discussing my interest in this major with my friend Maribel because I recall her working in this field. Maribel went to St. John’s and received her bachelors in Human Services then went on to Stony Brook to receive her masters in Social Work.
She has worked with women who were on Medicaid to make sure that they are ready to get jobs and be on their own. After that she worked in a Social Service office helping many people such as the elderly, young and the disabled. She helped them get jobs and get on their feet. Now she works with kids at P.S. 318.
She told me that her job is her life, she loves it. She is eight months pregnant and she still goes to work. Maribel told me that her job fulfills her in all ways possible. She loves going to work and knowing that she can help people in any way possible. I would love to feel like that one day. I would love to wake up every morning with a smile on my face because I am going to work in a place that makes me happy.
As I spoke to Maribel she told me that one of her friends is majoring in Human Services and I asked her if there was any way I could reach her or get in contact with her. We decided to go visit her and the only question I decided that I needed to ask her was why that major. She told me she has worked with kids and the disabled and loves the feeling she gets after a day of work. She loves knowing that because of her someone smiled, laughed and felt loved. I agreed with her 100 percent because I have worked in after school programs and I have spent a day with disabled people. I don’t think there is any feeling better than the one I receive after a day of helping someone.
After all of my own interviews I decided to check what others in this field thought of their own jobs. One that really caught my eye was Ms. Jill Eisenhard. Ms. Jill Eisenhard works with teenagers in the Human Services field. She was interviewed on her view about her job, what she loves about it, how she came about to this career, and she gives some advice too. She was asked what she loves most about her job and she responded by saying that the best part of her job was working with the teenagers, developing programs and ideas and making a difference. I have to agree with this because even though I am not in this field yet I know I would definitely agree with the idea of making a difference.
Ms. Eisenhard was asked what makes her get out of bed every morning. She responded and I quote, “At the end of every day there is at least one person who is a bit happier, more confident, or in a better position because of the work I did to help him or her.” This says it all to me; this is why I want to help people. I want to become that person that at least one or two people can say I helped them or I made them smile or made them just a little happier than they were before they came to me.
Here she was asked how much of her time does she spend doing each of these tasks:

Talking on the phone 35%
Dealing with email 5%
Meetings with individuals 40%
Meetings with groups/committees 15%
Traveling 5%
Writing 10%
Reading 5%
Researching 5%
Other: Supervising 65%
She elaborates on some books that she has read that will help me in understanding this career a little better, such as There Are No Children Here, The Welfare Queen, and Savage Inequalities. To end her interview she was asked, “In what ways have your values changed since you graduated from college?” Ms. Jill Eisenhard answered, “I've learned far more since college than I did when I was in college. I've worked with low income families, immigrants, drug addicts, pregnant 13-year-olds, and people living in total poverty. I have become a more emotional person and have become thankful for everything, every day.”
I would love to be able to graduate with a degree in Human Services from St. John's University. I feel like I can learn a lot more about life and myself in general working in this field. I get to see events and feel things that I might not see or feel in other professions. I feel that this could help me become a better person and help me appreciate everything I have.

Human Services

Human Services… Wanting to Help Others

Going into college I thought Marketing was going to be the major I would go into and stick to. When I enrolled in St. John's University I chose to major in Marketing because it seemed an interesting career. As my first semester here came to a close I realized that the business world wasn’t for me. I have realized my passion, and it is to help people. I love the feeling I get after helping someone. It could be the simplest thing but I love knowing that I made a difference in someone’s life. I love seeing people smile and bringing at least a little bit of joy in their lives.
In my journey to seek a new career path and a new major I decided to speak to my Freshman Advisor. He asked me why I wanted to change my major and I told him I didn’t think the business world was for me. I know every field out there requires a lot of persistence, challenges and competition. But I believe that the business world requires a lot more because it is for your own benefit, it is more of a greedy field. Then he asked me what I see myself doing. I told him I would love to have a career helping people. He told me that I should look into Human Services. In perfect time our Research papers were being assigned to us and I thought what a perfect chance to look into my new career choice.
Human Services career offer many opportunities. Some are Human Service workers and Assistants. This term is used for people who are responsible for various jobs. Some are social service assistant, social work assistant, community support worker, alcohol or drug abuse counselor, mental health aide, community outreach worker and life skill counselor. These skills require fields like nursing, psychiatry, psychology, social work, rehabilitative or physical therapy. These fields are ones that require much attention and a passion for the job.
Social workers are split into about four areas in which they can work in. Some of them are individual and family services, residential care, job training and vocational rehabilitation services, and various social services. The individual and family services provide welfare, counseling, home-delivered meals, adult day care and home health and personal care. Other services that this field offers focus on children, such as youth centers or groups, foster care and adoption services. I love working with children so I am leaning more towards helping children. It could be either in a foster home or in an Adoption Center. Somewhere where I know my services will be appreciated and I can make a child smile or happy at least for a little while.
Residential care units help children, the elderly or anyone who does not have the ability to care for themselves. These people also deal with residents of group homes and alcohol and drug rehabilitation centers. Job training and vocational rehabilitation centers train the unemployed, disabled or people with any other disadvantages. This also seems like a great opportunity to help others, especially these people who have trouble finding the help that they need and the jobs that are more adequate for them and the skills that they have.
As a follow up on my Research I decided to look up what others in this field have said about the work I would like to pursue. Ms. Jill Eisenhard works with teenagers in the Human Services field. She was interviewed on her view about her job, what she loves about it, how she came about to this career, and she gives some advice too. She was asked what she loves most about her job and she responded by saying that the best part of her job was working with the teenagers, developing programs and ideas and making a difference. I have to agree with this because even though I am not in this field yet I know I would definitely agree with the idea of making a difference.
Ms. Eisenhard was asked what makes her get out of bed every morning. She responded and I quote, “At the end of every day there is at least one person who is a bit happier, more confident, or in a better position because of the work I did to help him or her.” This says it all to me; this is why I want to help people. I want to become that person that at least one or two people can say I helped them or I made them smile or made them just a little happier than they were before they came to me.
Here she was asked how much of her time does she spend doing each of these tasks:

Talking on the phone 35%
Dealing with email 5%
Meetings with individuals 40%
Meetings with groups/committees 15%
Traveling 5%
Writing 10%
Reading 5%
Researching 5%
Other: Supervising 65%
She elaborates on some books that she has read that will help me in understanding this career a little better, such as There Are No Children Here, The Welfare Queen, and Savage Inequalities. To end her interview she was asked, “In what ways have your values changed since you graduated from college?” Ms. Jill Eisenhard answered, “I've learned far more since college than I did when I was in college. I've worked with low income families, immigrants, drug addicts, pregnant 13-year-olds, and people living in total poverty. I have become a more emotional person and have become thankful for everything, every day.”
I would love to be able to graduate with a degree in Human Services from St. John's University. I feel like I can learn a lot more about life and myself in general working in this field. I get to see events and feel things that I might not see or feel in other professions. I feel that this could help me become a better person and help me appreciate everything I have.

We get used to the chains we wear, and we miss them when removed.

We get used to the chains we wear, and we miss them when removed.
-John Dewey, The Child and The Curriculum

This quote is self explanatory. It is trying to explain that when we get used to certain situations in life which we are accustomed to and when we change we tend to miss the old stuff.
An example of this from my own life is when I first got my phone my mother used to call me all the time, she wanted to know my every move and wanted to make sure I was okay. But now she barely calls. At the time it bothered me when she called me so much because I felt as if she was trying to find out where I was at all times but now that she doesn’t call I feel weird and I actually miss her calls. This shows me that when my mother constantly bothered me and gave me all those lectures I never realized why she was doing that and it became annoying. But once they limit there calls and don’t bother too much then we realize that we actually miss it.

Reading and Writing

I never looked at reading as “medicine for the eye” as the French monk Hugh of St. Victor stated. My own translation to his look on reading is that when you read, your brain is being fed all this knowledge that you are receiving from reading a book. You are learning new things each time you read anything. It could be a quote, a book, poem, essay or even a billboard.

I have always known that writing is an essential part of our lives but I never put to much thought into how much we actually write in our daily lives. This essay made me realize that most of what we do or how we communicate is through writing. It could be taking notes in class, text messaging or instant messaging a friend or even writing a letter to a loved one. These are things that we do almost daily. Writing is one of the main sources of communication with others, besides speaking.

Writing

Writing is a way of expression. It could be used in formal ways and informal ways. Writing to me is like giving a child a blank piece of paper and a crayon and telling them do what you want with it. Its a free way to express yourself and your beliefs. Writing is a source of communication. It enhances your skills to express yourself not just for your own good but to be able to express yourself to others. Such as in writing a letter to someone important to you or writing a report or essay for a class. Writing has so many definitions and can be interpreted in many ways.

Starbucks

On one of my many explorations on MySpace I came across an icon. This icon said "Starbucks coffee: Might as well call it crack." I could not help but laugh. Then I thought to myself that this is a fact. Why is it that there are so many Starbucks in the city? I must say that in Chelsea there must be one on each block or on every other block. Then I started thinking it must be because coffee gives most people a boost of energy for work or school every morning. I personally am not a fan of coffee so I can't agree but I can certainly agree that it could be true to many others.

Question to expand on

Do you belong, or have you ever belonged, to any clubs, gangs, or social/political organizations?

I belong to a Church Youth Group in St. Elizabeth's Church. I have been attending this group for the past 7 months. This group is a place for us young people to come together and be able to talk about God, our feelings and make long lasting friendships. We get together once a week and we talk about things happening in our lives and how God reflects in everything that we do. This group is a total blessing in my life.

What's your name?

My name is Vanessa Altagracia Toribio. My mother wanted to name me Melissa but my father wanted to name me Vanessa. Since I was his first and only girl my mother decided to let him pick. I was given this middle name because it is my grandmother's name. Most of the girls in my mother's side of the family have it too. If you try to translate it in english it would be High Grace. As for my last name, I don't know where it came from. But I hate when people try to pronounce it because they always come up with the wierdest translations of their own. When telemarketers call they always say Torbio or some other wierd way. They mix up the letters and pronounce it all wrong.

Hey!

Hi, my name is Vanessa. I am currently a student at St. John's University. I love to dance, listen to music and watch movies. I am the youngest of 4 and I have 3 older brothers.
I am not such a great writer and I am new to this blog thing. I am hoping to improve my writing skills with this new way of writing.