Child abuse is serious and an increasing problem across the country. Stories that exemplify tragic and severe examples of abuse and neglect are often publicized while many children continue to live quietly in situations that are never mentioned but equally disturbing. Child abuse and neglect impact as many as 1 in 4 children in America today. . There are many causes of abuse and neglect. The parents may not know how to properly care for children or have a history of being abused themselves . Substance abuse is also common. 70 percent of maltreatment cases involving children also involve substance abuse. The effects of child abuse and neglect can be long-lasting and sometimes irreversible. They include psychological damage, a continued cycle of abuse, and even death. Child abuse and neglect does not have to happen, regardless of the root of causes. All causes are preventable through education.
- Inadequate education/history of abuse
- The parent may be immature, have unrealistic expectations about their life, or simply be unable to cope with their parenting, professional, and personal roles as an adult.
- Inability to cope or immaturity makes it easy to resort to abuse in times of crisis and panic.
- The parent will reach a breaking point and abuse the child out of aggression or withdraw and neglect the child.
- This aggression, fear, anxiety, or sadness may manifest later in the child. The child is not being taught reasonable coping techniques to carry into adulthood.
- Substance Abuse
- 70 percent of maltreatment cases involved children also involve substance abuse.
- Children may be placed in foster care where they may also be abused or neglected due to a faulty system.
- The parent’s addiction will lead to neglect.
- Children exposed to illegal can be physically harmed by fumes
- Effects of Abuse and Neglect
- Victims of child abuse and neglect are more likely to be depressed and abuse substances later in life.
- Children exposed to substance abuse are more likely to experiment and become addicts.
- Victims of child abuse are also more likely to become abusers themselves if they are not educated on more positive coping mechanisms.
- Feelings of shame, guilt, suicidal and homicidal thoughts, anger, fear, and anxiety may remain their entire life.
- Extreme effects of child abuse include death and mental retardation.
- Exposure to illegal substances prenatally or in infancy.
- Cause and effects of child abuse and neglect are gruesome.
- Many of the reasons come from the parents not being educated on how to raise a child.
- Other reasons come from a never-ending cycle that turns the abused into the abuser.
- One way to discontinue the cycle is to educate children as well as new parents on proper coping techniques
- Methods to behave when you are angry, sad, anxious, or afraid
- Methods to behave properly in times of crisis
- Teach consistently that violence and negligence are never okay under any circumstances
- Rehabilitate substance abusers
- With these methods we can decrease the amount of child abuse as well as the number of children impacted by maltreatment every day.
References
Brown, J., Cohen, P. J., & Smailes, E. M. (2005). Childhood Abuse and Neglect: Specificity of Effects on Adolescent and Young Adult Depression and Suicidality . Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 149-156.
Chaffin, M., Kellher, K., & Hollenberg, J. (2004). Onset of physical abuse and neglect: Psychiatric, substance abuse, and social risk factors from prospective community data. Child Abuse & Neglect, 191-203.
McFarlane, M., Doueck, H. J., & Murray, L. (2003). Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect. Social Sciences, 13-29.
Ney, P. G., Fung, T., & W. A. (1999). Child Abuse: Physical and Emotional Abuse and Neglect. Pearson: New York.
