Co-author: Ricole Tay
Child abuse is a prevalent issue that affects many children all around the world. Despite the devastating impact that child abuse can have on the victim, many of these cases go unreported for multiple reasons, such as fear of shame or losing their sole breadwinner. Abuse cases may also go unreported due to the lack of awareness of signs of child abuse and/or the abuser intentional isolation of the victims. Therefore, victims may go on with their lives and through adulthood while carrying the trauma. Symptoms of trauma can manifest in a variety of ways. Without realising it, one may engage in a series of behaviour meant to cope with the trauma. For some who fail to develop adaptive ways to cope, their mental health could take a toll if they do not seek help. In this article, we look at the type of child abuse, risk factors, the impact on the child, and prevention.
Types of child abuse
Most often, when asked what child abuse is, most people would think about physical abuse over other forms of abuse. Although physical abuse is notably one of the most common forms of child abuse, it is not the only form of abuse. Child abuse goes beyond inflicting physical pain on the child; it also includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, child neglect and emotional and psychological abuse.
Physical abuse. Physical abuse occurs when the parent or caregiver engages in actions leading to bodily harm. For example, cuts, bruises, burns, and fractures.
Sexual abuse. When a child is sexually abused, they are coerced or manipulated into sexual activities. Mainly, sexual abuse is categorised into (1) contact abuse and (2) non-contact abuse. Contact abuse refers to situations in which an abuser has physical interaction with the child. Some examples include (a) sexually touching any part of a child’s body, regardless of whether the child is clothed, (b) using a body part or object to penetrate a child, (c) compelling a child to partake in sexual activities (d) making a child undress unnecessarily or touch someone else (e) being involved in activities such as kissing, touching or having oral sex with a child. Non-contact abuse is situations without physical contact between the abuser and the child. Some examples include exposing or flashing oneself, showing pornography, teaching or manipulating the child to masturbate in front of them, and coercing the child into creating sexual content. In either of these categories, the child may not understand that the adult's action is wrong or know they are being abused.
Child neglect. Child neglect refers to caregivers failing to carry out their responsibility to provide the child with basic survival needs such as food, shelter, clothes, supervision, medical care or leaving the child unattended in dangerous situations.
Psychological abuse. Also known as emotional abuse or neglect, it involves the continual emotional maltreatment of a child. Some examples of psychological abuse are intentional humiliation, highly critical, persistently ignoring the child's needs, and constantly expressing only negative emotions toward the child.
Risk factors of child abuse
Many factors can lead caregivers to intentionally or unintentionally abuse their child. Although the reasons may vary, past research has established that child abuse results from individual, relational and societal factors. Specifically, research has put forth the following risk factors:
Caregivers do not understand the child’s needs and development
Poverty, unemployment or financial stressors
Caregivers’ history of domestic abuse
Substance abuse in the family
Caregivers or parents suffering from mental disorders
Young, single, or non-biological parents
Poor parent-child relationship and poor emotional connections
Impact of child abuse
Victims of child abuse can experience profound, immediate, and long-lasting effects. They may suffer from physical, psychological, emotional and behavioural issues as they progress through adulthood.
Mental disorders such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder
Attachment issues
Low-self esteem
Heightened guilt, fear and self-loathing
Self-harm or suicidal thoughts
Health issues
Increased behavioural problems such as aggression
Poor emotion regulation skills
Poor social skills
Substance abuse
Preventing child abuse
Educating caregivers. Equipping caregivers with knowledge of the child's development and teaching stress management can help them understand and respond appropriately to their child’s needs. Additionally, teaching them positive disciplinary techniques and practical communication skills, such as empathy and active listening, can minimise the likelihood of abusive actions.
Supporting families. Caregivers with unmanaged mental health issues, substance abuse, or financial constraints may put their families at greater risk of child abuse. Therefore, by identifying the stressors and providing these families with timely support can help reduce the risk of child abuse.
Increase awareness for professionals. Individuals such as teachers, preschool teachers and healthcare providers who interact with children regularly, should receive training to equip them with the knowledge and skills to identify and report suspected child abuse cases. Moreover, it can be helpful for these individuals to receive similar training to caregivers to ensure they have the knowledge and skills to manage children and themselves.
Every child deserves a safe and loving home. Preventing child abuse requires a comprehensive approach that involves a combined effort from families, immediate circles, professionals, communities and government agencies. Not all victims of child abuse display explicit signs or injuries that would render them help. Thus, being able to recognise the signs of child abuse and knowing the relevant parties to report to is crucial to prevention and intervention. For caregivers struggling with caregiving duties, help is accessible and available. Reach out now. Breaking the cycle of child abuse starts with one person.