Effects of Poverty and Violence Against Children

A Research Paper Presented to

The Junior High School Department

ADVENTIST ACADEMY CEBU

Bulacao, Talisay City, Cebu

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Subject

ENGLISH 10

Researcher

Felycitie Olga L. Flores

Date of submission

April 10, 2022

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost, praises and thanks to the God, the Almighty, for His

showers of blessings throughout my research work to complete the research

successfully.

I would like to express my deep and sincere gratitude to my subject

teacher, Mrs. Sherrimay V. Javier, for giving me the opportunity to do research

and providing invaluable guidance throughout this research. Her dynamism,

vision, sincerity and motivation have deeply inspired me. She has taught me to

carry out the research and to present the research works as clearly as possible. It

was a great privilege and honor to work and study under her guidance. I am

extremely grateful for what she has offered me.

I am extremely grateful to my parents for their love, prayers, caring and

sacrifices for educating and preparing me for my future. Also I express my

thanks to my sisters, brother, sister in law and brother in laws for their support

and valuable prayers. My special thanks goes to my friends for the keen interest

shown to complete this research successfully.

I am extending my thanks to Pastor Requillo and his family for their

support during my research work. I also thank all the members of Cogon Pardo

SDA Church for their kindness.

Finally, my thanks go to all the people who have supported me to

complete the research work directly or indirectly.

Felycitie Olga L. Flores

 INTRODUCTION

Extreme poverty is one of the most extensive forms of violence in the world.

And Child Poverty is perhaps the most brutal and unforgiving form of all poverty.

From 2015 to 2020, the rate of poverty declined from 21.6% to 16.6%. Philippine

President Rodrigo Duterte aims to reduce the rate of poverty to 14% by 2022.  Poverty

reduction is thus critical to the sustainable development agenda. Poverty is also highly

prominent in the country’s public policy agenda, with poverty reduction being

mainstreamed with economic growth targets in the most recent 2017–2022 Philippine

Development Plan (NEDA 2017).

As Nelson (1984) pointed out, the first people to identify a problem often

shape how others will perceive it (p.13). Child abuse and neglect was identified as a

problems by the medical profession in the early 1960’s (Gelles ,1992). Children are

still one of the most vulnerable social groups, with numerous unresolved issues.

Although the consequences vary depending on the type and severity of the violence,

the short and long-term consequences for children are frequently serious and

destructive, as well as costly.

The study of family violence consists of many separate areas of research

focused on the study of child maltreatment, domestic violence, and elder abuse (Ohlin

and Tonry, 1989). Whether child maltreatment occurs within the family, at school, in

an emergency camp or a work setting, the common thread, from this perspective, is

that the problem cannot be seen simply as an interaction between a child and the

perpetrator of some kind of mistreatment (Bartlett, 2009).

 This issue has been studied by many health professionals, and many

researchers have proposed solutions, but this issue remains one of the most difficult to

resolve. And the number of people who have been victimized is growing all the time.

Based from the above statements, the researcher conducted a study to learn about

the effects of poverty and violence. Children born into poverty and exposed to violence

are more likely to suffer from a variety of health issues, including poor nutrition, mental

health issues, and severe emotional and behavioral problems.

This study specifically answers the following questions: (1) Why poor,

disadvantaged and marginalized children are more vulnerable in poverty and violence

than their peers who enjoy elements of an adequate protective environment? (2) What are

the effects of parental poverty and ignorance on children’s development? (3) What

actions can be done to protect children from poverty and violence?

 LITERATURE REVIEW

Reasons Why Poor, Disadvantaged and Marginalized Children are More

Vulnerable in Poverty and Violence than Their Peers Who Enjoy Elements of an
Adequate Protective Environment
Growing up poor is also a well-known risk factor for child abuse and neglect. And

a recent study suggests that children in poor families also have a higher chance of dying

from abuse (Parker, 2017). Poor children are also at greater risk of protection violations

because they often live in insecure environments that expose them to increased risk of

physical and sexual violence. In addition, poverty contributes to inadequate care of

children in several ways. Poor children are at greater risk of being left unsupervised or

poorly supervised. This increases the risk of those children getting abused and violated.

With no proper care, these children often revert back to the cycle of poverty (Nyabera,

2017). The stresses related to poverty (food insecurity, poor education, unsafe

neighborhoods often involving gun violence, access to jobs) can create a frustration level

for parents that results in fatal maltreatment of their children (Block, 2017). Given

current rapid economic growth and overall declines in poverty rates, the situation for

children in the developing world remains extremely difficult.

The Effects of Parental Poverty and Ignorance on Children’s Development

Children who are subjected to abuse or neglect are more likely to underachieve at

school, or drop out and miss out on education entirely. Neglect in early childhood can

lead to increased risk of poor health, developmental delays and learning difficulties;

leading to deprived socio-economic lives and ultimately poverty (Nyabera, 2017). Most

are unaware of just how greatly low-income households & extreme poverty can influence
child health and cognitive child development. However, poverty does indeed impact

growth from early childhood, starting with brain development and other body systems.

Poverty itself can negatively affect how the body and mind develop, and economic

hardship can actually alter the fundamental structure of the child’s brain. Most are

unaware of just how greatly low-income households & extreme poverty can influence

child health and cognitive child development. It argues that exposure to violence may

lead to more high‐risk behaviors in adolescence and adulthood. Children who grow up in

dangerous environment, know what it means to be poor (Akande, 1999). Shocks and

stresses, such as environmental disasters and degradation, economic shocks and conflict,

all exacerbate poverty and increase the likelihood of parents/careers, adolescents and

children responding in ways that put children at greater risk of protection violations

(Marcus, 2014).

Actions Can Be Done to Protect Children from Poverty and Violence

As the UN convention states, children have rights as human beings yet also need

special care and protection (Green,2008). Economic security programs like Social

Security, food assistance, tax credits, and housing assistance can help provide opportunity

by alleviating short-term poverty and hardship and thus improving children's long-term

outcomes. Child abuse and neglect are preventable. Certain factors may increase or

decrease the risk of perpetrating or experiencing child abuse and neglect. To prevent

child abuse and neglect violence, we must understand and address the factors that put

people at risk for or protect them from violence (Fortson et al., 2016). Such processes are

essential to ensuring children’s rights to survival, development and well-being in all

settings at all times. It is when children are not protected that their rights as well as their

families are most threatened. (Yacat, 2011).

CONCLUSION

As per the findings of the study, poverty and exposure to violence can have a

variety of effects on children. It can interfere with the child's learning as well as his or her

mental health, resulting in issues such as depression and anxiety. Children who grow up

in dangerous environment, know what it means to be poor. It is important to note that,

while poverty is often the result of generations of impoverished parents and their

children, it can also be the result of changes in the country's overall economy. Along with

internal issues, children will exhibit external behaviors that are detrimental to their

learning, such as issues with conduct, getting along with classmates, and bullying.

Governments, agencies and institutions should improve efforts to address the problem of

poverty and violence against children.

I learned that poverty teaches you to live within your means. You learn to accept

life's harsh realities and find happiness in the smallest of things. There are still many

children who needs care. Children's rights apply to all children. Children are just as

important as adults, and they have the same human rights as adults. Violence can have a

negative impact on a child's emotional, psychological, and even physical development.

Children are still developing and can be more vulnerable than adults. Also children have

the same right as adults to express themselves and to be heard. And I'm thankful I didn't

have to deal with either of them.

 REFERENCES

Albert, J. R., & Vizmanos, J. F. (2018). Vulnerability to Poverty in the Philippines: An

Examination of Trends from 2003 to 2015. Quezon City, Philippines : Philippine Institute
for Development Studies.

Akande, A., (1999). Effects of Exposure to Violence and Poverty on Young Children:
The Southern African Context, Taylor& Francis Online, 163(1), 61-78. Retrieved from
https://doi.org/10.1080/0300443001630105

Bartlett, S. (2009). Environments of Poverty and What they Mean for Child Protection.
Retrieved from http://resource-centre-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/3071.pdf

Block, R.W. (2017). No Surprise: The Rate of Fatal Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities is
Related to Poverty. Pedriatics, 139(5) . Retrieved from No Surprise: The Rate of Fatal
Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities Is Related to Poverty | Pediatrics | American
Academy of Pediatrics (aap.org)

Bower, C. (2003). The Relationship between Child Abuse and Poverty. Retrieved from
https://doi. org/10.2307/4066368

Fortson B, Klevens J, Merrick M, Gilbert L, Alexander S. (2016). Preventing Child

Abuse and Neglect: A Technical Package for Policy, Norm, and Programmatic
Activities. Retrieved from Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect |Violence Prevention|
Injury Center|CDC

Francis, D. (2000). Poverty and Mistreatment of Children go Hand in Hand. Retrieved

from Poverty and Mistreatment of Children go Hand in Hand | NBER

Gelles, R. J. (1992). Poverty and Violence Toward Children. Sage Journals, 35(3), 258-
274. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764292035003005
Green, A.(2008). Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved from Convention on
the Rights of the Child | UNICEF

National Economic and Development Authority (2017). Philippine Development Plan

2017-2022. Pasig, Philippines: National Economic and Development Authority.

Nyabera, F. (2017). The Nexus Between Child Poverty and Violence Against Children.
Retrieved from End Child Poverty - The Nexus Between Child Poverty and Violence
Against Children (endingchildpoverty.org)

Marcus, R. (2014). Child protection violations and poverty in low- and middle-income
countries. Retrieved from 547ed5cf4.pdf (refworld.org)

Ohlin & Tonry (1989). Violence in Families: Assessing Prevention and Treatment
Programs. Retrieved from Reading: Violence in Families: Assessing Prevention and
Treatment Programs |The National Academies Press

Parker, P. (2017). The poorest children in the U.S. are most vulnerable to child abuse
deaths. Retrieved from The poorest children in the U.S. are most vulnerable to child
abuse deaths (michiganradio.org)

Yacat, J. A. (2011). Child Protection in the Philippines © Save the Children. Retrieved
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 APPENDICES

Curriculum Vitae

Name: Felycitie Olga L. Flores

Address: 234 Cogon Drive, Cogon Pardo, Cebu City

Email: felycitieflores@gmail.com

Cellphone No.: 09320231162

Birthdate: March 20,2005

Age: 17 years old

Hobbies: Writing, Reading and singing

Skills: I’m an ENFP which means I am a creative person. I can also speak

Korean.

Educational Attainment:

Colegio del Santo Nino

Magallanes St, Cebu City, Cebu
June 2009- April 2011
Kindergaten 1 & 2

Sae Young Christian School

F. Jaca St, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu
June 2011- March 2018
Grade 1 to Grade 6

Adventist Academy Cebu (FKA: East Visayan Academy)

  Natalio B. Bacalso Ave, Talisay, Cebu
June 2018 – April 2022
Grade 7 to Grade 10
Extra-curricular Activities:
Korean Class with Joshua Cho
Fairview Quezon City, Philippines
November 2021-January 2022
Online Class for 3 months