Abuse: Impact Factors, Consequences & Risks

Impact Factors of Abuse

• Victim's age, duration, nature of abuse, abuser identity, and victim's perception/interpretation are all factors.

Common Developmental Consequences of Abuse

• Abused individuals may develop noncompliant, hostile, and aggressive behaviors.
• They may experience poor peer and social relationships, insecure attachments, low self-esteem, and impaired moral development.
• Victims often experience anxiety and emotional insecurity, increasing their risk of delinquency, teen pregnancy, adult criminal activity, and psychiatric illness.

Risk Factors

• Single-parent families, absent fathers, poverty/low socioeconomic status, drug/alcohol dependency, other addictions (e.g., gambling, pornography), poor physical health, history of family violence, learning difficulties/lower cognitive functioning, parent emotional health, isolation, rigid/punitive parenting, minority group status, and history of child abuse/neglect are all risk factors for abuse.

ACEs

• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) include abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction.
• Types of abuse include physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
• Types of neglect include physical and emotional neglect.
• Types of household dysfunction include household substance abuse, parental divorce, household mental illness, mother treated violently, and incarcerated household member.

Prevalence of ACEs

• Statistics reveal high prevalence of various types of abuse and neglect in study participants. Prevalence rates for specific ACE types are noted in the study.

Impact of ACEs

• ACEs are linked to increased risk of negative health outcomes, including behavioral problems, physical and mental health issues. Specific negative health outcomes are linked to increasing ACE numbers.

Psychological Abuse

• Observable factors of neglect include dirty skin, offensive body odor, unwashed/uncombed hair, etc.
• Neglect indicators for infants/toddlers include listlessness, poor responsiveness, lack of interest in others.

Neglect Indicators in Children & Youth

• Indicators include lack of interest in school, problems with homework, destroying schoolwork/supplies, etc.
• Neglect indicators in parents/families include broken promises, missed appointments, refusing help, alcohol/substance abuse. Specific actions are detailed in the texts.

Neglect Indicators of Malnutrition

• Begging/stealing food, frequent hunger, rummaging in garbage cans, gorging/eating in large amounts, hoarding food, overeating junk food.

Neglect Indicators of Poor Health

• Drowsiness, fatigue; puffiness under eyes; frequent respiratory infections; itching, scratching, skin eruptions, frequent diarrhea; bruises, cuts, infections; untreated illnesses; and physical complaints without response.

Emotional Abuse

• Emotional abuse includes acts toward others (e.g., abuse of pets, threats of self-harm) and acts toward children/family (e.g., isolation, gaslighting).
• Behavioral indicators of emotional abuse include negative self-statements, shyness, passive/compliant behavior.
• Characteristics of emotional abuse include lags in physical/mental/emotional development, highly aggressive behaviors, and cruel/demanding behaviors.

Physical Abuse

• Behavioral indicators include avoiding physical contact, apprehensive reactions to other children's distress, wearing clothing to conceal injuries, inconsistent stories about injuries/accidents, etc.
• Family/parental indicators include blaming/putting down children, rejection, indifference to child's problems, withholding affection, favoring one child over others.

Family Violence

• Family violence is underreported, and rates are underestimated. Rates and statistics are noted in the included text, including difficulties reporting instances of abuse.
• Reasons for underreporting include stigma and limited contacts outside the family.
• Women are more likely to experience severe spousal violence.

Sexual Abuse

• Definitions of sexual abuse and consent, including child/youth perspectives. Specific definitions of consent/abuse/exploitation are noted
• Behavioral indicators include sudden reluctance, inappropriate affection, sexual acting out, and sexual terms/body part names.
• Other indicators include sleep problems, regressive behaviors, clinginess, personality changes, school problems, unwillingness/bizarre behavior, and reports of sexual assault.
• Characteristics of sexually abusive guardians or adults include overly protective/jealous, substance abuse, encouraging exhibitionism, encouraging/exploiting child promiscuity/prostitution.
• Characteristics of sexual offenders include family history of abuse/moralistic upbringing, stereotyped sex roles, low self-esteem, isolation, loneliness, sexual preoccupation, and hostile/aloof behavior towards others.
• Physical indicators like torn clothing, stained/bloody undergarments, pain/itching genitals, are also noted.

Duty to Report Abuse

• Legal requirements for reporting child abuse/neglect. Specific details on who must report and what constitutes a report are included.

Responding to Long-Term Impacts

• Advocacy-based services, trauma-based counseling, and permanent civil protection orders help.

Preventing Family Violence

• Importance of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention methods.
• Importance of evidence-based risk assessments for violence prevention.
• Importance of safe, stable relationships between caregivers/children, and gender equality for all. Additional points about specific support and resources are included.