Child abuse

What is child abuse?

 The World Health Organization (WHO) defines child abuse and child
maltreatment as "all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual
abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation,
resulting in actual or potential harm to the child's health, survival,
development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust
or power."
 Types of child abuse
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse often does not occur in isolation, but as part of a constellation
of behaviors including authoritarian control, anxiety-provoking behavior, and
a lack of parental warmth. The WHO defines physical abuse as:
Intentional use of physical force against the child that results in – or has a
high likelihood of resulting in – harm for the child's health, survival,
development or dignity. This includes hitting, beating, kicking, shaking, biting,
strangling, scalding, burning, poisoning and suffocating. Much physical
violence against children in the home is inflicted with the object of punishing.
 Types of child abuse
 Sexual Abuse
Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older
adolescent abuses a child for sexual stimulation. Sexual abuse refers to the
participation of a child in a sexual act aimed toward the physical gratification
or the financial profit of the person committing the act.Forms of CSA include
asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities (regardless of the
outcome), indecent exposure of the genitals to a child, displaying pornography
to a child, actual sexual contact with a child, physical contact with the child's
genitals, viewing of the child's genitalia without physical contact, or using a
child to produce child pornography.
 Types of child abuse
 Psychological Abuse
In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) added Child Psychological
Abuse to the DSM-5, describing it as "nonaccidental verbal or symbolic acts by a
child's parent or caregiver that result, or have reasonable potential to result, in
significant psychological harm to the child.“
In 2014, the APA stated that:

"Childhood psychological abuse [is] as harmful as sexual or physical abuse."

"Nearly 3 million U.S. children experience some form of [psychological]
maltreatment annually."
Psychological maltreatment is "the most challenging and prevalent form of child
abuse and neglect."
"Given the prevalence of childhood psychological abuse and the severity of
harm to young victims, it should be at the forefront of mental health and social
service training"
 Types of child abuse
 Neglect
Child neglect is the failure of a parent or other person with responsibility for
the child, to provide needed food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or
supervision to the degree that the child's health, safety or well-being may be
threatened with harm. Neglect is also a lack of attention from the people
surrounding a child, and the non-provision of the relevant and adequate
necessities for the child's survival, which would be a lack of attention, love,
and nurturing.
 Effects of child Abuse on children
 Attachment problems with their primary caregiver
Babies and young infants exposed to abuse and neglect are more likely to experience insecure
or disorganised attachment problems with their primary caregiver .
Reviews of the literature have reported that child maltreatment is associated with problematic
peer relationships in childhood and adolescence
 Learning and developmental problems
Strong associations have been made between child maltreatment and learning difficulties
and/or poor academic achievement.
Abuse and neglect in the early years of life can seriously affect the developmental capacities of
infants, especially in the critical areas of speech and language.
 Mental health problems
Extensive research has identified a strong relationship between child maltreatment and a range
of mental health problems, with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often reported
Maltreated children experiencing PTSD symptoms are also often found to be experiencing other
disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant and conduct
disorders, substance abuse, and anxiety, mood, psychotic, and adjustment disorders
 Behavioral problems
Longitudinal studies have shown that exposure to a single type of maltreatment
as well as multiple types is related to increased internalizing and externalizing
behaviors in childhood and adolescence
 Aggression, violence and criminal activity
In addition to feeling pain and suffering themselves, children exposed to abuse
and neglect are at increased risk of inflicting pain on others and developing
aggressive and violent behaviours in adolescence
 Alcohol and other drug use
Evidence suggests that all types of child maltreatment are significantly related to
higher levels of substance use (tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs) (Moran,
Vuchinich, & Hall, 2004)
 Youth suicide
In a systematic review of the literature, Miller and colleagues (2013) found that
although all forms of maltreatment were associated with adolescent suicidal
ideation and suicide attempts