Child Abuse Suffer Long Term Consequences

“Child abuse casts a shadow the length of a lifetime” – Herbert Ward. Child neglect is one of the most serious public health problems in the world. In the United States alone, there are estimated to be atleast a million children who are neglected or abused. Child neglect can take a serious toll on the victims physically, mentally, and emotionally. Many of these victims tend to make poor choices in their lives because of neglect. Although the decisions they make are not completely their fault, it can lead to consequences such as prison sentances, substance addiction, and becoming abusers themselves. Unless well-educated, many child neglect victims are more likely to have troubled futures because of drug abuse and higher chance of committing crimes.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports claim “As many as two-thirds of people in drug treatment programs reported being abused as children” (“Victims of Child Abuse Suffer Long-Term Consequences” 1). This majority of adults most likely took drugs early on in their lives because of child abuse and now currently suffer from the consequences and are in need of help. --------MORE ANAYLSIS----------

Findings from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being report “Among maltreated children aged eleven to fifteen, 20% reported low levels of substance use and 9% reported moderate to high levels of use” (“Cause and Effects of Child Abuse” 1). Almost 1/3 neglected teenagers have been reported using drugs because they have been exposed to drugs and as a result almost 10% are addicted because they were neglected by their caretakers. ---------MORE ANALYSIS---------

Drug abuse amongst child neglect victims hinders their ability to function in normal society and this can lead victims to resort to a life of