Child Abuse Information

Child abuse is a devestating act of violence. It comes in several forms: physical abuse, emotional abuse/mental abuse, and sexual abuse. Any or all of these can occur. There is no set pattern to child abuse besides how prevalent it is in our society. Child Abuse is not limited by race or socioeconomic status.

Childhood abuse affects its victims for many years. Often it takes many years of intense therapy for an adult to heal. There is hope. If you are a victim of childhood abuse, I want to say to you that what you experienced was not your fault. Children are to be loved and nurtured not beaten and humiliated and abused. Childhood abuse of all types takes your voice...part of your person.

Each year approximately 3.8% of children between the ages of 3 and 17 are beaten which places the number of physically abused children at about 2 million. Many cases of child abuse go unreported so the actual number of abused children is probably much higher.

Of those children under the age of 3 who are abused, as many as 25% die from the abuse.

Physical abuse during childhood does severe damange. Not only can it leave physical scars but it leaves mental scars as well. Often these children suffer from depression and post traumatic stress. At the very least their sense of self and safety is severly damanged. They tend to have low-self esteem and feel that they are not signifigant as people. Probably the most damaging effect of long term physical abuse is the potential for the abused child to become an abuser themselves. That perpetuates the cycle.

Children who live through physical abuse tend to learn that violence is an acceptable method to solve problems and that love hurts. They tend to be hurt as adults because they do not understand what love is. Sometimes these children become overly compliant. They may avoid peers and withdraw from outside contact. They may act out aggressively during their teenage years.

Emotional abuse and mental abuse can be as damaging as physical abuse. Words can hit as hard as a fist and the damage to self-esteem can last a life time. If you are a victim or survivor of emotional abuse , I want to say that you are not lazy, crazy, stupid, or worthless.

Emotional abuse involves one person shaming, ridiculing, embarrassing, humiliating, or insulting another person. It may include destruction of personal property or killing of pets in an effort to frighten or control the victim.