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Saydee Rowland
VanderSlik
English 100
3 November 2014
Abusing Our Future
Tens of thousands of children each year are traumatized by physical, sexual and emotional
abusers or by caregivers who neglect them, making child abuse as common as it is shocking. Most
parents or caregivers do not intend to hurt their children, but abuse is defined by the effect on the child,
not the motivation of the parent or caregiver. So why arent we looking more into stronger punishments
for those causing our children such cruel pain? We all need to start protecting ours and others children
by being more aware of the signs and what they say, while providing more protection from and
detection of and supporting much harsher punishments to those committing the crime.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a powerful novel that defends multiple issues that we
carry in America today, like the big issue about child abuse. The Lacks children were horrifically abused
as children and their adult life shows the affects. Deborah Lacks was physically and sexually abused as a
young girl. She survived her evil so called step-mother while trying to fight a disgusting cousin off from
her. She became a teen mother and experienced two failed marriages. Deborah was an amazing
women, but the abuse she experienced as a child might have made her feel that the decisions that she
was making at the time was what she deserved. Joseph Lacks was the mist abused and the angriest
Lacks there was. He was beaten the worst by Ethel and his criminal record showed that. Shooting BBs at
strangers to dropping out of school when he was just in seventh grade. He was practically forced into
the military, which made him even worse. His life spiraled out of control and he found himself in a
courtroom to plead guilty to the murder that he committed. Both children experienced horrible
childhood abuse and it shows in their adult life in different ways. Deborah seems to have shown bad
decision making and insecurities, but she grew to change the cycle and became an amazing mother,

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sister and daughter while never forgetting about Henriette and Elsie. Joseph on the other hand shows
the cycle to physical abuse. He was a victim of horrible physical abuse and he turned around and did the
same thing in his adult life. He used violence to fix his problems, landing him the label of a murderer.
Child abuse causes emotional disturbances like depression, anxiety and disconnections. While
experiencing abuse children no longer feel the affection that they are yearning for. They become sad
and paranoid because the only affection that they are receiving is negative. They dont want that so they
distance themselves and become numb to life. They accept that kind of love leading them to take it from
spouses or just repeating the cycle and using it on children who are also as vulnerable as they were
while being able to take personal anger out in the only way they know how, not making it okay.
Continuing with the cycle, it becomes a part of a childs norm. Just like Joseph from the book, he
knew that murdering or hurting someone was wrong, but he did it anyways because its what he felt
was right. The violence will increase with this issue and while an individual knows there are
consequences because its wrong, it feels right because someone took their innocence away and this is
how they were shown to express themselves. While being punished for child abuse, anyone can serve
their time, but sooner or later the abuser is back at it again because last time the punishment was a slap
on the hand. If there are repetitive abusers why are they even getting the chance to have the
opportunity to repeat the pattern?
Not only are the mental and emotional affects of child abuse, but there are physical. Being that
there is a sad child, this leads to lack of hygiene, eating disorders, drug uses and risky sexual decisions
(McPherson, 1). The outcomes of this is saddening. Abuse is a bad decision, but it just leads to more.
Victims of abuse can easily become teen parents, have a long criminal record or possibly become a hang
member. Not exactly the life you imagine your child living or the person that they become.

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The only humanly individual who could agree with such a horrendous crime being okay, would
have to be the abuser themselves. There is complete knowledge of the consequences, but the crime is
committed anyways. Studies show that the abusers themselves have been victimized personally. 60%
being sexually assaulted and 20% being physically assaulted and that leaves out every other category of
abuse. (McPherson, 1). A perfect example comes from the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. It
shows the repetition of abuse and the prime excuse the abusers use to try to diffuse the situation,
leaving with just a slap on the wrist. For some reason, somewhere in his life, he has gotten an
inferiority complex. And it seems to be a sizeable one. It seems whenever he is confronted by any
individual, he takes it rather aggressively. More than the average individual, (Skloot, 149), Josephs
lawyer tried to defend the stabbing that resulted in death because of his own passed abuse, just how
most abusers are brought up also. Making it okay? Absolutely not. Abuse is more common than it should
be, but that does not make it okay to repeat in life. Every individual knows right from wrong and has a
chance to better ones own life positively.
Child abuse is not something that can just be forgotten and a child doesnt just forget about it.
Everyone wishes is was that simple because if it were, our crime rates, teen pregnancies and murder
statistics would drop tremendously, but why are we not providing more protection for children? Anyone
can call CPS. They stop out, walk through the house and everything is fine. They know everything that
could happen after being in a home for ten whole minutes. We need more in depth detection. Knowing
whats happening behind closed doors should be the first priority. While child abuse is illegal and there
are convictions, why is an abuser serving their time, getting out and returning to the same child only to
abuse again? No wonder children are so scared to tell people. Their scared their abuser is going to come
because and honestly I dont blame them. They get the opportunity because their sentences arent long
enough. Nothing happens to them to make sure then never lay another hand on a child to inflict plain.
Children who suffer from abuse, hardly ever seek the much needed help that they need afterwards. This

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leads to the repetition. Providing volunteer center to help with this or making it court ordered cause
possibly decrease the child abuse issue if children get the help they need before its too late.
This is societys issue and every single person needs to stick together on this one. Giving back to
your community and children will save lives and create better ones. Harsher punishments, better
detection and the proper help and guidance can help children understand forgiveness and security
within themselves to create a better life. There are our children and it is our job to protect them.

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Works Cited
Skloot, Rebecca. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. New York: n.p., 2010. Print.
McPherson, Tara. Cries for help: A literature review of the psychological effects of child maltreatment. N.p.: The International
Child and Youth Care Network, 2012. Web. 2 Nov. 2014.