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Psychological effects of child abuse factors
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Causes of child abuse
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Did you know that in the United States, between four and seven children die every day due to child abuse and neglect, one of the worst records among industrialized nations? Did you know a report of child abuse is made every ten seconds? In one study, 80% of twenty-one year olds who reported childhood abuse met the criteria for at least one psychological disorder. Around 80% of child maltreatment fatalities involved at least one parent as the perpetrator. This is a huge problem that needs to be remedied. The causes of abuse are the abuser’s childhood and acceptance of parents’ “ownership” of their child(ren). Another problem in my case specifically is reunification therapy. One of the causes of child abuse is the abuser’s childhood. Often, child abusers were abused as children. This causes what can be referred to as the “cycle of abuse.” When a child who is abused is not taught that abuse is wrong and there are repercussions, they are far more likely to become abusers …show more content…
Reunification therapy is described as “the controversial treatment designed to ‘deprogram’ children who are ‘alienated’ from one of their parents during a divorce.” It goes on to say, “Various forms of this type of ‘treatment’ have sprung up over the last decade. The therapy usually involves confining the child from the parent to whom the child is most attached. The attachment to the favored parent is challenged while encouraging the child with intensive sessions to re-accept the rejected.” For me specifically, the situation was intended to put us into contact with our father, no matter what we wanted. We were told by our therapist that we were mentally unstable for being fearful of our abusive father in therapy sessions. I think that a large problem with this treatment is that there is an end goal of being together, rather than what is most safe for the family, with the children being the most important
Child abuse can be Physical, Sexual, Emotional, and Physiological Abuse. Child abuse is not only just about abuse but neglect as well. The difference between abuse and neglect is, that abuse is the maltreatment of someone and neglect is failure to give the proper care to a person (Jilani, 2010). Neglect has different types as well, such as Educational, Emotional, and Physical Neglect. Every place in the world has some types of statistics on Child Abuse and Neglect. For example, “The United States has one of the worst records among industrialized nations – losing on average between four and seven children every day to child abuse and neglect (Childhelp, n.d.).” The fact that so many young lives are lost before they even get to begin is
Abuse of children has become a major social problem and a main cause of many people's suffering and personal problems. Neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse have an immediate and long-term effects on a child's development. The long-term effects of abuse and neglect of a child can be seen in psychiatric disorders, increased rates of substance abuse, and relationship difficulties. Child abuse and neglect is a huge problem. Parents who abuse are people who have been abused and neglected themselves as children(Long Term Consequences).
Child abuse in general is quite complex and at the same time one of the most challenging social issue facing people all around the USA. Child abuse cases have been recorded in all the states of the USA. The cases occur in all areas be it cities, small towns, suburbs, and even in rural areas. The vice also happens in all types of families regardless of the ethnic origin of the family or the even family income (UNICEF, 2015). It is thus important that effort is put into reducing cases of child abuse.
In several cases the cause of the abuse can be linked to family relationship issues. In the novel Sickened, by Julie Gregory, Gregory recounts her childhood with a mother who was diagnosed with Munchausen By Proxy. She tells the readers that her “mother married at the tender age of nineteen.” Marrying him when she was young caused them to argue with each other and they did not have a genuine relationship. Soon after her first husband’s death it seemed as though she was very desperate to find another husband because she felt isolated and alone, she craved the attention of being in an intimate relationship. Her crave for attention was the fuel for her desire to make Julie sick. A parent is also more likely to mistreat their children if their spouse has very little, or no, input in the family’s activities which leaves it to the abusive parent to control everything. In another situation where family relationships could be an issue, a woman named “Shannon Hudson had been trying to break up with the boys’ [her sons’ abusive] father when he shot her three times. Then shot himself” (Burling A1+). The abuses that lead up to the husband getting angry and frustrated with his wife caused the violent act that was a result of their relationship failure.
...ed very seriously when determining if this has anything to do with their decision to become involved in delinquent acts. Child physical abuse can lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and can ultimately affect their state of mind and how they view decisions as good or bad. By not being able to distinguish the differences between good and bad, it is more likely they will become involved with negative acts that can affect the outcome of the rest of their lives. Serious issues come into play when a child’s mental state of mind is altered and it can be very difficult to guide them back to the right path of life, especially if they have become too deeply involved with delinquent acts. It is important to combat this problem from the start to help keep them on the straight and narrow, and provide the help they need to adjust their mental state of mind to the proper stage.
Most children that have experienced abuse can find it difficult in making a strong attachment bond with the parent. Research has discovered that children who do not have healthy attachments have been found to be more vulnerable to stress. They can have problems expressing and voicing their emotions. Some children can change their personality causing them to react violently to circumstances. Our potential in developing healthy, supportive relationships with peers and others can depend on the development of these relationships with our families. A child that has experienced trauma in the past can have problems with making friendships, and forming relationships.
Child abuse in the United States is a growing epidemic. Every year the number of reported cases, and missing children go up. This is caused mostly by lack of education about the different types of child abuse, and the signs that go along with it. Communities need to provide more resources to better educate the public about the types of abuse, and the signs that go along with it. Child abuse and neglect can be lessened by more resources, more education and to reach out to others.
Since the case of Mary Ellen Wilson in 1874, child abuse has seen it’s share of light in published news. It is disheartening to read countless stories of future generations being harmed to the extent of psychological damage or even death. Child abuse as a whole has been addressed multiple times in various news blogs, however, nothing has been done to work towards abolishing it at a larger level. The future of America is in jeopardy based on the level of abuse that children endure. Childhelp states that approximately 5 children die every day at the hands of child abuse. America struggles to find equality, and by bystanding the stripping of its youth, continual prolonging is inevitable. Raising this nation’s children in means of nurturing and care is the first step to uplifting America as a whole. In 2012 alone, 1593 of America’s children died at the hands of child abuse, 70.3% of which were younger than the age of three (Safe Horizon). In order to prevent further child abuse, the American government should address stricter child protection laws, psychological stability, and an increase the recognition of those that have released their stories.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 3.3 million referrals for alleged maltreatment were made in 2013. Out of the 3.3 million referrals, 899,000 children were officially documented as being maltreated(Child Abuse & Neglect 2015). Child abuse is the mistreatment of a child. Child abuse is recognized in several forms; physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. Children who experience any form of abuse will tend to withdraw themselves from their peers and sometimes from other family members who are not aware of what is taking place. Child abuse occurs not just in the homes of these children, but can also occur in schools, churches and after school programs. Anywhere a child is present there is a chance that abuse can occur. This paper will review the forms of child abuse, the effects of child abuse, reasons child abuse occurs and possible therapies to bring healing in the parties involved.
There are many forms of childhood maltreatment. All of which can and do cause both physical and mental issues to the victims. Childhood physical abuse can cause grave physical injuries and even death. Children who are physically abused are more likely to experience cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems as they grow up, such as depression, anxiety, misbehavior, substance abuse problems, and can grow up to be abusers themselves. Many people have a hard time understanding why anyone would hurt a child. Most abusers love their children, but they have less patience then other parents. But the truth is that many children learn violent behavior from their parents and then grow up to be abusers themselves. There is evidence that physical child
Throughout the centuries there have always been children abused by either their parents, guardian, or an adult. People often wonder why a man or woman would want to harm a child and many programs are out there that do their best to prevent child abuse. The best prevention however of first asking the question, what are the causes of child abuse? Child abuse is often the result of stress or anger issues, psychological disorders, or the cause of the person having been abused as a child themselves.
Abuse can also bring a better side to the child, making the child want to be more independent. Child abuse is very common, and can affect any child of any race, color, or religion. Child abuse is caused by a parent, for many reasons, and can lead to many kinds of problems for the child. Parents impose child abuse for many reasons, such as psychological problems, low self-esteem, or alcohol or drug abuse.4 Child abuse happens for many different reasons, but all the reasons are still child abuse, and are taken seriously. Child abuse can also occur when parents have too high expectations of their kids, which then leads to abuse. "
We’ll start with child abuse victims and the affects and reasons of this abuse. There are four types of child abuse and I will list them in order from least to greatest, neglect, physical, sexual and emotional abuse. Neglect takes first with the NCVS having 54% reports of child neglect in 2007. Neglect is a very serious form of abuse it is the failure for a parent or guardian to provide for a child’s basic needs, including physical and educational needs. We grow and development drastically in the first twelve years of our life so when parental guidance and love is absent it affects a child’s developmental skills along with learning right from wrong. Many forms of neglect occur in larger households and with households with domestic violence. Many parents with multiple kids become too busy focusing on the older children they tend to forget the youngest one. So it’s common for a three year old to walk out of the front door and on to the street when no one is there to tell him or...
According to Lisa Ware, "One promising treatment for families who have a history of child maltreatment is parent-child interaction therapy". This type of therapy focuses on the interactions that the child and the parent have. It coaches the parents in how to interact with their child the proper way. Along with interaction therapy, the child and parents are also given separate therapy. The child’s therapy is centered on the abuse they received, their social and academic skills, and teaching ways of relaxation and anger management. While the therapy for the parents are more concerned with finding ways so that the parents can interact with their children in the right way. The therapy gives the parents proper techniques for controlling their anger and allows them to identify how they view abuse. These examples of techniques practiced in therapy have shown promising results, but there are many different forms of therapy that also work. When dealing with individuals and families who suffered from abuse or were the one's abusing, the therapy needs to be fitted to the specific needs of the individuals as well as the whole family. If a child suffers from a certain problem, it is the job of the therapist to focus on ways to help the child with that specific problem. A generalized therapy plan to help everyone with their problems will not work because each individual experiences different things when faced with abuse, which is why the therapy needs to be specific to the needs of the
Child abuse is one of the highest growing social problems in the United States. A social problem is, “a condition that a significant number of people believe to be a problem. A condition in which there is a sizable difference between the ideals of a society and its actual achievements” (Coleman et al. 2006:2). However, society has changed the way it views the issue, and is working towards finding a solution to this awful problem. Child abuse encompasses four main areas: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. Child abuse is considered a sociological phenomenon because it is a learned behavior. Learning the social patterns as to why people abuse will give a better understanding to its reasons, and also the development of society in the way that it views children. 3.6 million children were victims of abuse in the year 2006. Sixty four percent were victims of neglect, sixteen percent suffered from physical abuse, and eight percent were sexually abused. Also in 2006, 1,530 children died as a result of abuse; an average of four children everyday (Child Welfare Information Gateway 2008).