The Purposeful Child Abuse

According to an article from Psychology Today, “Studies show that one in four girls and one in eight boys are sexually abused before the age of 18, and that approximately one in 20 children are physically abused each year.” Child abuse is a very real issue that affects many children. In many cases, the abuse can go unreported and sometimes children do not even know they are being abused. A lot of abused children do not receive the help they need which can cause many issues for them in the long run. Some of these issues could involve depression, decreased mental state, suicide, and much more. Children can be abused in different ways; physical, verbal, sexual, or emotional. Abuse can also result from neglect. Physical abuse is the purposeful

Sometimes parents will abuse their children because they were also abused at a young age. Some mental illnesses will cause parents to think abuse is the only way to get their children to do what they want. A few characteristics found in abusive parents include low self esteem, loneliness, depression, and substance abuse. Some children are more vulnerable to abuse than others, “the child’s age and physical, mental, emotional and social development can greatly increase or decrease the likelihood of abuse” (What Causes). Sometimes children who cry or complain excessively are more prone to abuse by parents who cannot empathize with them. Problems within a family can increase the likelihood of abuse as well. Financial issues, domestic violence, and unemployment are all examples that could cause hardships on families. Also, some cultures see abuse differently, “What one culture defines as child abuse may be a socially acceptable interaction in other cultures” (What Causes). Parents abuse their children for numerous reasons. However, the abuser usually does not realise how they can be affecting the child’s

They can become depressed and withdrawn. Seeing a child who is depressed can be emotionally devastating. These children will stop enjoying life like they once did. Their adorable smile and contagious laugh will become more uncommon to witness. Being depressed at a young age can cause the child to miss out on important events that are crucial to proper development. Missing out on fun parties or time with friends can emotionally hurt the child in their future. Depression can also cause numerous problems to teens and adults. Many times, people suffering from depression will do anything to make their pain go away. This mostly results in self harm and substance abuse. As time goes on, many of the formerly abused children go on to abuse drugs or alcohol and even more will attempt suicide. In multiple different tables given in the article by Melissa Doak, the suicide rates of previously abused children are almost double the rates of those who were not abused. In that same table, it shows that twice as many abused children become diagnosed with personality disorders than those who never experienced abuse. This is proof that being a victim of child abuse takes a huge toll on their mental state. Previously abused children also tend to get into more trouble than the nonabused (Doak). Even though everyone reacts to hardships differently, being abused can destroy the mental state of a child. There will also be the rare