Child Abuse and Its Types

Introduction

One million children are abused every year, just in the United States. That one million are just the children that have spoken up about it. The other children are either too young to say anything and speak up for themselves or they are too scared. The victims of child abuse usually know their abusers. Whether it be a parent or another adult that is around often, these people are those whom the child loves and trusts. The abuser does not have to be family; babysitters, teachers, and even the neighbor could be potential abusers (National Children’s Alliance, 2021).

Types of Child Abuse

There are many different types of child abuse, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. When most people think of physical abuse, they think of striking, kicking, or hitting a child. Physical abuse can also include holding a child underwater, tying a child up, intentionally burning or scalding a child with hot water, throwing an object at a child, or using an object to beat a child, and even starving a child or failing to provide a child with food. Compared to other forms of child abuse, physical abuse might be the most visible (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2019).

Many physically abusive parents claim that their actions toward their children are merely acts of discipline to try and make them behave. The child will never know what will set the abuser off; there aren't any clear boundaries set. The parent/abuser acts out in anger rather than with the motivation to lovingly teach the child. The angrier the abuser, the more intense it will be on the child. Symptoms of physical abuse include unexplained injuries, injuries that don't match the explanation, and untreated medical or dental problems.

Sexual Abuse

Physical abuse is often associated with sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is any and every sort of sexual contact with a child. It could include making a child pose or perform in pornographic photos or videos, telling a child dirty jokes or stories, showing a child pornographic material, forcing a child to undress in front of them, or “flashing” a child. Children dealing with this type of abuse are often plagued with layers of guilt and shame. They often think that they brought this upon themselves somehow, leading to self-loathing and problematic relationships as the child grows older (Finkelhor, 2009). Warning signs for sexual abuse in children may include knowledge of sexual acts that are inappropriate for their age, making strong efforts to avoid a certain person, not wanting to change in front of others, and having an STD or pregnancy, especially if they are under the age of 14.

Emotional Abuse

Another form of child abuse is emotional abuse. Emotional abuse can be a pattern of behavior that has a negative effect on a child's physical and emotional health. Examples of emotional abuse in children include constant shaming, humiliating a child, calling names, telling the child that they aren't any good, yelling, bullying, threatening, or ignoring the child. Negative effects that occur when a child is being emotionally abused include excessive withdrawal or fearfulness about doing something wrong, or the child doesn't seem to have attached to a parent. Emotional abuse can also cause depression as well as anxiety. Being constantly harassed by a parent could be very harmful to a child's emotional health in the long run (American Psychological Association, 2020).

Conclusion

Child abuse is a pervasive issue that can have long-lasting effects on the victims. Understanding the different forms of abuse and recognizing the signs can help in taking timely action to protect children. It is crucial to foster environments where children feel safe and empowered to speak out against their abusers.