The recent case of a mother murdering her three-year-old son sheds light again on the seriousness of child abuse in Korean society.

The 30-something woman, who was undergoing a divorce, beat her son to death out of anger when he insisted on meeting his father and deserted the body at a reservoir in the southern city of Changwon, according to the police. She turned herself in on Friday as the police investigation closed in on her after her son’s body was found in a black bag early last week.

Figures from the Ministry of Health and Welfare show a steep rise in child abuse over the past decade. The number of documented child abuse cases nearly tripled from 2,105 in 2001 to 6,058 in 2011. Abuse of infants aged 0-5 increased from 754 cases in 2008 to 1,104 in the first 10 months of this year.

The actual number might far exceed the official tally, with child abuse cases, most of which are committed by parents, often going unnoticed or unreported.

The increase in detected child abuse comes in line with the dissolution of the traditional family. Children in single-parent families suffering from financial difficulties are particularly exposed to the possibility of being abused. In addition to economic hardship, the feeling of isolation and frustration often combines with the lack of proper nurturing knowledge to make a parent harsh and violent toward his or her child.

Whatever the reasons, efforts should be strengthened to prevent child abuse, which is one of the most savage and cowardly acts as it victimizes those with no ability to express their views and defend themselves. Studies indicate that people who have the experience of being abused in their childhood struggle to grow into adults with a normal mentality. In that sense, child abuse can be termed “spiritual murder.”

Measures should be taken immediately to encourage people to report abuse around them. Teachers and medical doctors, especially, are asked to be more vigilant to possible signs of abuse against the children they teach or treat. Reports by teachers, medical doctors and other professionals who take care of children account for 60-80 percent of the documented child abuse cases in many advanced countries. The corresponding figure, however, stands at around 30 percent in Korea.

Sterner punitive steps need to be taken against child abusers. Of the cases reported over the past decade, less than 3 percent were handled by courts.

It is certain, however, that these measures to encourage reporting and strengthen punishment are not enough to provide effective protection for children vulnerable to abuse.

Concerted efforts should be made by the government and society as a whole to prevent poor and broken families from becoming a setting for habitual child abuse. It could be considered that social workers make periodic visits to those households for monitoring and consulting. Parents under vulnerable conditions should also be given more assistance in nurturing their children ― and education on the destructive effects of their abusive acts.