Child Abuse: The Facts
Since 1980, many studies have been conducted on child abuse by the UNICEF foundation. 20 percent of women and 5 to 10 percent of men were sexually abused as children (UNICEF). That doesn’t include the people who have been physically and emotionally abused as well. Child abuse can be deadly. As a result of child abuse, four children die every day, and one out of four of these children are under the age of four (Childhelp). Three million reports of child abuse are made every year in the United States, but this doesn’t include the many incidences of child abuse that go unreported. Experts believe that the amount of child abuse is actually three times the reported number (Childhelp).
Wikipedia defines child abuse as the “physical, sexual, or emotional maltreatment or neglect of children by parents, guardians or others.” (Wikipedia). Child abuse is also a cycle in many cases, with one third of abused children abusing their own children (Childhelp). No ethnic group, culture, or religion is safe from child abuse (Childhelp).
Physical Abuse
According to Wikipedia, physical abuse is defined as being abuse that involves physical contact to cause pain, injury or other physical harm or suffering (Wikipedia). Physical abuse includes shaking, slapping, punching, beating, kicking, biting, and burning (NACC).
Signs of physical abuse to children include unexplained or repeated injuries (such as bruises or welts), injuries that are in the shape of an object (such as a belt buckle), injuries not likely to happen given the age or ability of the child (such as broken bones in a child too young to walk/climb), disagreement between the child’s and parent’s explanation of the injury, unreasonable explanation of the injury, obvious neglect of the child (such as inappropriate clothing for the weather, and lack of medical care), and fearful behavior (keepkidsheathy.com).
Shaken Baby Syndrome is one form of physical abuse that affects between 1,200 and 1,600 children per year (CDC). Shaken baby syndrome is a collection of signs and symptoms resulting from violently shaking an infant or child (CDC). 25 to 30 percent of infant victims of shaken baby syndrome die from their injuries (CDC). Nonfatal consequences of shaken baby syndrome are visual impairment, motor impairment, and cognitive impairments (CDC).
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse is also referred to as molestation. Wikipedia defines sexual abuse as the “forcing of undesired sexual acts by one person to another.” (Wikipedia). Also, the term incest is used to define sexual abuse between family members (Wikipedia). Sexual abuse includes touching, fondling, exploitation, exposing a child to adult sexuality, violations of privacy, and penetration (Helpguide). Sexual abuse accounts for about 10 percent of child abuse (Helpguide). Sexual abuse is more common than most people think. Some surveys say that as many as 1 in 5 adult women and 1 in 10 adult men report having been sexually abused as children (Medem). More than 80 percent of child sexual abusers are people the child victims know (Helpguide).
Signs of sexual abuse include a child disclosing to someone that they were sexually mistreated, physical signs (such as difficulty in walking or sitting; stained or bloody underwear; genital/rectal pain, itching, swelling redness or discharge; bruises or other injuries in the genital/rectal area.), behavioral or emotional signs (such as difficulty eating or sleeping, soiling or wetting pants after being potty trained, acting like a much younger child, excessive crying or sadness, withdrawing from activities and others, and talking about or acting out sexual acts beyond normal sex play for their age) (keepkidshealthy.com).
One form of sexual abuse that is used in a lot of African countries is Female Genital Mutilation. It could also fall into the category of physical abuse as well. Most of the girls and women who have undergone genital mutilation live in 28 African countries, but some live in Asia and the Middle East (WHO). Female genital mutilation is partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for cultural, religious or other non-therapeutic reasons (WHO). The age at which the mutilation occurs varies, but is most commonly performed on infants a few days old, children and adolescents (WHO). The number of girls and women who have undergone female genital mutilation is estimated between 100 to 140 million.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional or psychological abuse is the humiliation or intimidation of another person (Wikipedia). Emotional or psychological abuse includes threats, name calling, belittling and shaming (NACC). Emotional or psychological abuse not only includes verbal abuse, but withholding affection, extreme punishment and corruption are also forms of abuse (Helpguide). Emotional abuse can not only come from adults but can come from other children, such as siblings and bullies (helpguide).
Signs of emotional abuse are aggressive or withdrawn behavior, shying away from physical contact with parents or adults, and the fear of going home (keepkidshealthy.com).
Neglect
Neglect is the failure of a child’s caretakers to provide for a child’s fundamental needs (NACC). Neglect typically concerns adequate food, housing, clothing, medical care and education (NACC). Often, neglected children are physically smaller than their peers, and may lack the nurturing necessary to develop normally (Medem). Child neglect is the most common form of child maltreatment (CWIG).
Physical neglect is the most recognizable form of neglect. It includes abandonment, expulsion, shuttling, nutritional neglect, clothing neglect, and other physical neglect (CWIG). Abandonment is when a child is deserted without arrangement for the child’s reasonable care or supervision (CWIG). Expulsion is the refusal of custody (CWIG). Shuttling is when a child is repeatedly left in the custody of others for days or weeks at a time (CWIG). Nutritional neglect is when a child is undernourished, which can be seen in poor growth (CWIG). Clothing neglect is when a child lacks appropriate clothing (CWIG). Other physical neglect is things like inadequate hygiene and forms of reckless disregard for the child’s safety or welfare (CWIG). Medical neglect is the denial or delay of heath care for a child (CWIG). Inadequate supervision is also a form of child neglect. Lack of appropriate supervision, exposure to hazards, inappropriate caregivers are forms of inadequate supervision (CWIG). Emotional neglect is also a form of child neglect. Forms of emotional neglect are inadequate nurturing or affection, exposure to chronic or extreme spouse abuse, permitted drug or alcohol abuse, and isolation (CWIG). Educational neglect is when a child has permitted or chronic truancy, failure to enroll, and inattention to special education needs (CWIG). The final form of child neglect is when a newborn is addicted or exposed to drugs.
Cases of child neglect are classified as mild, moderate and severe (CWIG). Mild neglect usually doesn’t warrant a call to Child Protective Services (CWIG). An example of mild neglect is a parent failing to put a child in a car safety seat (CWIG). Moderate neglect occurs when some moderate harm to the child has occurred, and Child Protective Services may be involved (CWIG). For example, moderate neglect may be a child who is dressed inappropriately for the weather, such as a child in sandals and shorts in the middle of winter (CWIG). Severe neglect occurs when long-term harm has been done to the child, and Child Protective Services should be and is usually involved (CWIG). A child who has asthma who is not receiving care for their illness and is constantly hospitalized is an example of severe neglect.
Munchausen’s Syndrome by Proxy
A rare but serious psychological illness related to child abuse is Munchausen’s Syndrome by Proxy. Wikipedia lists it as being a fabricated or induced illness (Wikipedia). “Munchausen’s Syndrome by Proxy involves a caregiver who feigns or induces an illness in another person, usually to gain power and control over the victim as well as attention or sympathy from others.” (Wikipedia)
In one case of Munchausen’s syndrome by Proxy, a girl named Bree was physically abused. Now age 29, she can recount details of her abuse. She says her mother withheld crucial antibiotics when she was an infant, which caused her to be a sickly child. Although her health stabilized during childhood, at age 12, her mother learned a family secret. Bree had been named after her father’s childhood crush. At that time, Bree says she could taste something odd about her food. It turned out to be emetic ipecac, which induces vomiting and is used in cases of accidental poisoning. After meals with emetic ipecac, Bree suffered from uncontrollable vomiting and extreme dehydration, eventually causing her to miss school and be confined to a wheelchair.
At age 18, doctors found toxic levels of an anti-seizure medication in her blood, after they had told her mother to stop treatment with the medication. Bree was taken to a foster home. Thankfully, Bree has survived and recovered with help from a new, loving family and years of therapy. Bree says that her mother seemed to be punishing her for ideas of her father, but she also loved the attention that a sick child gave her. (Weintraub)
Consequences and Effects of Abuse
There are many consequences and effects of child abuse for the victim. 80 percent of young adults who had been abused met the diagnostic criteria for one or more psychiatric disorders at the age of twenty-one (childhelp). Such psychiatric disorders include depression, anxiety, eating disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (Childhelp). Also, abused children are more likely to experience teen pregnancy (Childhelp). They are also three times less likely to practice safe sex (Childhelp).
People who were abused as children are also more likely to get in trouble with the law. Children who are abused are 59 percent more likely to be arrested as juveniles (Childhelp). Not only that, but they are 28 percent more likely to be arrested as adults, and 30 percent more likely to commit violent crime (Childhelp). Also, 14.4 percent of all men in prison in the United States were abused as children, as well as 36.7 percent of all women in prison were abused as children (Childhelp).
Substance abuse is also a problem with the victims of abuse. Children who have been sexually abused are two and a half times more likely to abuse alcohol, and 3.8 times more likely to abuse drugs (Childhelp). Nearly two-thirds of people in substance abuse treatment programs report being abused as children (Childhelp).
Child abuse has many emotional effects as well. Children who are abused can have low self esteem, depression, anxiety, aggressive behavior, anger issues, relationship difficulties, feel alienated, feel withdrawn, personality disorders, are clingy or needy, and have flashbacks and nightmares (Helpguide). Adults who were abused as children can have trust issues, as well as issues involving intimate relationships (Helpguide).
There are also behavioral effects of child abuse. People who were abused as children can experience problems in school/work, prostitution, teen pregnancy, suicide attempts, criminal/antisocial behavior, substance abuse, eating disorders, and spousal abuse.
Some children don’t recover from abuse. In the year 2002, an estimated 1,500 children were confirmed to have died from abuse: 36 percent of the deaths are from neglect, 28 percent of deaths from physical abuse, and 29 percent of these deaths are from multiple maltreatment types (CDC).
Treatment of Abuse
Children who have been abused need treatment immediately, and they also need protection. Early detection and treatment of abuse increases the likelihood of full recovery (Medem). Seeing a physician such as a pediatrician or family physician is the first step (Medem). Treatment depends on the type of abuse. This physician can treat any physical problems as well as evaluate the child’s condition (Medem). The physician may refer the child to a child psychiatrist, child psychologist, clinical social worker or rape victim advocate (Medem). Children benefit most from psychological counseling, especially those who were abused by a parent or other close relative (Medem).
Prevention of Abuse
There are many tips directed towards parents for prevention of child abuse. Never discipline your child when your anger is out of control is a good tip for physical abuse prevention (Childhelp). Teach your child the difference between “good touches” and “bad touches” is a good tip for sexual abuse prevention (Childhelp). Also, listen to your children and believe what they say (Childhelp).
What to do if you suspect abuse
According to keepkidshealthy.com, there are many steps to take when you suspect child abuse of any kind. First, you should take the child to a quiet, private area, and then you should gently encourage the child to give you enough information to evaluate whether abuse has occurred. You must remain calm so you don’t upset the child. And if the child reveals the abuse, you must tell them that you believe them, and that they are right to tell you, and that they are not ‘bad’. You also should tell the child that you are going to talk to people who can help him/her. Record all information and immediately report the suspected abuse to local authorities, such as Child Protective Services. In many states, reporting suspected abuse is required by law. (keepkidshealthy.com)
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By Jose Leonidas, December 1, 2007 @ 10:42 am
Dear Stefanie,
Thank you for your work. I am bookmarking your site for future reference.
I am from Quezon City, Philippines, am a teacher and working for child-injury prevention.
AL Jose Leonidas