Child Abuse, Cause And Effect On The Rest Of Their Lives

Sexual abuse can be hard to define because of the many different forms it can take on, the different levels of frequency, the variation of circumstances that can occur. Until a child is fit to function as a self-supporting and informed adult, we have an obligation not to take advantage of their lack of power or protection to inflict damage, or demand submission to acts that are not in their own best interests within. Children are being abused every day in different countries. While commonly accepted wisdom had been that childhood sexual abuse results in long lasting negative outcomes.

A study by Belyea and Zingraff in 1984 surveyed 18,784 male inmates in North Carolina and found that 9% reported childhood abuse or neglect (1998). Dutton and Hart completed two studies, in 1992 and 1994, on 604 adult male inmates to assess abuse they received before the age of 18. 31% of those sampled were physically abused; 11% sexually

For the interviews, six comparable survey instruments were developed: 2 types of abuse (PFE & HFE) X 3 categories of informants (APS, Victims and Third Parties). The interviewee was asked to write a short narrative describing the incident(s) of abuse including relevant information. Then they answered questions that further probed into the nature of the neglect/ abuse linked to the victim, characteristics of the abuser, society’s response (was it investigated) and any final outcome (Jackson & Hafemeister, 2012). Many cases were not investigated especially in PFE with the only action taken was to offer

Being sexually abused is a very traumatizing experience, and this form of victimization at a young age only amplifies the situation. The mortifying nature of child sexual abuse often brings along with it changes in the victim's life. Some of the numerous short term effects (problems that impact them while they are still at a young

Psychology, specifically family psychology plays an important role. Meagan C. Tucker and Christina M. Rodriguez’s 2014 article “Family Dysfunction and Social Isolation as Moderators Between Stress and Child Physical Abuse Risk: states that “In 2010, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) confirmed over 754,000 cases of child maltreatment (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2011; Tucker and Rodrigues 2014). Of these, nearly 18 % were victims of physical maltreatment or child physical abuse (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2011; Tucker and Rodrigues 2014)”. Stress is a big factor and a significant contributor to child physical maltreatment risks. abusive parents often report experiencing a number of significant life events (or stressors), such experiences affect individuals differently because each person’s perception of an event is uniqueusive parents often report experiencing a number of significant life events (or stressors), such experiences affect individuals differently because each person’s perception of an event is unique (Tucker and Rodrigues). Since each person is unique and handles different situations differently, these significant life events can lead to different things. This article specifically points out way to be able to break the cycle of abuse and family dysfunction.

Back in the day there were not as many child protecting laws and assisting facilities like there are today. In 1960’s there was very little information as it relates to child abuse. A Canadian psychologist by the name of William L. Marshall said, “you could read all the information in one morning. With the lack of information there was no way for individuals to readily identify what constituted as child abuser. Child abuse before 1875 was in fact the era before child services were created to protect the children.

The subject of victimization and childhood trauma and neglect, especially sexual victimization is in desperate need of additional awareness despite the increase in the research literature over the past three decades. Youth who experience any form of victimization, whether it be sexual, emotional, and/or physical throughout their childhood are known to have difficulties in their childhood and adolescent development (McCuish, Cale & Corrado, 2015). The abuse they experience can be from their caregivers, sexual victimization by acquaintances and strangers, assaults by peers and can be exposed to violence in their neighborhoods (Finkelhor, Ormrod, Turner and Holt, 2009).

In this book author Beverly Engel has done a remarkable job at discussing effects of child abuse on people and how it effects not only the victims of abuse but also their families and generations in the future. She further talks about how victims become abusers themselves if they are not recovered from their abusive past.

The literature review focuses on childhood abuse and sexual violence revictimization as an adult. Childhood abuse has three main variables that include physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. According to Child Help, more than 3 million reports of child abuse cases are reported every year in the United States, and of this, 78% is from child neglect, 18% child physical abuse, and 9% are child sexual abuse (2014). Childhood abuse is commonly defined as abuse before the age 18, whereas, adult sexual abuse would include abuse after the age of 18.

Finally, sexually abused youth are three to five times more likely to commit delinquent acts than youth who were not victimised. (National Institute of Justice, 2003) Sexual abuse according to the American Psychological Association, is defined as, “unwanted sexual activity, with perpetrators using force, making threats or taking advantage of victims not able to give consent” (American Psychological Association, n.d.). In a study published by the Journal of Psychology, findings conclude as follows:

While the theoretical reasoning that supports the idea that child abuse often leads to crime gives a basis for the concept, much of the evidence that links the two lies in the concrete details. The visible effects of child abuse and neglect that assist with the basis that has been given by the psychological theories lies in observable behavioral and emotional effects of those who are known to have been subject to maltreatment as children. Some children who have a history with abuse do not experience any repercussions while others experience extreme consequences; this is largely because of the certain child’s ability to handle and grow from negative experiences (Child Welfare Information Gateway 3). Children who experience consequences

Child Abuse. How does one decide what constitutes abuse? Is there a thin line between abuse and discipline? We often hear the horrific stories of child abuse in our communities, but are we as a society so used to hearing these stories that we have become desensitized to them?

Research conducted in the United States of America clearly identifies an interaction between victim age and abuse characteristics (USDHHS, 2003). There exists a negative correlation between the onset and prevalence of physical neglect and victim age, for instance, indicative of a young child's dependency upon the caregiver for supervision and nurture (Mash & Wolfe, 2005). The incidence of physical and emotional abuse is also most prominent during developmental periods of independence, specifically the early, pre-school and adolescent transitional stages of development (ibid). Sexual abuse has prevailed most consistently, however, from an onset of age 3 throughout childhood, highlighting the vulnerability of children across the age-spectrum (ibid). Nevertheless, victim gender is emphasised as an influential variable within the incidence and nature of sexual abuse; for females have accounted for up to 80% of reported victims and are more likely to be abused by male family members in contrast to male victims, where the perpetrator of abuse is more likely to be a non-family male offender (USDHHS, 2003; Berliner & Elliott, 2002).

“Being abuses or neglected as a child increased the likelihood of arrest as a juvenile by 53 percent, as adult by 38 percent, and for a violent criminal by 48 percent” (Widom, 1992).

Child abuse is just one of the problems in America we face today. Child abuse affects a child’s mind, emotional state of being and this type of abuse or cruelty molds a person to whom they are by the age of eighteen and is a worldwide prevailing occurrence. “Child abuse or ill-treatment creates all forms of physical and /or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power.” Child sexual abuse had been extensively known as one of the distress in a child’s life. Previous study have delivered tough indication of child sexual abuse is connected with a quantity of psychological, social, and mental health problems. Depression, anxiety, alcohol and drug abuse, and most illnesses among adult child sexual abuse victims. Former analyses have stated that some of the fears include sexual illnesses, victimization, and close acquaintance violence. In recent times, it has been establish that various physical health conditions are connected to child sexual abuse. In accumulation, child sexual abuse fighters have been found to accomplish less in knowledge and revenue.