At some point in life, everyone has wondered why. The word because is used to find a reason or purpose. It can be used for various occasions. For example, when you ask why the car broke down or when a child is curious about why he needs to shower after playing in the park. Sometimes just why alone can be a myriad of questions, especially when an abused and/or neglected child asks “Why?” Even if they just say “Why?” what they may really ask is "Why is mommy never home, why does dad hurt me, or why can I never do anything right?" Child abuse and neglect is a highly controversial social justice issue. It happens every day all over the world and can have a major impact on the lives of abused and/or neglected children. Worldwide, more than 40 million children are subject to abuse and neglect every year. Many grow up blaming themselves, their parents, others, or God for what happened. Some children are too young to understand why they are neglected and/or abused, many do not even live past the age of 4. In the United States, more than 4 children die every day due to abuse or neglect. Approximately 80% of children who die due to abuse are under the age of 4. In 2011, 78.3% of child deaths were caused by one or more parents. Child abuse by parents occurs due to various reasons. One reason is that if the child is conceived out of wedlock, there is a lot of stress on the parents created by the child's birth. Another reason for parental child abuse is military deployment, which causes multiple stressors. One stressor is that the remaining spouse must take on all the responsibilities that were once handled by both parents. Some other stressors are poor social support, marital dissatisfaction, and low employment of an abusive or neglectful adult. It can also help the abuser/neglecter come to terms with their own problems. Child abuse and neglect is a controversial issue that affects everyone. It has been around for a long time and continues to this day. As Aristotle once said, “Our children hold our future in their hands.” therefore children should not be protected and cared for, not abused and neglected. Even by law, as in Section 17 of the Children Act 1979, we all have a duty to safeguard children and protect them from harm. Works Cited Crosson-Tower, C. (2002). Understanding child abuse and neglect (fifth ed.). Np: Allyn and BaconWilliams, H. (2009). Child abuse (opposing views). Np: Greenhaven Press.Melton, G. B., & Barry, F. D. (1994). Protecting children from abuse and neglect: foundations for a new national strategy. Np: the Guildford Press.