Good M/A/E/N everyone,

Before I started I want to give you guys a little information, there is a strong link between
Domestic Violence and Child Abuse. Since Domestic Violence is a pattern of behaviour, these
incidences may increase in severity and frequency, resulting in an increased probability the
children themselves will become victims. And just by witnessing domestic violence that
happened between their parents kids will have what we know as ‘Significant Harm’. The
estimated overlap between domestic violence and child abuse ranges from 30 to 50 percent.

Now I want to ask you guys a question, what is child abuse? Child abuse is physical, sexual,
or psychological maltreatment or neglect of a child or children by parents, caregiver, friends,
strangers, teachers, etc. There’s 4 types of child abuse Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse,
Emotional Abuse , and Neglect.

Physical Abuse is a physical harm to a child such as hitting, kicking, slapping. There were
over 7,000 Childline counselling sessions with children and young people about physical abuse in
2017/18. Sexual Abuse is
anything of a sexual nature involving a child such as rape, touching genitals, sexual exploiting,
showing pornography, etc. 1 in 20 children in the UK have been sexually abused.
Emotional Abuse is a damage done to a child's emotional state such as shouting, blaming,
manipulating, humiliating, threatening. Emotional abuse is the 2nd most common reason for
children needing protection from abuse in the UK.
Neglect is a failure to provide for the basic needs of a child such as foods, clothes, medical
care, etc. Neglect is the most common reason for taking child protection action.

What are the signs and effects?

SIGNS

 Injuries

 Afraid to go home

 Avoiding certain person for unclear reason

 Withdraw from people

 Running away from home

 Depression and low self-esteem

 Way too obedient or too demanding

 Always looking so dirty

 Missing a lot of school

EFFECTS

 emotional difficulties such as anger, anxiety, sadness or low self-esteem

 mental health problems such as depression, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress

disorder (PTSD), self harm, suicidal thoughts
 problems with drugs or alcohol

 disturbing thoughts, emotions and memories that cause distress or confusion

 poor physical health such as obesity, aches and pains
 struggling with parenting or relationships
 worrying that their abuser is still a threat to themselves or others
 learning difficulties, lower educational attainment, difficulties in communicating
 behavioural problems including anti-social behaviour, criminal behaviour.

People would ask “how can we stop it?” now that question is just the same as “how can we
changed the world?” well the answer is we can’t, we can’t change the world but we can make
the world a better place, we can’t make child abuse to stop because it will happen over and
over again. But what we can do is to prevent that, by what? By talking about it, by raising
awareness, by not making it a secret, educate ourselves, supporting laws and programs that
protect children.

Now I’m just going to be honest with all of you guys in here, I’ve experience emotional abuse a
thousand times, I’ve experience physical abuse once, and I’ve seen, both thousands times, I
know how it felt. It effected me so much that I don’t want people to know, I don’t want to talk
about my feelings, I put my walls up that I don’t want people to see my vulnerability, I felt
neglected or I felt that I do something wrong if someone didn’t talk to me or hangout with me, I
really beat myself up emotionally because of it.