CHILD ABUSE
CHILD ABUSE
Child abuse is more than broken bones and bruises. Physical abuse can leave visible signs that are sometimes shocking. However, there are also other forms of child abuse that are not that obvious. Making a child feel worthless and stupid or putting a child in a dangerous situation without any supervision and neglecting children's needs are also considered as child abuse. The result is serious emotional harm; regardless of the type of child abuse.
Not all abusers are intentionally harming their children. There are many who have been victims of abuse themselves. Some abusers may be struggling with mental health issues or a substance abuse problem. While abuse by strangers does happen, most abusers are family members or members close to the family. Abused children are likely to become adults who unconsciously repeat what they experienced as children.
Child abuse leaves lasting scars. While some of these scars are physical, emotional scars have long lasting effects throughout life. Some of the damages include inability to have a healthy relationship, inability to function at home, school or work and low self-esteem.
Abuse by a parent damages the most fundamental relationship as a child. If you cannot trust your parent, who can you trust? A child looks to their parents for trust, reliability and safety; without this base, it is difficult to know other people who are trustworthy. As a result there is a difficulty in maintaining a healthy relationship due to the fear of abuse.
A child will develop a very low self-esteem if he/she is continuously told how stupid or worthless he/she is. It is difficult to overcome these core feelings. As adults they will not strive for a better education or be ambitious about their career because they doubt their abilities and they believe that they are not worthy of achieving it.
An abuse child may not feel safe to express emotions. The emotions get buried within them and can surface back up in an unexpected way. Adult survivors of child abuse can struggle with unexplained depression, anxiety or anger. They can also turn to drugs, alcohol and even food to numb out the painful feelings.
The best thing that you can provide when talking with an abused child is calm reassurance and unconditional support. If you have trouble finding the words, let your actions speak for you. Talking about the abuse may be difficult for the child but it is your job to reassure the child and provide him/her with whatever help you can.
When talking to an abused child, allow the child to explain in his/her own words what happened; do not interrogate the child as this may confuse the child and make it harder for them to continue their story. As hard as it may be to remain calm and reassuring, it is important that you do not show shock or disgust to what they are saying as the child may be afraid to continue. Keep on reassuring the child that you take what he/she said seriously and that it is not the child's fault. If you think that your safety or the child's safety could be threatened if you try to intervene, leave it to the professionals. You can always provide more support after the initial professional intervention.
If you suspect a child is being abused, it is critical to get them the help he/she needs. You can make a tremendous difference in the life of an abused child, especially if you take steps to stop the abuse early. Tips To Teach Kids About Money What Are The Main Aspects Of Learning Chinese For Kids? Using Children's Allowance To Teach Them Lessons On Saving And Responsibility How Can Kids Make Money? What's the cause of children's nightmares? How To Teach Your Children About Using Their Kids Allowance Effectively How can your child get rid of his nightmares? Some Tips On Saving For Children Parental Substance Abuse Increases Children's Risk Hippo therapy as a way of fighting with children autism Improving communicational skills at autistic children, using hippo therapy Talking to Children About Sex Keep Your Kids Safe with Your 4G Phone