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    Child Abuse

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    Courtney M

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    Child Abuse

    Uploaded by

    Courtney M
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    © © All Rights Reserved

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    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    3 views5 pages

    Child Abuse

    Uploaded by

    Courtney M

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 5

    1

    Effects of Child Abuse

    Courtney Legrand

    Capella University

    PSYC3150 - Victimology

    Professor Ayn O’Reilly

    January 2022
    2

    Effects of Child Abuse

    Child Abuse

    America is faced with a growing pandemic, child abuse. According to the Children’s

    Defense Fund every 48 seconds a child is abused or neglected and every two minutes a child

    must be removed from their homes and placed into a foster care home (The State of America's

    children, 2021). When looking for signs of child abuse or maltreatment you must look at the risk

    factors as well. There are many factors that can cause a child to be abused or mistreated. If the

    parents are addicted to illegal substances this raises the risk factor that the children will be

    abused or neglected. Poverty, mental health, domestic violence, and past victimization are all

    among the factors that can increase the risk of a child being mistreated.

    Once it is suspected that a child is being abused outside agencies usually get involved.

    These agencies can include the police and Child Protective Services, CPS. Depending on the

    severity and circumstances of the abuse the children could be taken away and put in foster care.

    Many think that once the child is removed from the toxic environment that the damage is done

    however the long-term effects of child abuse will stay with that child for the rest of their life.

    Effects on Victims

    The effects of child abuse can be physical, psychological, behavioral, and societal.

    “Childhood exposure to violence, crime, and abuse can lead to serious consequences for the

    health and well-being of children that can last long into adulthood.” (U.S. Department of

    Justice). The psychological effects of the abuse can include mental and emotional health issues,

    attachment issues, and brain impairments that effect cognitive skills and executive functioning.

    As a result of these psychological effects come behavioral effects as well. One of the major

    effects is juvenile delinquency. Once the child gets started down the juvenile delinquency path
    3

    they are very likely to turn that into adult crime as well. “According to research funded by the

    National Institute of Justice within the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs,

    children who experience maltreatment in the form of physical and emotional abuse are more

    likely to develop antisocial behaviors and form relationships with other antisocial people” (U.S.

    Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice, 2017).

    One theory that can explain how childhood abuse can lead to adult crime is the social

    learning theory. The Social Learning Theory states that the victims of abuse or neglect can learn

    and mimic patterns of violence or delinquent behaviors (Currie, J., & Tekin, E. 2012). These

    negative behaviors are witnessed as a child and imprinted on them.

    Social Consequences

    Not only does the child have to live with the physical, psychological, and behavioral

    effects of the abuse, there are also societal effects as well. Society pays for the Child Protective

    Services that we have; tax money and community time and resources go into the program. Once

    the child is removed from the home where the abuse is occurring, and they are placed in the

    foster care system they become the responsibility of the county and state. If, once the child gets

    older, they start committing crimes and end up in the jail and prison systems, the community

    pays for that as well.

    Help and Prevention

    Luckily a child is not stuck in an abusive environment there are places that the child can

    turn for help. If no mandated reports have seen or reported the suspected abuse the child can

    always speak up and go to a trusted individual to get help. There are state agencies such as CPS,

    and The Big Brother/Big Sister program. Once help gets involved there are all kinds of therapies

    that the child can get involved in so that they can get the help they need early and hopefully learn
    4

    the correct way to do things so that they can move past the abuse and live a happy productive life

    as a functioning member of society. Society can take a role in child abuse prevention as well.

    There are many things that people can do to help. If you see something that is child abuse get

    involved and make the appropriate phone calls, donate to various programs, and sign up to foster

    if you are able to.


    5

    References

    Currie, J., & Tekin, E. (2012). Understanding the cycle: childhood maltreatment and future

    crime. The Journal of human resources, 47(2), 509–549.

    Glatz, T., Källström, Å., Hellfeldt, K., & Thunberg, S. (2019). Physical violence in family sub-

    systems: Links to peer victimization and long-term emotional and behavioral problems.

    Journal of Family Violence, 34(5), 423–433.

    The State of America's children 2021 - child welfare. Children's Defense Fund. (2021, March

    28). Retrieved January 2022, from https://www.childrensdefense.org/state-of-americas-

    children/soac-2021-child-welfare/

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families,

    Children's Bureau. Child Welfare Information Gateway. (n.d.). Child abuse and

    neglect statistics. https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/statistics/can/

    U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime.

    (n.d.). Topics. https://ovc.ojp.gov/topics

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