The Effects Of Childhood Abuse On Children

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.

Child abuse affects millions of children every year. Child abuse is defined as “the hurting or causing harm to a child” (Stewart, 2003, p. 6). Most people do not understand why a parent would want to hurt their children. “The general belief is that parents who maltreat their children are pathological and certainly not like us” (Polonko, 2005). It is not just parents that abuse the children it is also teachers, babysitters, and daycare workers (Stewart, 2003). Lingern (2008) reported the following:

One of the rising issues among children in our society today is the verbal and physical abuse they

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 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)

Children everywhere are being abused by their parents whether it be physical or emotional abuse. In order to help prevent child abuse, one must first understand some of the reasons that parents abuse their children. There is no excuse to abuse one’s child and there have been many studies conducted in order to make correlations between what causes child abuse. A National Incidence Study (NIS-3), was conducted and found a correlation between family income and child abuse. “Other factors include family structure and size, poverty, alcohol and substance abuse, domestic violence, and community violence are contributing factors to child abuse and neglect.”(Rein). All these factors are very stressful and many parents turn to violence to deal with a wailing child. Also, children in poor health are at a much higher risk of being abused or neglected. More and more children are being abused as substance abuse is on the rise. Often times the severity of

"Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will break our hearts" (Fulghum). Psychological abuse in children does not receive as much attention as physical abuse; however, verbal abuse, emotional abuse and neglect can affect children as much as physical abuse. When compared to physical abuse, psychological abuse has less punishments for the perpetrators, more chances of occurring and different effects on the victims.

It is documented that millions of children are abused every year and that most abuse cases happen in the home. The most common forms of abuse that occur to children are maltreatment and neglect. (Hodgdon, Kinniburgh, Gabowitz, Blaustein, & Spinazzola, 2013). Research shows that abuse causes a negative impact on children who have been mistreated. Some examples of this are the abuse disrupts the biological and psychological development of these children, and the abuse also causes behavior, learning, and emotional problems within the children who have experienced any sort of abuse (Brassard & Rivelis, 2009). Some of the symptoms that children who have been abused experience are depression, PTSD, internalizing and externalizing behaviors (Kjellgren, Svedin, & Nilsson, 2013). Overall, abuse can have a severe negative effect on children and their development, which means that there needs to be an effective treatment to help these children cope and treat their symptoms.

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.

With the striking of an object, the father leaves the child laying helplessly on the floor. The child wailing out for help from a “parent”, but no parent comes, so there the child lay balling. How could a parent abuse something they created? A person that is abused feels alone because they do not have a real parent figure, nor a family member to talk to. Some parents claim they spank the child; however, hit the child more than once. Abused children not only experience the effects of the abuse in childhood, but it also becomes a lifelong battle into adulthood.

Child abuse is a topic that mostly everyone knows or is at least familiar with. It is an inexcusable action that is unforgivable, it can do detrimental damage that may be irreversible. Many see it only as the story that is told, but they do not see the effects it could have and the journey the children and families go through to change or have control of the situation. Children are the main victims of abuse but their families and peers also get affected by this unjustifiable act. Through the fearful situation they have experienced, they can develop physiological problem, go through the court system, but one thing they need the most throughout their journey is support, and their families and peers can also seek it to prevent future situations to develop.

million children every year. While killing an average of 4 to7 children every day, and about

“It’s easier to throw away a child who reacts to his abuse than attempt to heal his pain”- Dwight E. Abbot . As a world we need to protect our children from child abuse whether the abuser is emotionally disabled or not mentally stable if we make a change to stopping child abuse many children lives can be saved. Child abuse endangers the child’s physical and emotional health and development. Our society needs to prevent child abuse at all cost. Throughout the united started about 5 children every day losses their lives because of child abuse.

Why do folks abuse their child or children? Child abuse includes physical mistreatment and neglect, and happens everywhere throughout the world. These poor little kids are being hit, kicked, poisoned, burned, slapped, or having objects thrown at them. At the point when a child encounters physical child abuse, the wounds runs genuinely deep. Abusing children is the last thing an adult should do to a child because they can either become broken, bitter, or hollow. Authorized implications vary from state to state, however, child physical abuse is any physical demonstration by a caregiver that outcomes in a child being hurt or injured. Children who are physically abused can create child traumatic stress. They are also at risk for depression and anxiety. Child abuse has been linked to poor physical, emotional, and mental development. According to R. Kim Oates, Michael G. Ryan, and Suzette M. Booth (2000), “Child abuse did not become recognized by professions until around the elate 1960s and early 1970s, the abuse of children has been a feature of most societies for many centuries” (p.133).

Although child abuse has soon become a more discussed issue, it is nothing new in today’s society. Dating back to ancient times, physical child abuse has always attributed to lives of people around the world. Approaching and understanding child mistreatment has changed as societies have modernized and progressed; whereas one thing remains an unalterable issue, child abuse happens constantly and continuously worldwide.