This paper will propose a worldwide approach to child abuse. There are many types of child abuse such as sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, etc. Neglect is the most common form of child abuse. Psychological abuse includes verbal abuse, humiliation, and acts that terrorize a child. This paper will discuss the effects of child abuse, There are many child abuse cases all around the world. Those who are victims of child abuse are going to be affected in these domains of development: Physical, psychological, emotional, behavioral, and social. Most of the time the victims of child abuse would end up as criminals not just that but even do the same to their kids. The parents, relatives, or caregivers have failed to provide warmth, supervision, encouragement, love, and affection, etc. Besides all this, there are cases where a victim of child abuse would take their own life. Child abuse can be avoided and the outcome is that a child will start developing depression, develop substance abuse later on as an adult, and other behavioral problems growing up. Abused children are most likely to end up in criminal behavior and develop psychological disorders. This paper will talk about solutions, In many states there is an organization made called the (CPS) Child Protective Services. This organization is responsible for assessment, investigation, and interventions regarding a child who is abused and neglected and helps find a better home where the child can be safe and get the right care that they need.
Child Abuse Worldwide
Now during this time with the COVID-19 pandemic happening, everyone is behind closed doors. According to Cheeseman, during the pandemic, as we have told you before some issues are going unreported, and children could be stuck in a house with their abusers all day. It was decreasing over the past few years, but it seems to have increased more now because of the outbreak of COVID-19. 2019 we saw a 4% increase. 2020 we had a 15% increase. All around the world, children who are poor, born differently, unwanted children, and even female in some cases are all vulnerable to maltreatment. Child abuse is a larger problem than anyone could think of and it can happen anywhere.
An estimated 1 billion children aged 2-17 years experienced physical, sexual, emotional, or multiple types of violence. Even a quarter of all adults today can report that they have been physically abused and in most cases, one in five women and one in 13 men can report having been sexually abused as a child. The effects of child abuse can last for life. As reported by Gilbert (2009) studies have consistently shown that maltreated children have lowered educational achievement than other groups of children.
Child abuse and neglect refers to any behavior that is done by parents, caregivers, relatives, etc. and it entails a substantial risk of causing physical and emotional harm to a child and other adolescents. Whether it is intentional or unintentional. Hunter (2012) A child who has experienced abuse or neglect has few protective factors like relationships with extended family and friends. Once more, the types of child abuse and neglect are physical abuse, emotional maltreatment, neglect, sexual abuse, witnessing family violence, etc.
Child neglect is when the parent of a child or the caregiver, does not give the right care and support needed for a child's health, safety, and well-being. Sexual Abuse occurs when an adult or caregiver uses controls a child for sexual purposes or even involves them in sexual acts. 20.7% of adult report being sexually abused back in their childhood. Emotional Abuse is when a parent harms a child's mental and social development or causes severe emotional harm. This is a pattern of behavior that causes damage over time. 10.6% of adults report being emotionally abused as a child.
However, not all children are exposed to similar experiences of abuse and neglect and are sometimes not affected in the same way as others. Risk factors that can contribute to poor outcomes for children exposed to abuse and neglect include social economic advantage, social isolation, caregiver with depression, or alcohol or drug dependence, especially when the child has a disability.
According to Haskett (2006), Critical factors that fluence the way that child abuse and neglect affect children and young people include the frequency and duration of maltreatment and the co-occurrence of multiple forms of maltreatment. There are different types of maltreatment and it is suggested that they are interrelated, meaning that a large proportion of children and adolescents who experience childhood abuse or neglect are exposed to more than one type of abuse.
In child maltreatment bullying and assault by a peer can often be found and are forms of victimization. Evidence suggests that the younger the child was at the time of maltreatment, the more likely they are to experience problems later in life and the higher the likelihood of negative outcomes. There are serious effects on developing the brain when there appears to be trauma that is caused by experiences of child abuse and neglect. The brain develops over time and through interaction with the environment, but in some cases, children who experience child abuse are socially isolated. As reported by (NSCDC,2007) Chronic, toxic stress of the sort experienced by maltreated children, particularly in the absence of consistent, supportive, and interactive relationships with adult caregivers, has been found to have an especially deleterious effect on young children 's growing brains. Exposure to chronic trauma can result in persistent psychological problems.
Most of the time child abuse victims are diagnosed with (PTSD) Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, which occurs when people have seen or experienced a traumatic event, serious injury, or sexual violence, but this diagnosis does not fully cover the overall effects of persistent child abuse and neglect. Instead, victims of child abuse would experience the following: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant and conduct disorders, substance disorder, anxiety, mood, psychotic, and adjustment disorder. The most common problem that the victims would go through is mental health problems, depression, and anxiety disorders. Also eating disorders, victims can be anorexic. As stated by Miller and Renshaw (2013) abuse and neglect increase the risk of suicidal ideation and attempted suicide for young people. In this case, sexual abuse and emotional abuse might be more important than physical abuse or neglect. It associates with the feeling of shame and the feeling of being self-shamed and blamed.
The psychological effects of child abuse and neglect may lead to substance abuse like alcohol and other drug problems later on as they grow up. According to Moran (2004), Evidence suggests that all types of child maltreatment are significantly related to higher levels of substance abuse like tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs. Child abuse and neglect are associated with behavioral problems, the earlier a child is maltreated or treated cruelly, they are going to develop behavioral problems in adolescence. In addition to feeling pain themselves, it increases the risk of inflicting pain on others around them and develops anger issues or behaviors in adolescence. In agreement with Bradford (2004) Abused and neglected children were 11 times more likely to be arrested for criminal behavior in adolescence.
Teen pregnancy another result of sexual abuse can be an adverse consequence and no doubt that it was associated with abuse and neglect. Research has linked teenage pregnancy with experiences of sexual abuse. A study by Fergusson and colleagues (1997) increased rates of sexually transmitted diseases, and higher rates of multiple sexual partnerships and appeared to be more vulnerable to further sexual assault and rape. Another case is being homeless, the child who is experiencing violence at home would rather live out and seek support than stay home where family violence is present. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated 31,00 homicide deaths of children aged 15 or younger around the world occur every year. For a fact, there are a large number of deaths caused by abuse and neglect that are not reported due to falls or insufficient investigations. According to Gilbert (2009), Many research studies are unable to control for other environmental and social factors, which makes it difficult to rule out influences such as socio-economic disadvantage, and social isolation when associating maltreatment with negative consequences for children and young people.
It is important for a child 's early emotional and social development to have a primary source of safety, protection, and comfort. When there is no support and protection the child will find it difficult to trust others when in distress, which leads to a persistent experience of anxiety or danger. It damages a child 's ability to communicate and interact with others and form healthy relationships throughout the child 's life. According to Bacon and Richardson (2001), Reviews of the literature have reported that child maltreatment is associated with problematic peer relationships in childhood and adolescence. The difficulties in peer relations may be an antecedent to difficulties in romantic relations. Strong associations like CPS Child Protective Services have been made between child maltreatment and learning difficulties and poor academic achievement. Abuse and neglect in the early years of life can seriously affect the developmental capacities of infants, especially in the critical areas of speech and language. (Wolfe, 1999)
Moreover, studies have consistently shown that maltreated children have lower educational achievement than other groups of children. Veltman and Browne (2001), 31 of 34 studies (91%) indicated that abuse and neglect are related to poor school achievement and 36 of 42 (86%) indicated delays in language development.
There was a young child named Martina, born into a Catholic family that had limited English Skills and were heavy drinkers. The father abuses the children while the mother does not try to stop it. One windy day, rubbish had flown up in the air and hit a nun on the head, and decided that Martina was to be punished. Martina was sent to Father Gregory and as they were alone he sexually abused her. She later confessed to the incident about the rubbish and Gregory told her that what happened between them was her punishment. Little did she know even her two close friends were also sent to Father Gregory. Martine could not tell her parents about the abuse because they were often drunk and abusive themselves. The abuse continued until Martina left high school, as an adult she became restless and she had difficulties trusting people and had problems with intimacy. She suffers from insomnia and has been prescribed sleeping pills to sleep every night. Martina even tried to commit suicide on numerous occasions. She had never sought compensation or an apology for her abuse because she couldn 't see what good it would do to her.
There are many steps to overcome and prevent the effects of child abuse and even stop it from happening in the future. The earlier it is to identify a child or adolescent of child abuse can keep the child safe and provide the right care to solve behavioral problems and other issues that the child may experience growing up from what they went through. If a child has signs of serious injury or changes in conscience it is important for the child to seek medical care. Another solution is Psychotherapy, which can help a victim of child abuse to trust again, learn normal behaviors and relationships, and boost their self-esteem. Not only can psychotherapy help the victim of child abuse, but it can help the abuser. For instance, a parent who abuses their child can take psychotherapy to learn the roots of abuse, learn healthy parental strategies, and cope with life 's inevitable frustrations so that they don 't have to take the problem out of their child and instead build a stronger relationship between the child and the parent. Considering all of this, Child abuse is an international issue that must be dealt with. Although it cannot come to an end, it can be treated with the right medical assistance or psychological therapy.