How does abuse affect a child
Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect |Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC
Child abuse and neglect are serious public health problems and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). They can have long-term impacts on health, opportunity, and wellbeing. This issue includes all types of abuse and neglect of a child under the age of 18 by a parent, caregiver, or another person in a custodial role (such as a religious leader, a coach, a teacher) that results in harm, the potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child. There are four common types of abuse and neglect:
- Physical abuse is the intentional use of physical force that can result in physical injury. Examples include hitting, kicking, shaking, burning, or other shows of force against a child.
- Sexual abuse involves pressuring or forcing a child to engage in sexual acts. It includes behaviors such as fondling, penetration, and exposing a child to other sexual activities. Please see CDC’s Preventing Child Sexual Abuse webpage for more information.
- Emotional abuse refers to behaviors that harm a child’s self-worth or emotional well-being. Examples include name-calling, shaming, rejecting, withholding love, and threatening.
- Neglect is the failure to meet a child’s basic physical and emotional needs. These needs include housing, food, clothing, education, access to medical care, and having feelings validated and appropriately responded to.
For more information about preventing child abuse and neglect definitions please see Child Maltreatment Surveillance: Uniform Definitions for Public Health and Recommended Data Elements pdf icon[4.12 MB, 148 Pages, 508].
Child abuse and neglect are common. At least 1 in 7 children have experienced child abuse or neglect in the past year in the United States. This is likely an underestimate because many cases are unreported. In 2020, 1,750 children died of abuse and neglect in the United States.
Children living in poverty experience more abuse and neglect.
Experiencing poverty can place a lot of stress on families, which may increase the risk for child abuse and neglect. Rates of child abuse and neglect are 5 times higher for children in families with low socioeconomic status.
Child maltreatment is costly. In the United States, the total lifetime economic burden associated with child abuse and neglect was about $592 billion in 2018. This economic burden rivals the cost of other high-profile public health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes.
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Children who are abused and neglected may suffer immediate physical injuries such as cuts, bruises, or broken bones. They may also have emotional and psychological problems, such as anxiety or posttraumatic stress.
Over the long term, children who are abused or neglected are also at increased risk for experiencing future violence victimization and perpetration, substance abuse, sexually transmitted infections, delayed brain development, lower educational attainment, and limited employment opportunities.
Chronic abuse may result in toxic stress, which can change brain development and increase the risk for problems like posttraumatic stress disorder and learning, attention, and memory difficulties.
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Child abuse and neglect are preventable. Certain factors may increase or decrease the risk of perpetrating or experiencing child abuse and neglect. To prevent child abuse and neglect violence, we must understand and address the factors that put people at risk for or protect them from violence. Everyone benefits when children have safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments. CDC developed Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect: A Technical Package for Policy, Norm, and Programmatic Activities pdf icon[4 MB, 52 Pages, 508] to help communities use the best available evidence to prevent child abuse and neglect. This resource is available in English and Spanish pdf icon[21MB, 52 Pages, 508] and can impact individual behaviors and relationships, family, community, and societal factors that influence risk and protective factors for child abuse and neglect.
Different types of violence are connected and often share root causes. Child abuse and neglect are linked to other forms of violence through shared risk and protective factors. Addressing and preventing one form of violence may have an impact on preventing other forms of violence.
See Child Abuse and Neglect Resources for publications, data sources, and prevention resources for preventing child abuse and neglect.
- Fortson B, Klevens J, Merrick M, Gilbert L, Alexander S. (2016). Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect: A Technical Package for Policy, Norm, and Programmatic Activities. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Leeb RT, Paulozzi L, Melanson C, Simon T, Arias I. Child Maltreatment Surveillance: Uniform Definitions for Public Health and Recommended Data Elements, Version 1.0. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control; 2008.
- Finkelhor D, Turner HA, Shattuck A, Hamby SL. Prevalence of Childhood Exposure to Violence, Crime, and Abuse: Results from the National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence. JAMA Pediatr. 2015;169(8):746–754. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.0676
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau. (2022). Child Maltreatment 2020. Available from https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/researchdata technology/statistics-research/childmaltreatmentexternal icon.
- Klika JB, Rosenzweig J, Merrick M. Economic burden of known cases of child maltreatment from 2018 in each state. Child and adolescent social work journal. 2020 Jun;37(3):227-34.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.(2022). Health and Economic Costs of Chronic Diseases. Available from https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/costs/index.htm
- Shonkoff J, Garner A, & Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health, Committee on Early Childhood, Adoption, and Dependent Care, and Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.
(2012). The lifelong effects of early childhood adversity and toxic stress. Pediatrics, 129(1), e232-e246. - Preventing Multiple Forms of Violence: A Strategic Vision for Connecting the Dots. (2016). Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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How Abuse Affects Children – Genesis Women's Shelter & Support
You have the power to help your child.
In an abusive relationship, children are often witnesses to the violence, or in many cases, victims themselves.
Children are our most vulnerable, but you are their best ally.
Despite what they may have gone through, children are resilient. Although the impact is profound, because their brains are still developing there are many ways to support and care for a child who has been impacted by abuse. However, there are still a few long-term behavioral, emotional and physical effects that children will need to learn to cope with.
“We must be accountable, proactive and effective in protecting our most vulnerable."
- Jan Edgar Langbein, CEO5 million children witness domestic violence each year in the U.S.
1 in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year.
Breakdown of Impact on Children
Abuse affects each child differently, but each child has the capacity to overcome their situation. By identifying how it has affected each child, it becomes easier for all of us to help make a difference.
Behaviorally
Children who have been exposed to abuse are likely to exhibit changes in behavior such as acting out, attention seeking, aggressive or passive behavior, and difficulty setting limits. Often times, children will take on care-taking responsibilities or work to overachieve in their goals in order to get others to see their value. Children are often aloof and sarcastic and can lose interest in school or other activities.
Cognitively
Children tend to feel responsible for violence toward themselves or their mothers, and end up having difficulty trusting others in the future.
These children are likely to make excuses for their behavior, and believe it is bad to feel angry. They can develop low self esteem, and have trouble asking others for things they need.
Emotionally
Abuse can have the most effect on a child’s emotional state. This can include feelings of guilt, shame, fear, confusion, anger, and grief. Overall, children tend to feel burdened by their situation.
Physically
Children in abusive situations are likely to exhibit a few physical tells such as somatic complaints of headaches, stomach aches and asthma, they can appear nervous or anxious with a short attention span, and they are likely to be sick with a cold or flu often. These children can often become lethargic and neglect personal hygiene as well as show regression in developmental tasks such as bed-wetting and thumb-sucking.
Socially
When someone goes through an abusive situation, it is normal for it to affect them socially. For children, this often means isolating themselves.
These children are likely to have difficulty trusting others, poor conflict resolution skills, and either be passive with others or seek power to be aggressive. These children may become excessively social in order to avoid going home
Behaviorally
Children who have been exposed to abuse are likely to exhibit changes in behavior such as acting out, attention seeking, aggressive or passive behavior, and difficulty setting limits. Often times, children will take on care-taking responsibilities or work to overachieve in their goals in order to get others to see their value. Children are often aloof and sarcastic and can lose interest in school or other activities.
Children tend to feel responsible for violence toward themselves or their mothers, and end up having difficulty trusting others in the future. These children are likely to make excuses for their behavior, and believe it is bad to feel angry. They can develop low self esteem, and have trouble asking others for things they need.
Cognitively
Emotionally
Abuse can have the most effect on a child’s emotional state. This can include feelings of guilt, shame, fear, confusion, anger, and grief. Overall, children tend to feel burdened by their situation.
Children in abusive situations are likely to exhibit a few physical tells such as somatic complaints of headaches, stomach aches and asthma, they can appear nervous or anxious with a short attention span, and they are likely to be sick with a cold or flu often. These children can often become lethargic and neglect personal hygiene as well as show regression in developmental tasks such as bed-wetting and thumb-sucking.
Physically
Socially
When someone goes through an abusive situation, it is normal for it to affect them socially. For children, this often means isolating themselves. These children are likely to have difficulty trusting others, poor conflict resolution skills, and either be passive with others or seek power to be aggressive.
These children may become excessively social in order to avoid going home
Behaviorally
Children who have been exposed to abuse are likely to exhibit changes in behavior such as acting out, attention seeking, aggressive or passive behavior, and difficulty setting limits. Often times, children will take on care-taking responsibilities or work to overachieve in their goals in order to get others to see their value. Children are often aloof and sarcastic and can lose interest in school or other activities.
Cognitively
Children tend to feel responsible for violence toward themselves or their mothers, and end up having difficulty trusting others in the future. These children are likely to make excuses for their behavior, and believe it is bad to feel angry. They can develop low self esteem, and have trouble asking others for things they need.
Emotionally
Abuse can have the most effect on a child’s emotional state. This can include feelings of guilt, shame, fear, confusion, anger, and grief.
Overall, children tend to feel burdened by their situation.
Physically
Children in abusive situations are likely to exhibit a few physical tells such as somatic complaints of headaches, stomach aches and asthma, they can appear nervous or anxious with a short attention span, and they are likely to be sick with a cold or flu often. These children can often become lethargic and neglect personal hygiene as well as show regression in developmental tasks such as bed-wetting and thumb-sucking.
Socially
When someone goes through an abusive situation, it is normal for it to affect them socially. For children, this often means isolating themselves. These children are likely to have difficulty trusting others, poor conflict resolution skills, and either be passive with others or seek power to be aggressive. These children may become excessively social in order to avoid going home
If your child or the child of someone you care about is in danger, call 911 or our 24/7 Helpline:
214-946-4357
Get Help
Child abuse
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- Child abuse
WHO/S.
Becker
© A photo
\n
Magnitude of the problem
\n
\nChild maltreatment is a global problem with serious life-long consequences. Although studies have recently been carried out in some low- and middle-income countries, much data is still lacking.
\n
\nChild maltreatment is a complex and difficult issue to study. Available estimates vary widely depending on the country and the research method used. Grades depend on the following aspects:
\n
- \n
- applicable definitions of child abuse;\t \n
- type of child abuse being studied; \n
- statistical coverage and quality of official statistics; \n
- coverage and quality of surveys that require reports from victims themselves, parents or caregivers. \n
\n
\nHowever, international studies show that one quarter of all adults were physically abused as children, and that 1 in 5 women and 1 in 13 men were sexually abused as children.
In addition, many children are victims of emotional (psychological) abuse and neglect.
\n
\nAn estimated 41,000 murders of children under the age of 15 occur each year. This figure underestimates the true extent of the problem, as a significant proportion of child abuse deaths are incorrectly attributed to falls, burns, drowning, and other causes.
\n
\nIn armed conflict and refugee camps, girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence, exploitation and abuse by the military, security forces, other members of their communities, humanitarian workers and others.
\n
Consequences of child abuse
\n
\nChild abuse hurts children and families and can have long-term consequences. Abuse leads to stress, which is associated with impaired early brain development. Extreme stress can disrupt the development of the nervous and immune systems.
As a result, in adulthood, people who were abused as children are at increased risk of behavioral and physical and mental health problems, such as:
\n
- \n
- committing or being a victim of violence;\t \n
- depression; \n
- smoking; \n
- obesity;\n \n
- high risk sexual behavior; \n
- unplanned pregnancy; \n
- Harmful use of alcohol and drugs. \n
\n
\nAs a result of these behavioral and mental health consequences, abuse can lead to heart disease, cancer, suicide, and sexually transmitted infections.
\n
\nIn addition to the health and societal impacts, child maltreatment also has economic impacts, including hospitalization costs, mental health care, child care, and long-term health costs.
\n
Risk factors
\n
\nRisk factors for child abuse have been identified.
These risk factors are not present in all social and cultural settings, but they give a general idea when trying to understand the causes of child abuse.
\n
Child
\n
\nIt is important to emphasize that children are victims and should never be blamed for abuse. Some individual characteristics of a child may increase the likelihood of abuse:
\n
- \n
- a child under 4 years of age or a teenager;\n \n
- a child who is unwanted or does not live up to parental expectations; \n
- a child who has special needs, who cries constantly, or who has abnormal physical features. \n
\n
Parents or caregivers
\n
\nSome characteristics of parents or caregivers may increase the risk of child abuse. Among them are the following:
\n
- \n
- difficulties associated with the newborn;\n \n
- leaving the child without attention; \n
- childhood abuse; \n
- lack of knowledge about child development or unrealistic expectations; \n
- harmful use of alcohol or drugs, including during pregnancy; \n
- involvement in criminal activity; \n
- experiencing financial difficulties.
\n \n
\n
Relationships
\n
\nA number of factors in relationships within families or between sexual partners, friends, and peers can increase the risk of child abuse, such as :
\n
- \n
- problems in the field of physical or mental health or development of any family member;\n \n
- discord in the family or violence between other family members; \n
- isolation in the community or lack of a supportive circle; \n
- lack of support in raising a child from other family members. \n
\n
Community and social factors
\n
\nA number of characteristics of individual communities and communities can increase the risk of child abuse. They include:
\n
- \n
- gender and social inequality; \n
- lack of adequate housing or family support services and institutions; \n
- high rates of unemployment and poverty; \n
- easy access to alcohol and drugs; \n
- inappropriate policies and programs to prevent child abuse, child pornography, child prostitution, and child labor;\n \n
- social and cultural norms that support or glorify violence against others, favor the use of corporal punishment, require strong gender roles or belittling the status of the child in the relationship between parents and children; \n
- social, economic, health, and educational policies that lead to poor living standards or socioeconomic inequality or instability.
\n
\n
Prevention
\n
\nPrevention of child abuse requires a multisectoral approach. Effective programs are those that support parents and instill positive parenting skills. They include:
\n
- \n
- Nursing home visits to parents and children for support, education and information;\n \n
- Parent education, usually in groups, to improve child-rearing skills, increase knowledge of child development, and encourage positive treatment strategies with kids; and \n
- multi-component activities, typically including parent support and education, early childhood education, and child care. \n
\n
\nOther prevention programs are also promising in some respects.
\n
- \n
- Abuse Head Injury Prevention Programs (also called Shaken Baby Syndrome and Inflicted Traumatic Brain Injury).
These are usually hospital-level programs targeting young parents prior to their discharge, educating them about the dangers of shaken baby syndrome and recommending interventions for inconsolably crying babies. \n - Child sexual abuse prevention programs. They are usually held in schools and teach children about the following areas: \n
- ownership of one's body;\t \n
- the difference between good and bad touch; \n
- how to recognize threatening situations; \n
- how to say \"no\"; \n
- how to tell a trusted adult about abuse. \n
- \n
\n
\nSuch programs are effective in increasing protective factors against child sexual abuse (for example, knowledge about sexual abuse and protective behaviors), but data on whether such programs reduce others types of violence are absent.
\n
\nThe earlier in a child's life such interventions are carried out, the more beneficial they are for the child (eg, cognitive development, behavioral and social competence, educational training) and for society (eg, reduced delinquency and crime).
\n
\nIn addition, early recognition of cases, combined with ongoing care for child victims of abuse and their families, can help reduce re-abuse and its consequences.
\n
\nFor maximum impact, prevention and care interventions are recommended by WHO as part of a four-pronged public health approach:
\n
- \n
- identifying the problem;\n \n
- identifying causes and risk factors; \n
- development and testing of measures aimed at minimizing risk factors; \n
- disseminate information on the effectiveness of interventions and scale up proven effective interventions.\n \n
\n
WHO activities
\n
\nWHO in collaboration with a number of partners in the following areas:
\n
- \n
- provides technical and normative guidance for evidence-based child abuse prevention;\n \n
- calls for greater international support for and investment in evidence-based child abuse prevention region; \n
- provides technical support for evidence-based child abuse prevention programs in certain low- and middle-income countries.
\n
","datePublished":"2022-09-19T19:00:00.0000000+00:00","image":"https://cdn.who.int/media/images/default-source/ imported/children-running-jpg.jpg?sfvrsn=50512cc9_2","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"World Health Organization: WHO","logo":{"@type" :"ImageObject","url":"https://www.who.int/Images/SchemaOrg/schemaOrgLogo.jpg","width":250,"height":60}},"dateModified":"2022- 09-19T19:00:00.0000000+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":"https://www.who.int/ru/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/child-maltreatment","@context": "http://schema.org","@type":"Article"};
Key facts
- One in 5 women and 1 in 13 men report being sexually abused as children.
- The consequences of child maltreatment include lifelong physical and mental health damage, and its social and professional consequences can ultimately slow down the economic and social development of a country.
- Child maltreatment can be prevented - this requires a multisectoral approach.
- Effective prevention programs can support parents and teach them positive parenting skills.
- Continued care for children and families can help reduce the risk of re-abuse and minimize its consequences.
Child abuse is the mistreatment and neglect of children under the age of 18. It covers all types of physical and/or emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, neglect and commercial or other exploitation that results in actual or potential harm to the health, survival, development or dignity of the child in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power. . Intimate partner violence is also sometimes considered a form of child abuse.
Magnitude of the problem
Child abuse is a global problem with serious lifelong consequences. Although studies have recently been carried out in some low- and middle-income countries, much data is still lacking.
Child abuse is a complex and difficult issue to study. Available estimates vary widely depending on the country and the research method used.
Grades depend on the following aspects:
- applicable definitions of child abuse;
- type of child abuse being studied;
- coverage and quality of official statistics;
- coverage and quality of surveys that require reports from victims themselves, parents or caregivers.
However, international studies show that one quarter of all adults were physically abused as children, and that 1 in 5 women and 1 in 13 men were sexually abused as children. In addition, many children are victims of emotional (psychological) abuse and neglect.
An estimated 41,000 murders of children under the age of 15 occur each year. This figure underestimates the true extent of the problem, as a significant proportion of child abuse deaths are incorrectly attributed to falls, burns, drowning, and other causes.
In armed conflict and refugee camps, girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence, exploitation and abuse by the military, security forces, other members of their communities, humanitarian workers and others.
Consequences of abuse
Child abuse causes suffering to children and families and can have long-term consequences. Abuse leads to stress, which is associated with impaired early brain development. Extreme stress can disrupt the development of the nervous and immune systems. As a result, in adulthood, people who were abused as children are at increased risk of behavioral and physical and mental health problems, such as:
- committing violence or becoming a victim of violence;
- depression;
- smoking;
- obesity;
- high risk sexual behavior;
- unplanned pregnancy;
- harmful use of alcohol and drugs.
As a result of these behavioral and mental health consequences, abuse can lead to heart disease, cancer, suicide, and sexually transmitted infections.
In addition to health and societal impacts, child maltreatment also has economic impacts, including the cost of hospitalization, mental health treatment, child care, and long-term health costs.
Risk factors
Risk factors for child abuse have been identified. These risk factors are not present in all social and cultural settings, but they give a general idea when trying to understand the causes of child abuse.
Child
It is important to emphasize that children are victims and should never be blamed for abuse. Certain individual characteristics of a child may increase the likelihood of abuse:
- child under 4 years of age or adolescent;
- an unwanted child or a child that does not live up to the expectations of the parents;
- a child with special needs, constant crying or abnormal physical features.
Parents or caregivers
Certain characteristics of parents or caregivers may increase the risk of child abuse. Among them are the following:
- difficulties associated with the newborn;
- leaving a child unattended;
- childhood abuse;
- ignorance of child development or unrealistic expectations;
- harmful use of alcohol or drugs, including during pregnancy;
- involvement in criminal activity;
- experiencing financial difficulties.
Relationships
A number of factors in family relationships or between sexual partners, friends and peers can increase the risk of child abuse, for example:
- a family member's physical or mental health or developmental problems;
- discord in the family or violence between other family members;
- isolation in the community or lack of a support circle;
- lack of support in raising a child from other family members.
Community and social factors
A number of characteristics of individual communities and communities can increase the risk of child abuse. They include:
- gender and social inequality;
- Lack of adequate housing or family support services and institutions;
- high levels of unemployment and poverty;
- easy access to alcohol and drugs;
- inadequate policies and programs to prevent child abuse, child pornography, child prostitution and child labor;
- social and cultural norms that support or glorify violence against others, favor the use of corporal punishment, require rigid gender roles, or degrade the status of the child in parent-child relationships;
- social, economic, health and educational policies that lead to poor living standards or socioeconomic inequality or instability.
Prophylaxis
A multisectoral approach is needed to prevent child maltreatment. Effective programs are those that support parents and instill positive parenting skills. These include:
- home visits by nurses to parents and children for support, education and information;
- Parent education, usually in groups, to improve child-rearing skills, increase knowledge of child development, and encourage positive child-care strategies; and
- multi-component activities, usually including parent support and education, early childhood education and childcare.
Other prevention programs are also promising in some respects.
- Abuse head injury prevention programs (also called shaken baby syndrome and traumatic brain injury). These are usually hospital-level programs targeting young parents prior to their discharge, educating them about the dangers of shaken baby syndrome and recommending interventions for inconsolably crying babies.
- Child sexual abuse prevention programs. They are usually held in schools and educate children in the following areas:
- ownership of one's body;
- difference between good and bad touches;
- how to recognize threatening situations;
- how to say "no";
- how to talk about abuse to a trustworthy adult.
Such programs are effective in increasing protective factors against child sexual abuse (eg, knowledge about sexual abuse and protective behaviours), but there is no data on whether such programs reduce other types of violence.
The earlier in a child's life such interventions are, the more beneficial they are for the child (eg cognitive development, behavioral and social competence, educational training) and society (eg reduction in delinquency and crime).
In addition, early recognition of cases, combined with continued care for child victims of violence and families, can help reduce re-abuse and its consequences.
For maximum impact, prevention and care interventions are recommended by WHO as part of a four-step public health approach:
- problem definition;
- determination of causes and risk factors;
- development and testing of measures aimed at minimizing risk factors;
- disseminate information on the effectiveness of interventions and scale up proven effective interventions.
WHO activities
WHO is collaborating with a number of partners in the following areas:
- provides evidence-based technical and normative guidance on child maltreatment prevention;
- calls for increased international support for and investment in evidence-based child abuse prevention;
- provides technical support for evidence-based child abuse prevention programs in selected low- and middle-income countries.
The impact of domestic violence on a child's behavior at school
The impact of domestic violence on a child's behavior at school
Children who experience physical violence against themselves from a parent or parents can take different positions: an aggressor, but more often a victim.
In the position of the victim, they consider themselves guilty (parents are “good” and love them, and they, accordingly, are bad, upset those who care about them and they (children) deserve punishment). This explains their guilt and low self-esteem. In addition to resentment and guilt, the child experiences tension and anger, they have to suppress these feelings and emotions.
Manifestations of children living in conditions of physical violence in the family:
- Traumatic stress reaction — a child's reaction to threats of physical violence. May manifest as sleep disturbances, poor appetite, health complaints (within psychosomatics), fear manifested as a wary attitude or avoidance of parents and other adults
- Over-aggressiveness and impulsive behavior - aggressive destructive behavior at home and at school. It is difficult for such children to control themselves: they provoke conflict situations among students and are themselves direct participants in conflicts.
They identify with the abusive parent and are prone to criminal and anti-social activities. - Suspicion, distrust . It is very difficult for children from such families to establish contact based on trust, especially with adults, as they see them as a potential threat. It can also manifest itself in self-mutilation, unwillingness to live.
- Low self-esteem - dissatisfaction with oneself. Over time, it disguises itself as an overestimated self-esteem - a feeling of one's own omnipotence and invulnerability.
- Disorder in the development of cognitive activity - violation of the functions of speech, difficulties in constructing phrases, loudness of voice. This is dictated by the fact that the child was often punished when he cried and acted up.
- Central Nervous System Disorder - Mild symptoms of impairment are observed with no apparent cause. Such reasons can be sensory deprivation, poor food, lack of parental care.
- Loss of interest in school - decreased cognitive motivation, low academic performance (due to increased anxiety, it is difficult for the child to concentrate on lessons and tasks that need to be completed in the classroom).
Along with physical abuse, children are subjected to emotional and psychological abuse in the family. Emotional abuse - intentional destructive action or significant damage to children's abilities, including punishment for excessive attachment of a child to a parent. These can be:
- Regular restrictions on the child's abilities and opportunities, desires.
- Restrictions on the ability to contact socially significant people, groups and cultures, which may interfere with the normal development of the child.
- Threats to leave the child alone or without attention.
- Excessive or excessive demands that are not appropriate for the child's age.
When an adult is perceived as a threat and a source of humiliation, insult and punishment, a child develops pessimism and hopelessness.
In adult life, such children become indecisive, do not trust their own opinion. It is very important for them to gain authority in order to become “everyone” from “no one”. A child living in a family with aggressive parents develops a sense of inferiority, in this state he is forced to constantly defend himself, and this style of behavior is transferred to school and society as a whole. The risk of leaving the family, vagrancy increases.
When parents see a child as a problem and an obstacle that prevents them from doing their own thing, the child becomes emotionally isolated. Applying punishment to the child, parents are mistaken, believing that they can force him to obey and improve, they thereby only show their impatience and anger.
Behavioral markers that indicate the likelihood that a child is experiencing domestic violence:
- These children have an increased sensitivity to resentment;
- These children tend to drop out of school or stay away from school if there is a possibility of getting a failing grade or not being ready for the lesson;
- Capable of forging signatures of both teachers and parents, even able to forge medical certificates;
- They tend to satisfy their needs through associative behavior in order to attract attention to themselves through a negative assessment.
