Child Abuse
5 children die every day from child abuse. 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 20 boys is a victim of child sexual abuse. 1
Children should grow up in safe, healthy and supportive environments. Unfortunately, millions of young people are abused and mistreated by the adults responsible to care for them.
There are many forms of child abuse including physical and sexual abuse, emotional abuse, exploitation, willful neglect or any other act that could put a child at risk.
About Child Abuse
Child abuse and neglect have different legal definitions. The general terms can help you identify the harm children may face.
Statistics
Millions of children in the U.S. are victims of child abuse and neglect. Fatalities of young people are at startling numbers.
Effects of Child Abuse
Once a child is safe from abuse, recovery can be a significant challenge. The trauma should be addressed early to begin healing.
Know the Warning Signs
Abusers often convince children to lie or be silent about their situations. There are visible signs that a child may be hurt.
About Child Abuse
What is child abuse?
Child abuse is an act or set of acts that results in serious harm or risk of harm, including physical, sexual or emotional abuse, exploitation or death, inflicted by a parent, caregiver or other person who has responsibility for the child. If a caregiver fails to act and it results in serious harm or risk of harm, it is also considered child abuse.
This abuse includes the intentional failure to provide physical, emotional and psychological well-being for a child, such as withholding medical care or intellectual/educational stimulation.
While the majority of abuse cases involve a person who has authority of the child, any adult or older child can be a perpetrator.
What are some types of child abuse?
Legal definitions differ across jurisdictions, but there are general types of abuse to help identify whether a child has been abused:
- Physical abuse. This consists of a non-accidental physical injury from beating, kicking, shaking, throwing or otherwise harming a child.
- Sexual abuse. This consists of any sexual act on a child by an adult or older child, with or without force or threat of force, such as verbal seduction or abuse, anal or vaginal intercourse, oral sex or manual stimulation.
- Emotional abuse. This consists of behavior that impairs a child’s emotional development or sense of self-worth, such as constant criticism and threats.
- Psychological abuse. This consists of behavior that affects a child’s sense of worth, such as harsh demands and yelling.
Effects of Child Abuse
What are some psychological and mental effects of child abuse?
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Low self-esteem
- Withdrawal
- Dissociation
- Difficulty with making and maintaining relationships
- Experiencing flashbacks
- Hypervigilance
- Persistent fear
What are some behavioral effects of child abuse?
- Self-harm
- Eating disorders
- Alcohol and drug use
- Trouble sleeping
- Uncomfortable with physical contact with others
- Absent from school often
- Criminal activity
Child Abuse Statistics
It is difficult to know the scope of how much child abuse and neglect really affects one of the most vulnerable members of our communities. Abused children are often isolated, especially when the trauma involves a caregiver they depend on every day. The harm many children face is not recognized or reported by adults.
1 in 4
Girls
experience child sexual abuse at some point in childhood. 2
1 in 13
Boys
experience child sexual abuse at some point in childhood. 3
91%
Of child abuse
is perpetrated by someone the child or the child’s family knows. 3
The odds of attempting suicide are six times higher for men and nine times higher for women with a history of child abuse than those without a history of child sexual abuse. 4
Know the Warning Signs
Perpetrators often convince and manipulate children to lie or be silent about their abuse, which can make it hard to recognize signs of child abuse. Children may also be scared, ashamed, guilty or embarrassed about the trauma they are experiencing. It can make a child feel confused or alone.
What are the warning signs?
Emergency Resources
There are resources available for you. You are not alone. In an emergency, call 911.
- American SPCC, National Center for Victims of Crime
- Pereda, N., Guilera, G., Forns, M., & Gómez-Benito, J. (2009). The prevalence of child sexual abuse in community and student samples: A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 29, 328–338. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2009.02.007
- Finkelhor, D., & Shattuck, A. (2012). Characteristics of crimes against juveniles. Durham, NH: Crimes Against Children Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/CV26_Revised%20Characteristics%20 of%20Crimes%20against%20Juveniles_5-2-12.pdf
- Bebbington, P. E., Cooper, C., Minot, S., Brugha, T. S., Jenkins, R., Meltzer, H., & Dennis, M. (2009). Suicide attempts, gender, and sexual abuse: Data from the 2000 British Psychiatric Morbidity Survey. American Journal of Psychiatry, 166, 1135-1140.