CHILD ABUSE

Impacts of Child Abuse

Child Abuse is the physical, sexual or emotional mistreatment or neglect of a child or children. This is a burning and prolonging issue not only in Jamaica but worldwide and it needs to be dealt with ASAP. No child possesses the mental mechanism to deal with such an experience and therefore will have to deal with the consequences of living with the pain.

SEXUAL ABUSE

When children are molested they learn that adults cannot be depended on for care and protection meaning that there is a lack of support and protection. This leads to grief, depression, extreme dependency, inability to judge trustworthiness in others, mistrust, anger and hostility. Also the children’s bodies react with actions of shame and guilt.

PHYSICAL ABUSE

A single incident of physical abuse can result in severe trauma but the more the physical abuse occurs the greater the impact on the child. The younger the child was of the physical abuse, the greater the imprint the greater the impact. When the child has a very close relationship with the abuser, the feeling of betrayal are much greater because the very person who is supposed to protecting is instead inflicting pain.

EMOTIONAL ABUSE

The effects are directly connected to the relationship between the victim and abuser so the closer the relationship, the more devastating the effects on the child. As the intensity, frequency and duration of abuse increases, so does the effect on the psychological make-up of the child. 

Despite the type of abuse, behaviour and mentalilty will change and this can have an influence on the future of the individual. Abuse can affect the individual’s relationship and interaction with others.

Accepting the problem and trying to live with it will be hard but that is the only way to move on and live a happy and normal life.