The Effects Of Child Abuse

Child abuse as defined by American Society for the Positive Care of Children (American SPCC, 2017) is any physical, emotional, or mental harm that occurs to a child through the action, or lack of action, by a guardian or caretaker. There are many different forms of child abuse which can result in serious injury and even death. These forms of abuse include physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, neglect, substance abuse by guardians or caretaker of child, and even abandonment (American SPCC, 2017). Many people find it inconceivable that someone would hurt a child, but in reality child abuse occurs every day. Child abuse can be facilitated by many factors such as stress, frustration, or even amusement. The World Health Organization

Globally this is a major issue, but because there is a lot of data that is not reported from other countries due to differences in child abuse laws, it is hard to obtain an accurate prevalence and incidence rate on a global level. However, WHO (2017) estimated that around 41,000 children under 15 years of age are killed annually around the world from child abuse. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2017) reported that there were 1,680 estimated child abuse related deaths nationally in 2015. According to Child Help (2017) the United States of America has about four to seven children who are killed daily due to child abuse, with a case of child abuse or rape being reported every 10 seconds. Because of this statistic, the USA is considered to have one of the highest records of child abuse deaths among the industrialized nations (Child Help, 2017). Child abuse is a major issue around the world and can be found in any type of family or socioeconomic status. Child abuse affects all ethnic backgrounds and does not discriminate against gender or race. Although this issue is found globally, the focus of this paper was on the United

As a consequence of child abuse, children can have improper brain development, anxiety, impaired social skills, depression, and an increased risk for engaging in risky behaviors (CDC, 2017). Not only does child abuse effect individuals, but it also can affect the family of the abused child. The Oregon Department of Human Services (2009) commented that the structure of a family can be greatly impacted by child abuse. It is not uncommon to see children who have been taken from their families and placed in protective services. If a child is abused by a family member or other adult, the parents of the abused child can feel guilty and become emotionally distressed from not protecting their child (Oregon Department of Human Services, 2009). The emotional stress that occurs from child abuse can ultimately tear a family apart. As recommended by the Oregon Department of Human services (2009) it is important for adults to believe a child when they report being abused because it might just save their