Analyzing the Detrimental Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of the effects of child abuse and neglect on children and adults. It defines abuse and neglect, outlines different types of abuse (physical, emotional, sexual, and neglect), and details the physical, psychological, behavioral, and economic consequences. The essay also discusses warning signs of abuse and differentiates between corporal punishment and discipline, highlighting the controversy surrounding spanking. It emphasizes the long-term impact of child abuse and neglect on mental health, relationships, and overall well-being, while also noting the high economic costs associated with these issues. Desklib offers a range of study tools and solved assignments for students.

EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
The Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect
Rebecca Klitzner
Lesley University – Cambridge, MA

EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
ABSTRACT
Child abuse and neglect are serious problems across the country and around the world.
Many children are abused and/or neglected either at home or by someone they know; sometimes
it is both of these. It doesn’t matter what race, religion or economic status the families hold
when it comes to child abuse and neglect. The effects of child abuse and neglect often last well
into a child’s adult life. In terms of how child abuse and neglect effects children and adults, it
varies from person to person. Some of the effects can be and are very mild, while others are
more severe and can have devastating effects on both the child and the adult survivor. Everyone
has different coping mechanisms that help them deal with the abuse and neglect that they
received.

EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT

EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
DEFINITIONS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT
The definition of child abuse can be found on both the federal and the state level. On the
federal level, child abuse is defined under the Child Abuse and Prevention and Treatment Act
(CAPTA). On the state levels, the definition can be found in both the criminal and civil statutes.
The Child Abuse and Prevention Treatment Act defines child abuse as “any recent act or failure
to act on the part of a parent or caretaker, which results in death, serious physical or emotional
harm, sexual abuse or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of
serious harm.” Child Welfare Information Gateway (2013).
Neglect is defined as “the failure of a parent, guardian or other caregiver to provide for a
child’s basic needs.” Child Welfare Information Gateway (2013)
TYPES OF ABUSE
Often times, children go through more than one type of abuse at the same time. The most
common types of abuse are physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect.
Everyone acts differently to the abuse that they have received. There are any number of reasons
as to how and why people react the way that they do (Banaschak, et al., 2015). These reasons
can be but aren’t limited to the age of the child when the abuse occurred and what stage of
development they are at, the type of abuse that is being done to them, how often the abuse
occurred and how mild or severe the abuse was, and the relationship that the child has with the
person who is abusing him or her (Biehal, et al., 2014).
While there are a number of different ways that children are abused, the most common
areas are physical abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, sexual abuse and neglect. Some of

EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
the ways that children are being physically abused are by the abuser hitting or beating them,
hitting them with an inanimate object, such as a belt, burning them, kicking a child or even tying
them up (Cook, et al., 2017). Some examples of emotional or psychological abuse include
insulting the child, threatening violence (and it doesn’t matter if the actual act is carried out; jus
the thought of the child getting physically hit is enough to scare a child), calling them names and
berating them. Some examples of sexual abuse the perpetrator fondling the child in or on his or
her genitals, fondling of a girl’s breasts, having sex with them, making the child touch them on
their genitals and exposing them to pornography by either making them watch it or pose for
inappropriate pictures (Esser, et al., 2016).
Neglect typically comes in several different forms. “Neglect may be physical (e.g. failure
to provide necessary food or shelter, or lack of appropriate supervision), medical (e.g. failure to
provide necessary medical or mental health treatment), Educational (e.g. failure to educate a
child, or attend to special education needs), or emotional (e.g. inattention to a child’s emotional
needs, failure to provide psychological care, or permitting the child to use drugs or other
alcohol).” (Garbarino, 2017)
EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
Abuse and neglect affect the child both in the present as well as in the future. The effects
can and do lead to a person having both physical and mental health issues that last well into their
adult life. Child abuse and neglect may affect people physically, psychologically, behaviorally
and economically. From a physical standpoint, child abuse and neglect can cause the death of a
child (Johnson, 2017). When abuse and/or neglect is done when the person is a baby or a small

EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
child, the effects can affect the way that they learn as well as their social and emotional skills. It
is possible that children may also experience head trauma that may be fatal. Even nonfatal head
trauma causes effects for children. Some examples of how nonfatal head trauma effects children
are they may be visually impaired or fully blind, may have some sort of motor impairment, such
as cerebral palsy and intellectual disabilities (Kitzinger, 2015). It is also possible for children
who have experienced abuse and/or neglect to have a higher risk for having a lot of health issues.
These may include but aren’t limited to heart disease, cancer, lung and liver diseases, obesity,
high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016)
It isn’t an uncommon thing to see children as well as young adults who were victims of
child abuse and neglect suffer from some sort of mental health issue or a combination of issues.
These issues can be things such as anxiety, depression, having an eating disorder or even
attempting suicide (Kagan, 2014). The constant abuse that a child receives may result with the
child having problems with their memory, he or she may have some learning disabilities, be
antisocial or have antisocial behaviors and even difficulty paying attention.
Child abuse and neglect doesn’t come without behavioral issues. They can be mild or
severe. Adolescents may start smoking, drinking, doing drugs and having sex. Teen girls are
more likely to get pregnant. Kids may do poorly in school or even go as far as skipping school.
Some kids may go as far as dropping out of school or becoming juvenile delinquents. Child
abuse and neglect also make it extremely difficult for these kids to, when they become an adult,
have and maintain a healthy relationship with people (Milaniak & Widom, 2015). Having an
intimate relationship with another partner may often be difficult for adult survivors of child
abuse and neglect as well.

EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
Finally, from an economic standpoint, the overall costs of childhood abuse and neglect
can be very costly. “The estimated average lifetime cost of nonfatal child abuse and neglect was
$210,012 (in 2010 dollars) including childhood health costs, adult medical costs, productivity
losses, child welfare costs, criminal justice costs and special education costs.”
WARNING SIGNS
Some of the warning signs that a child is being abused is (partially) dependent on what
type of abuse is going on in the household. Victims of emotional abuse are increasingly
withdrawn, afraid or even anxious about doing something wrong (Mrazek, et al., 2014). They
show extremes in their behavior, doesn’t seem to be attached to their parent and/or caregiver.
Children may act inappropriately either as an adult by taking care of other children or like a
young child such as by sucking their thumbs or throwing a temper tantrum (Mrazek, et al., 2014).
Some warning signs of physical abuse is when the child and/or adolescent has a lot of
injuries or bruises that are unexplained and may be very cautious, almost as if they are waiting
for something to happen. Their injuries tend to have a pattern that may be done by a hand or a
belt. The victim stays away from being touched, gets afraid when there are sudden movements
and is even afraid to go home (Mrazek, et al., 2014). The victims will also wear inappropriate
clothing in an attempt to cover up any sort of bruises or other injuries. An example of this is a
long-sleeved shirt in the middle of the summer.
Some of the warning signs of child neglect are the child’s clothes not fitting right,
incredibly dirty from not being washed or not appropriate for the weather (such as no winter
jacket to wear in the winter time). The child’s hygiene is bad. He or she isn’t showered or
bathed, their hair isn’t washed and may be matted and the child may have severe body odor. The

EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
victim may have illnesses and/or injuries that haven’t been treated (Mrazek, et al., 2014). The
child/children are constantly left alone without any supervision and is permitted to play in unsafe
places. It’s also possible that the child may often be late to school or absent a lot.
Some of the warning signs of sexual abuse are the child having trouble sitting and/or
walking, exhibits knowing about sexual acts that aren’t appropriate for their age or may engage
in a seductive behavior. The child may go out of his or her way to avoid a specific person
without any discernable reason, the child won’t want to change his or her clothes in front of other
people and even engages in physical activities (Maguire-Jack & Showalter, 2016). It is also
possible for the child to have an STD or even be pregnant. It’s very possible that the child may
even run away.
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT VERSUS DISCIPLINE
Corporal punishment is usually defined as inflicting physical pain on a person as a form of
punishment. Corporal punishment can include things such as beating a person, blinding a
person, or even mutilating a person (Nemeroff, 2016). Discipline is usually defined as teaching
people to abide by the rules and that if the rules are broken, there will be some sort of
punishment that will be made to hopefully correct those negative behaviors.
There has been a lot of controversy when it comes to disciplining your child and if and
when that crosses over to child abuse. Parents have a right to discipline their children. It’s the
job of the parents or caregivers to teach their children the difference between what is right and
what is wrong, to keep them safe and to make sure that they are happy and healthy. Children
need to know what is expected of them throughout the course of their lives as they grow and turn
into an adult (Nemeroff, 2016). Children also need to know that there are consequences to their

EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
actions. When children are disciplined in a positive way, the idea is that they will learn from
their mistakes and make the necessary changes in their behavior. Discipline can turn into child
abuse when this discipline and/or an attempt to control a child becomes excessive and injures the
child (Nemeroff, 2016).
There are a lot of debates that are going on about whether or not parents should spank their
children. Many people think that spanking their child will lead them to engage in violent
behavior(s) later on in life. Many people also say that spanking doesn’t work. There are also
many parents who believe that, when it comes to spanking, it can be an effective way of
disciplining the child as long as it is done correctly. Spanking a child is going to hurt regardless,
however many parents feel that if spanking is going to be effective, it shouldn’t be done in a way
where it is going to seriously hurt the child or humiliate them as well.
All parents get angry at their children. That’s part of life. Children are going to make
mistakes and they are going to push buttons to see what they can and can’t get away with. That’s
part of life and part of growing up. A lot of time, discipline happens when the child’s parent(s)
is/are angry. This is not an uncommon thing to have happen. Not all parents who get angry are
going to resort to child abuse. Physically abusive parents often lash out when they are angry and
use physical abuse to not just punish their children, but also to assert their power over their
children. In some cases, the angrier the parent(s) get, the more intense the abuse becomes. With
child abuse, the rules aren’t always clear, and children don’t always know what is going to set
their parents or caregivers off and cause them to turn violent.
Parents should never make their child be afraid as a whole, but especially being afraid of
what will happen when they misbehave. Children are going to make mistakes. Adults make
mistakes; that’s part of life. Parents need to teach their children the difference between right and

EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
wrong. Children need to realize that there are consequences for their actions. Depending on
what the child does wrong depends on whether or not they should be punished. Parents need to
look at the situation for what it is and act accordingly. Parents need to respect their children and
children need to respect their parents. That isn’t going to happen if children are afraid of their
parents. Rules are there for a reason and they need to be followed. If and when they aren’t, the
punishment needs to be appropriate for what was done wrong.
LEGAL REMEDIES/RAMIFICATIONS FOR CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
A person who is charged with child abuse and neglect faces a variety of penalties and
possible sentencing. These depend on several factors such as what state the abuse took place in,
how old the child is, whether or not sexual abuse was involved, whether or not the child was
injured either physically or mentally and whether or not the person who is charged with
committing the abuse has a criminal record or not. The whole process, including the sentencing
is very difficult for everyone who is involved in the situation. This is one of many reasons why
these cases don’t get reported. Many family members don’t report the child abuse and neglect
because of the stigma that surrounds child abuse and neglect, especially if other people in their
community know about what is going on. The sentencing of the abuser, among other things,
disrupts the family unit as well. Rather than go through all of that, the family tries to handle
things on their own. Unfortunately, this increases the risk or risks that the child will continue to
be abused.
In many states, child abuse can be either a felony or a crime that is less serious. It
depends on the circumstances of the situation. The most serious child abuse cases can
potentially carry a felony lifetime sentence. The cases that are less severe are considered to be
gross misdemeanors. There is a chance that the gross misdemeanors won’t carry any prison time.

EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
If the offender has a record of criminal child abuse activity, the punishment is going to be more
severe. If the offender doesn’t have any record, then the punishment will be significantly less.
For the purpose of sentencing, a person who is charged with child abuse and neglect can make
several different kinds of pleas. This person can plead guilty, not guilty or no contest.
In a large number of cases, sentencing may include probation or even a prison term up to
five years. In the more serious cases, there may be a longer prison sentence. There are other
penalties or consequences that the guilty person could face. Some of these things are requiring
to register as a sex offender for life, having his or her parental rights terminated, having a
criminal record, and supervised access to his or her child (Mathews et al., 2017). Convicted
child abusers aren’t the only ones who face any sort of legal consequences. In the states that
have mandatory reporting laws, there are mandated reporters such as doctors and other medical
professionals, teachers, law enforcement officers and many others. If the mandated reporters
don’t report child abuse and neglect, especially in a timely fashion, it is considered to be a
misdemeanor. This can result in the person paying a fine, spending time in jail, or both (Raby et
al., 2017).
STATISTICS
Many children across the United States suffer from child abuse and neglect every day.
Unfortunately, many of these cases go unreported or are under-reported. The statistics of child
abuse and neglect are unbelievable. The American Society for the Positive Care of Children
made a list of different statistics regarding child abuse and neglect (Teicher & Samson, 2016).
This information comes from a study that was performed by the Children’s Bureau in 2015 and
published in 2017 called the 2015 Child Maltreatment Report. This is where I am getting these
numbers from. (Please note that this is just a partial list).

EFFECTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE STATISTICS
“Child abuse reports involved 7.2 million children. 207,000 children receive foster care
services. 75.3% of victims are neglected. 17.2% of victims are physically abused. 8.4% of
victims are sexually abused. 6.9% of victims are psychologically maltreated. Over one-quarter
(27%) of victims are younger than 3 years old. Annual estimate: 1,670 to 1,740 children died
from abuse and neglect. Almost 5 children die every day from child abuse. 80% of child
fatalities involve at least one parent. 72.9% of child abuse victims die from neglect. 43.9% of
the child abuse victims die from physical abuse. Almost 60,000 children are sexually abused.
More than 90% of juvenile sexual abuse victims know their perpetrator.” American Society for
the Positive Care of Children (2018).
CHILD ABUSE AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR
“14% of all men in prison and 36% of all women in prison in the USA were abused as children,
about twice the frequency seen in the general population. Children who experience child abuse
and neglect are about 9 times more likely to become involved in criminal behavior.” American
Society for the Positive Care of Children (2018).
CONCLUSION
As an adult survivor of child abuse and neglect, it still has an effect on me to this day.
It’s not something that you just get over. It’s not something that ever goes away. Physical scars
will go away with time. The emotional scars last a lifetime. Child abuse and neglect rock it’s