Child Abuse In The Bean Trees By Barbara Kingsolver

The incidence of child abuse and neglect has increased dramatically in the past 25 years; the statistics have risen over 130% since 1980 with 1993 being the first year since 1972 in which the number was less than the previous year. Throughout the years child abuse has had a greater impact on the United States and more thorough research has been brought out. The United States has one of the worst records among industrialized nations, losing more than four children on average every day to child abuse and neglect.(cite source) Among the many forms of child abuse are emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Physical abuse has statistically been in the lead since the 1980’s at 45%, while emotional abuse has been at 22% and sexual abuse has been at

In the novel The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, Turtle the little girl who has been abused before falling into the hands of Taylor, would have significantly shown some long term effects if she would have stayed with the aunt and the abuser. Research has found that children exposed to violence or abuse, if left unaddressed or ignored, are at an increased risk for emotional and behavioral problems in the future ("Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect”). A child that has been abused in any form have a greater chance of becoming antisocial, have violence perpetration, delinquency, and status offenses (Sousa et al). These heartbreaking effects have taken action into the lives of many adults now. Kingsolver demonstrates the possibility of Turtle becoming antisocial when Taylor and Lou Ann were conversing about how Turtle should be talking more. Lou Ann states “It isn’t healthy” when she is trying to get Turtle to talk but doesn’t (Kingsolver 78). Apart from The behavioral long term effects, there are studies that show that there are some very impacting mental effects in adults who have been abused or neglected. For example, psychosocial disorders are common in adults abused as children. Examples of psychosocial disorders include the schizoid disorders (schizophrenia, schizophreniform, and schizoaffective disorder), delusional disorder, and

Through the character Turtle, Kingsolver demonstrates the short term effects of a child who's been abused by having healing fractures in the body, bruises, difficulty speaking, etc. Kingsolver also demonstrated the possibilities of the long term effects of child abuse by having Lou Ann, the roommate of Taylor and Turtle, state that Turtle might become very antisocial in the future. This is a true fact that has taken action in the lives of many adults today who were abused or neglected as children. Through the characterization of Turtle and Taylor, Kingsolver gave us a scoop on the CPS, or child protection services. In the novel, Kingsolver has the CPS send in a social worker to help out Taylor and Turtle as they are trying to get her birth rights. The social worker the CPS sent in, is very attentive and does everything she can do to give Turtle a good life. The CPS is a nationwide system of child protection encompassing state statutes that mandate the reporting of physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and exploitation (Schene). The CPS will do anything in their power to help and benefit the child who is being abused or neglected. If it involves moving the child from the original household or just checking up on the child