Child Abuse
What is Child Abuse?
One of the crimes against humans that aren’t reported nearly as often as others is child abuse. It is also one of the most misunderstood crimes against people.
Child abuse is defined as when children under 18 years old are physically or psychologically abused or neglected by a parent or other person considered a guardian. The most obvious cases of child abuse are when victims are seen with physical bruises, broken bones, or other evidence of physical harm.
The Effects Of Child Abuse
Child abuse is not always identified by just the visual evidence found on a child. Psychological and verbal abuse can seriously damage a young child’s mental stability and can leave behind severe emotional scars. Abuse during one’s childhood is oftentimes linked to physical, mental, and behavioral consequences later on in their life.
Children who suffer through abuse or neglect in their life are more likely to develop antisocial traits when they become older, which can possibly lead to criminal behavior once they are an adult. It is also found that a child who experiences maltreatment as a child is more at risk for developing depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders during their adulthood.
Childhood abuse can stunt a child’s brain development and lead to serious psychological problems, like low self-esteem. The effects of abuse on children are going to vary widely depending on many different factors, including the child’s age and developmental status during the abuse, the type, frequency, duration, and severity of the neglect or abuse; and the child and abuser’s relationship.
It Can Happen To Any Child
Child abuse can happen to any child in any family, no matter what race, religion or socioeconomic background they belong to.
It Can Happen At Any Age
Children under one year old make up the largest age group of victims, which represents about 16% of child abuse cases.
So Many Are Suffering
Every year in the United States, almost 700,000 children are abused. It could be more as this number could be a possible reflection of under reporting.