The Affect of Child Abuse

This paper explores 11 published articles which report on results from research conducted on the links between child abuse and adult physical and mental health. The articles vary in their themes and ideas of child abuse in relations to trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress, juvenile offenses, and teen dating violence. Other articles suggest adult criminal behaviors, incarceration and parenting styles of those who were abused as children. This paper examines the relationship within one another of how child abuse affects those children in later years and stages of life.

In the typical classroom, a 4-year-old child once said, “If someone wants to have sex with you, you have to do it.” (Rafanello) Child abuse is more prevalent now than ever, and the numbers are only growing. This shows us that child abuse is more relevant now than ever. The amount of damage inflicted on these children mentally range from mild to extreme. This is why it’s important that child abuse gets reported as soon as possible.

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).

The author of this book ,Stuart was abused by his step father that almost ruined his life and ended up in hospital, but in this book he writes about how he survived the

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,

The results of this study show those women with a history of childhood physical abuse had experienced dating violence as well. “One hundred thirteen women (36.7%) reported a history of child physical abuse (see Table 1), and 82 (26.6%) women reported a history of moderate to severe dating violence. Of the 113 women with a child abuse history, 39 (34.5%) reported a history of moderate to severe dating violence. Of the 195 who reported minor or no child abuse history, 43 (22.1%) reported being the victims of moderate to severe dating violence” (Fiorillo, Papa & Follette, 2013). Differences in the rate of dating violence among women versus a history of non-child physical abuse were considerable. This shows that child physical abuse has a correlation with re-victimization through dating violence.

Childhood trauma is one of the most common problems among people today around the world. For many, their childhood has led them down roads of deep depression, anger and even fear. While for some, they feel as though they have had a pretty normal childhood. Child abuse not only can affect their work relationships, but even their own relationships with spouses and children. The effects childhood trauma and abuse has on adults limit not only their workplace relationships and interpersonal relationships, but also their own relationship with themselves as they mature.

Although some kinds of sexual behaviors are quite common among non-abused children (for example, kissing, touching genitals manually), sexually abused children tend to engage in a greater number of sexual behaviors than their non-abused peers, many of which are developmentally talented and seemingly imitative of adult sexual activity. Such behavior not only may result in interpersonal rejection or stigmatization by the victim 's peer environment, but also may lead to social sanctions and punishments when it escalates into the victimization of other children. As adults, survivors report a greater fear of both men and women. They are more likely to remain single and, once married, are more likely to divorce or separate from their spouses than are those without sexual abuse histories. Sexual abuse survivors typically report having fewer friends, less interpersonal trust, less satisfaction in their relationships, more maladaptive interpersonal patterns and greater discomfort, isolation, and interpersonal sensitivity. It is said that adults victimized as children may see themselves as unworthy of relationships with people they consider good or healthy, and that some victims may attempt to gain mastery over the abuse experience by recreating it in the form of involvement in poor or abusive relationships. In

Social effects of child physical abuse largely influence the life of the child. Gluck highlights the fact that child abuse victims have a more difficult time forming appropriate and long-term friendships. This is due in part to the effect on the child that causes them to struggle trusting others in basic terms. It is also noted that children who have suffered more long-term abuse often have difficulty with basic social skills and struggle to communicate like their non-abused counterparts. Interestingly, Gluck notes that children that have been abused often use aggression for solving issues in their personal lives. In fact, these social effects transfer into the child’s adult life as well. Victims of child abuse are also noted to be more likely to be a part of drug and alcohol use and addiction, and are also more likely to physically abuse their own

Abuse is associated with other damaging factors in the victim’s life, as studies find 80% of 21 year olds that were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder (Amy B. Silverman, 2008). In a book by Heiman, he said that abused children are also more likely to engage in sexual risk behaviors, causing them to be 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy. Also it put those young adults at greater risk for STD’s along with sexual behaviors that put children at risk. Studies also show that children who were abused are more likely to use drugs when they become young adults. While statistic shows an disturbing number of inmates have been abused as children, it is wondered that the actual number might be even higher as

Every year, child abuse and neglect affect more than one million children nation-wide (Currie and Tekin 1). Along with this, child abuse is the source of severe injury to more than 500,000 children and the death of over 1,500 children (Currie and Tekin 1). These outrageously large numbers reveal the extent to which child abuse and neglect impact society; however, they do not acknowledge the effect abuse can have on a child’s life and the repercussions that may occur in both the individual’s childhood and adulthood. While the effects most certainly include physical pain and possibly future disabilities, child abuse and neglect can also affects the child’s psychological welfare. Psychological effects are often more difficult to recognize,

The reasoning behind this is because abuse is obviously very prevalent, especially among children. Not only does abuse affect a child’s well-being but heavily weighs on the outcome of their near future. There has been research done but the vast majority of research indicates that child abuse physically results in negative outcomes in adulthood. (Harris.Block.Ogle.Goodman.Larson, 2015, P.1082). Important factors that are able to majorly affect the outcomes after abuse include: self-esteem, family structure, how a child develops physically and mentally, and the types of abuse and neglect. The outcomes are more likely to be negative due to these factors but are to be overcome. (Harris.Block.Ogle.Goodman.Larson, 2015, P.1090). Although abuse in the United States cannot be completely eradicated, the hope is that by raising awareness, children and families can recognize that a positive future is

Child abuse is a term impacted by copious multidimensional and interactive factors that relate to its origins and effects upon a child's developing capacities and which may act as a catalyst to broader, longer-term implications for adulthood. Such maltreatment may be of a sexual, physical, emotional or neglectful nature, each form holding a proportion of shared and abuse-specific psychological considerations (Mash & Wolfe, 2005). Certainly in terms of the effects / impairments of abuse, developmental factors have been identified across all classifications of child abuse, leading to a comparably greater risk of emotional / mental health problems in adult life within the general population

In today’s society, child abuse is widespread and has an affect on everyone who comes across it. The act of child abuse happens everyday to a variety of kids who are typically younger and scared to tell anyone. All children are born with the right to be able to develop, grow, live and love according to their needs and feelings. For a child 's development they need protection and reassurance from adults who love them and help them acquire the skills to be a successful adult. However, some children are neglected and hurt by adults that they trust. The abuse a child receives makes them feel bad about themselves, and it is much worse when it occurs within a family because it makes them feel unloved and alone causing them to have problems. “Abuse of all types was more frequent in those from disturbed and disrupted family backgrounds. Logistic regressions indicated that some, though not all, of the apparent associations between abuse and adult problems was accounted for by this matrix of childhood disadvantage from which abuse so often emerged. Numerous studies have investigated the psychological sequelae of childhood trauma, including posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD), dissociation, personality disorder, and substance abuse ”(“New Retrospective Measure of Child Abuse and Neglect” by David P. Bernstein). The act of child abuse causes kids to have one or more mental problems. Additionally, since people do not recognize the abuse while it is occurring, it causes these problems to