Impact Of Parental Abuse On Children And Families

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.

Considering the large number of children who are victims of child abuse, it is important to investigate not only the immediate effects of abuse, but also the long-term effects on the child’s well-being. Exposure to childhood maltreatment is a non-specific risk factor associated with many short and long term negative outcomes ranging from externalizing and internalizing behaviors, dissociative symptoms and self-harm behaviors, and adaptability and coping skills (Jackson, Gabrielli, Fleming, Tunno, & Makanui, 2014). When a child grows up in a home environment characterized by hostile interpersonal relationships, physical maltreatment, or neglect he or she is at risk for long-term developmental concerns regarding physiological, social, emotional,

According to the Administration for Children and Families (2013), there are one million verified cases of childhood maltreatment reported annually in the United States. This constitutes approximately 35% of the childhood population in the United States. Of these cases, 79.5% were the result of neglect, emotional abuse, and abandonment. Over 3% of these children attempted or completed suicide (Administration for Children and Families, 2013).

Child abuse in the United States is a growing epidemic. Every year the number of reported cases, and missing children go up. This is caused mostly by lack of education about the different types of child abuse, and the signs that go along with it. Communities need to provide more resources to better educate the public about the types of abuse, and the signs that go along with it. Child abuse and neglect can be lessened by more resources, more education and to reach out to others.

Adolescents in single-parent households that were probably subjected to abuse as a child may go on to exhibit similar behavior toward their children in the future. Eliana Gil, PhD, suggests that “some adults abused as children do become aggressors…By acting out the role of the abuser, they may be unconsciously trying to understand why the earlier abuse occurred” (Gil, 1988). This clarifies the fact that though the adolescents may not at first demonstrate violent behavior, they may expose this role of the abuser when triggered later in life. Abused adolescents become abusers of their children due to frustration caused by how they were raised as a child, what current situation they may be in, or difficulties in accepting behaviors of their spouse or children. Ultimately, the individual abuses the people that are closest to them, such as spouses and children. As this continues, resentment and tension is built up within the family and thus recommencing the abusive cycle throughout generations.

The CDC has states that one in every four children suffer abuse. An estimated 702,000 children were confirmed by child protective services as being victims of abuse and neglect in 2014. (CDC, 2016) Studies have found abused and neglected children to be at least 25% more likely to experience problems such as delinquency, teen pregnancy and low academic achievement. (CDC, 2016) A National Institute of Justice study indicated that being abused or neglected as a child increased the likelihood of arrest as juvenile by 59%. Abuse and neglect also increased the likelihood of adult criminal behavior by 28% and violent crime by 30%. (CDC, 2016)

Abstract: Childhood abuse has been present throughout many years but it has never been brought into life as it is today. The child’s brain is just as a sponge, absorbing every detail of their daily lives. If the child lives in an environment where there is abuse, that child in the future will do the same because it was what he got used to. Many parents use violence as a form of punishment when they do not realize that by only being violent, they are creating a trauma on the child which can lead in the future to depression, substance abuse, physical abuse and losing touch of reality. Even though children have to learn to have an education, do not resort to abuse.

Those who are abused as children may face many difficulties as they grow and develop. The repercussions of the abuse can have lasting effects that continue into adulthood, causing additional problems. Although research has been done on child abuse, it is important to understand the lasting effects the abuse can have on the victims. Recent literature has focused on these effects in an attempt to understand how to provide better treatment to victims of child abuse.

Abuse is an issue that has been and is still currently prevalent in our society today. Abuse is defined as, “the use of force in order to try to dominate a child, to compel him/her to do dangerous things that he/she does not want to do, expose him/her to hazardous situations perceive by him/her as dangerous” (Rus & Galabeaza, 2013). Child abuse in particular, is a common issue that occurs in families of all backgrounds. There are several types of abuse, which include: physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. When it comes to impact abuse can have on children, it was stated that, “abused children suffer from anxiety and depression more frequently than other children and often show a very low level of self-esteem (Rus & Galabeaza, 2013).

Child Abuse is a huge social problem that affects children from all walks of life. It can have detrimental long-term negative consequences that forever change the lives of millions of people. It’s extremely important to understand the impact it has on the mental and social well-being of young adults and try to prevent the ongoing cycle of violence. As a society, we need to become more aware of how serious this problem is and try to intervene before the consequences affect future generations. Theories have been proposed to try and explain these different effects and how it contributes to negative behaviors throughout their development and many of these theories have provided valuable information to help answer some of these research

Childhood is where a person’s life begins and forms. Once a child is exposed to violence or is abused, it stays with them forever. A child’s brain forms daily and they are always ready to learn. So if they are taught love and care or violence and cruelty then they will sure learn this and mimic it. Once a child experiences any type of abuse they should get treated professionally as soon as possible because the longer they wait to get treated the more risk they run to have emotional problems later in their life. Child abuse affects every child no matter where they are from or how they live. For example as they grow little by little they will have trouble trying to express their feelings. This can lead to anxiety later in their lives.

In addressing child abuse we are confronted with a series of problems. On the one hand, there is a lack of the true extent of the phenomenon because no data are available and that the issue, often refers to the most intimate spaces of family life. Furthermore, cultural and historical traditions affect the way each society faces this problem. Finally, there are varying opinions as to its definition and classification, as well as the consequences of child abuse may have and its subsequent therapeutic management.

One million children in forty- eight states were victims of substantiated child abuse and neglect in 1994 (Child - Abuse Prevention 1). Out of all the abuse allegations in 2000 only 879,000 cases were able to be proved. Which approximately 1200 children died as a result of child abuse or neglect and forty-four percent of these were younger than one years old. Defenseless children are severely abused constantly every year across the United States, leaving life -long negative effects on their futures. By educating our youth about the impact their words and physical abuse can cause someone, our future generations will have an understanding of why they should handle their aggression.

Child abuse potentially impacts children in the long run. When a child is abused it doesn’t just affect them now, it’s something that lasts a lifetime. Child abuse lingers in many forms, it affects the child mentally and it even influences their academic environment. Not only that but it follows them into adulthood and could even impact the way they parent their own children. Child abuse leaves lasting scars that are permanent in their lives.

While most would agree that the effects of child abuse are both mentally and physically harmful to the child in their immediate life, less think about the damage that can take place long term, carrying years into the future as a result. Such long lasting effects of childhood abuse are explored thoroughly, with the intent of connecting child abuse to serious and permanent mental illnesses acquired later in life, along with an assessment on how leaving behind outdated physical disciplining methods such as spanking in favor of shorter punishments accompanied with the frequent use of praise can help improve child behavior overall. Such an analysis not only assesses preventative resources pertaining to child abuse but more effective, less overall harmful methods of discipline and parenting. With an analysis of the ineffectiveness of physical punishment, alternative forms of discipline, and the risk of great emotional harm in children’s lives as they grow up, childhood abuse is further explored to combat its rising prominence in society.