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Child Maltreatment

Jennifer Payne

Salt Lake Community College

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Childhood Maltreatment

Child abuse is a serious global problem. The world may have a hard time agreeing on

what is and what is not considered child abuse due to differences in culture, but there never is an

excuse for child abuse. It’s often heartbreaking to watch the news, especially when you see a

child abuse case like the one in New Mexico. Though there is never an excuse for child abuse

there are often some underlying causes as to why the abuse may happen. One of the reasons

discussed in the articles is the marital status of the mother. In the World CDC report it states that

single mothers are 3 times more likely to commit violence against their children than 2 parent

families. Other causes include lack of support from family and friends, poverty, lack of

education, the age of the mother, mental health issues and drug or alcohol abuse. A Word Safe

Study found that risk factors may also include a baby that is born premature, sick, of low birth

weight or with a physical or mental handicap may be at risk. These situations may lead to issues

with attachment which can make them more vulnerable to abuse. A study done in Chile, found

that parents of families with 4 or more children were 3 times more likely to be violent than

families with fewer children. They also found that household overcrowding could be another

cause which is something that I hadn’t thought a lot about before. All of these causes can lead to

very stressful situations. Stress is often a big cause of child abuse. Studies have also shown that

parents that have been abused are at a higher risk of abusing their own children. One of the

articles stated that girls who experienced abuse are 1-7% more likely to abuse youth and 8-10%

more likely to be perpetrators in their own personal relationships. The numbers were slightly

higher for boys. Boys are 3-12% more likely to abuse youth and 1-17% higher when it came to

their own personal relationships. One other risk that can increase the risk of child abuse is

domestic violence. A study done in India said that homes that had domestic
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Childhood Maltreatment

violence doubled the risk of child abuse in the home. There can be many causes and risks as to

why child abuse occurs and it is often a case of multiple issues.

Whether the abuse is physical, sexual, neglect, psychological or emotional there are

usually horrible long-term effects. Studies have shown that those who have been abused will

sometimes turn to drugs, smoking or alcohol as a way to deal with the abuse. These may in turn

lead to serious health problems like heart disease, lung disease, liver disease and many others.

The articles also discussed that obesity can be another long term effect which has many health

risks associated with it. It can also lead to high risk sexual behaviors which can lead to sexually

transmitted diseases. It was also stated that those who were abused were 4-12 times more likely

to attempt suicide compared to those who weren’t exposed. In cases of abuse where there is an

infant or child the effects of the abuse might include; the child’s brain not developing properly

which can cause problems with language development, large and fine motor skills, as well as a

list of other problems. Effects of abuse can also include post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety,

depression and even death. One in every 4 victims of shaken baby syndrome dies and nearly all

babies experience serious health problems. In 2012 in the United States 1640 children died due

to abuse and neglect. In that same year there were 686,000 victims of maltreatment. Those are

only the ones reported and only the ones in the United States. To think about these numbers is

overwhelming especially when you think that these victims in the United States were only a

small percentage of the world’s population of abuse and neglect.

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Child Maltreatment

There are not only devastating long-term effects but also huge costs both financially and

emotionally. These costs don’t only affect the individual but affect communities and society as

well. Some of these costs include; adult and childhood health care costs, increased criminal

justice costs due to criminal activity that stemmed from abuse, special education costs that a

child might not have needed before being a victim of abuse as well as productivity costs. One

thing that stood out to me was a study that the CDC did. They found that the cost of childhood

maltreatment and fatalities in one year totaled 124 billion dollars. They also said that this amount

is more costly than the two leading health concerns which are stroke and type 2 diabetes.

Research has shown that effective prevention outweighs the costs of childhood abuse. In

fact the Triple P System trial that was funded by the CDC found that for every dollar spent on

program costs, that society benefits forty seven dollars. Prevent Abuse America estimates that

child abuse and prevention strategies can save tax payers 104 billion dollars a year. What things

are being done in the prevention of child abuse and neglect? The majority of programs focus on

the victims or perpetrators of child abuse and neglect but there are important resources available

to help. An important tool that can help is education. In chapters 5 and 6 children it discusses the

development of children between the ages of 2-6. Children during this time often deal with

things emotionally rather than logically. If adults and caregivers don’t have the tools or coping

skills to deal with these sometimes difficult situations it can often lead to abuse. I know of

several classes that are taught in my children’s school district to help parents gain positive

parenting skills to deal with these difficult situations. These classes are offered at no financial
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Child Maltreatment

cost. Ireland has implemented in almost all of their primary schools the Stay Safe program. It

teaches kids how to protect themselves against abuse, different physical contact and how to get

help. There are many similar classes and programs offered throughout many countries to help in

the prevention of abuse and neglect. There are also home visits that provide social support to

families where there might be a risk of abuse. A 15 year study was done where they found that

women who were visited by health care workers during their child’s infancy were less likely to

be abusive than those who were not visited. Likewise the Schuyler Center for Analysis and

Advocacy stated that for every dollar spent on home visits, the return would be 5.70. A bigger

focus has been placed on health professionals with training on how to better recognize the signs

of abuse and how to report it.

These are great ways to help in the prevention but with it being such a global health

problem there is definitely more that needs to be done. I was surprised to learn that a large

number of countries only have voluntary reporting laws and as I thought about it I realized that a

large number probably don’t have any reporting laws at all. It’s heartbreaking to think of all the

abuse that goes on, on a global scale. What can I do? It’s important as human beings that we

don’t add to the problem. If we don’t have the tools that we need, that we take the proper steps

to gain them. It’s also important to educate those around us especially the youth so that they can

be better protected and help in the prevention of child abuse and neglect. One of the most

important things that I can do is that if I see, hear or suspect abuse that I report it. Abuse can be

reported any time of day to local law enforcement or by calling the National Child Abuse
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Child Maltreatment

hotline. I definitely feel that a bigger emphasis needs to be placed on the prevention of child

maltreatment and abuse. By focusing on things such as poverty, education, quality of child care

and employment which are often the root of the problem, we will also be able to prevent more

people from being victims in this global health problem.

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Child Maltreatment

References

CDC. (2014). Understanding Child Maltreatment Fact Sheet.

https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/understanding-cm-factsheet.pdf

Child Welfare Information Gateway. ( 2013). Long-term consequences of child abuse and

neglect.https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/sp-long-term-consequences/

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Violence Prevention. (2016).

Child Abuse and Neglect: Consequences.

https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childmaltreatment/consequences.html#Physical

Vincent J Felitti MD, FACP, Robert F Anda MD, MS, Dale Nordenberg MD, David F

Williamson MS, PhD, Alison M Spitz MS, MPH, Valerie Edwards BA, Mary P Koss

PhD, James S Marks MD, MPH. (1998). Relationship of Childhood Abuse and

Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults. American

Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14(4), 245-258.

http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(98)00017-8/fulltext

World Health Organization. (2018). Child abuse and neglect by parents and other caregivers.

http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/world_report/chapters/en/