Child Abuse

Types
Prevalence
Risk groups
Ways of detection
prevention
 Introduction
 Child abuse is when a parent or caregiver,
whether through action or failing to act, causes
injury, death, emotional harm or risk of serious
harm to a child. There are many forms of child
maltreatment, including neglect, physical abuse,
sexual abuse, exploitation, and emotional abuse.
Adults can experience a range of psychological,
emotional and social problems related to childhood
abuse.
 Types of Child Abuse

Emotional abuse
Neglect
Physical abuse
Family violence
Sexual abuse
 Emotional Abuse
Refers to the psychological and
social aspects of child abuse.
It is the most common form of
child abuse.
 5 Signs of Emotional Abuse
1. They are hyper-critical or judgmental
towards you.
2. They ignore boundaries or invade your
privacy.
3. They are possessive and/or controlling.
4. They are manipulative.
5. They often dismiss you and your
feelings.
 Causes of Emotional
Abuse
 Parents have negative attitudes towards children.
 Perceive parents as unrewarding and difficult to enjoy.
 They associate their own negative feelings with the
child's difficult behaviour.
 Poor parenting methods.
 Parental mental health problems.
 Domestic violence.
 Drug and alcohol misuse.
 Being abused or having been in care as children.
 Neglect
Is the ongoing failure to meet a child's basic
needs and the most common form of child
abuse. A child might be left hungry or dirty, or
without proper clothing, shelter, supervision or
health care. This can put children and young
people in danger. And it can also have long
term effects on their physical and mental
wellbeing.
 Types of Neglect
 Physical neglect
A child's basic needs, such as food, clothing or shelter, are not
met or they aren't properly supervised or kept safe.
 Educational neglect
A parent doesn't ensure their child is given an education.
 Emotional neglect
A child doesn't get the nurture and stimulation they need. This
could be through ignoring, humiliating, intimidating or
isolating them.
 Medical neglect
A child isn't given proper health care. This includes dental care
and refusing or ignoring medical recommendations.
 Signs of Neglect
 Poor appearance and hygiene
 Health and development
 Housing and family issues
 Change in behaviour
 Effects of Neglect
 Problems with brain development
 Taking risks, like running away from home, using
drugs and alcohol or breaking the law
 Getting into dangerous relationships
 Difficulty with relationships later in life, including
with their own children
 A higher chance of having mental and health
problems, including depression.
 Who's at risk

 are born prematurely

 have a disability
 have complex health needs
 are in care
 are seeking asylum.
 Physical
Abusea person using
 basically involves
physical force against you, which
causes, or could cause, you harm.
 Types of Physical Abuse
 scratching or biting
 pushing or shoving
 slapping
 kicking
 choking or strangling
 throwing things
 force feeding or denying you food
 using weapons or objects that could hurt you
 physically restraining you (such as pinning you against a
wall, floor, bed, etc.)
 reckless driving
 other acts that hurt or threaten you.
 Signs of Physical Abuse
 Cuts
 Bruises
 Burns
 Restraint or grip markings
 Black eyes
 Unusual pattern of injury; repeated
trips to the emergency room
 Effects of Physical Abuse
 Stuttering
 Psychosomatic disorders (disorders in which mental factors play a
significant role – often vague complaints of pain)
 Anxiety; fears; compulsive behavior
 Sleep disruption
 Excessive crying
 Problems at school
 Depression
 Self-destructive behavior; running away
 Anger and hostility
 Low self-esteem
 Difficulty trusting others; relationship problems
 Cause of Physical Abuse
 Many abusive and neglectful parents have had little
exposure to positive parental models and supports.
 There is often a greater degree of stress in the family
environment.
 Information-processing disturbances may cause
maltreating parents to misperceive or mislabel their
child's behavior, which leads to inappropriate responses.
 There is often a lack of awareness or understanding of
developmentally appropriate expectations.
 Family Violence
or domestic violence, usually refers to the
physical assault of children and women by
male relatives, usually a father and
husband/partner. In these situations, a man
uses violence to control his partner and
children, often in the belief that violence is a
male perogative ("I'm a guy, I can't control
myself"), or that his victims are responsible
for his behaviour ("You bought it on
yourself").
Physical Signs of Domestic Abuse
 lack eyes
 Bruises on the arms
 Busted lips
 Red or purple marks on the neck
 Sprained wrists

Emotional Signs of Domestic Abuse

 Agitation, anxiety, or constant apprehension
 Changes in sleep habits (sleeping too much or not enough)
 Developing a drug or alcohol problem
 Extremely apologetic or meek
 Loss of interest in daily activities
 Low self-esteem
 Seeming fearful
 Talking about or attempting suicide
 Effects of Family Violence
Death, illness, injury and disability
Emotional and psychological trauma
Homelessness
Use of alcohol and other drugs to deal with
the pain
Physical health injuries and problems, which
may not get medically treated
 Sexual Abuse
or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is
abusive sexual behavior by one person upon
another. It is often perpetrated using force or by
taking advantage of another. Molestation often
refers to an instance of sexual assault against a
small child, whereas sexual abuse is a term used
for a persistent pattern of sexual assaults
 Signs of sexual abuse in children 0-11 years

• Changes in emotions

 is quieter or more distant than usual

 cries for no obvious reason
 starts to wet the bed or soil their pants
 asks questions like ‘Do people have to keep secrets?’
 is aggressive or seems angry for no obvious reason
 says their head or tummy hurts and there doesn’t seem
to be a physical cause
 starts having nightmares
 is clingy.
 Signs of sexual abuse in children 0-11 years

• Changes in behaviour
 isn’t interested in playing, or is avoiding particular places or people
 is showing problematic sexual behaviour
 is having problems sleeping
 is doing less well at school.

• Physical signs
 swelling or redness in the genital area
 pain when going to the toilet
 difficulty walking or sitting
 bruises on soft parts of their body, like buttocks or thighs
 symptoms of a urinary tract infection, like burning while going to the
toilet
 symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection, like discharge from the
penis or vagina.
 Prevelance
 Refers to the proportion of a population that has
experienced a phenomenon.
 For example the percentage of Australians aged 18
years and over in 2015 who were ever abused or
neglected as a child. Incidence refers to the number
of new cases occurring over a specified period of
time (normally a year), for example the number of
Australian children aged 0–17 years who were
abused or neglected during 2015.
Prevelance
 Findings from the 2014 General Social Survey show that one-third of
Canadians aged 15 and older (33%) experienced some form of child
maltreatment before age 15. Child maltreatment includes physical and/or
sexual abuse by someone aged 18 or older, and/or witnessing violence by a
parent or guardian against another adult. Childhood physical abuse was
reported by 26% of Canadians, while 8% reported sexual abuse.

 One in ten Canadians (10%) stated that, before age 15, they had witnessed
violence by a parent or guardian against another adult in the home. The
majority of child witnesses—7 in 10 (70%)—also reported having been the
victim of childhood physical and/or sexual assault. Those who witnessed
parental violence were more likely to have suffered the most severe forms of
physical abuse.

 The majority (65%) of victims of childhood physical and/or sexual abuse

reported having been abused between 1 and 6 times, while 20% reported
between 7 and 21 instances. One in seven victims (15%) reported having been
abused at least 22 times.
 Prevelance
 Major Findings from the Canadian Incidence Study of
Reported Child Abuse and Neglect 2019
 An estimated 299,171 investigations were conducted in Canada in 2019
(48.22 investigations per 1000 children). Thirty-four percent of these
investigations were for substantiated maltreatment, and exposure to intimate
partner violence was the most frequently noted subtype of substantiated
maltreatment. Four percent of substantiated investigations involved physical
harm to the child, and 35% involved emotional harm. Twenty percent of
investigations were transferred to ongoing child welfare services, and an out-
of-home placement was made in 5% of investigations. The rate of
investigations in Canada in 2019 was higher than those reported in previous
CIS cycles and in Australian and American studies. The data from the CIS-
2019 fill a gap in knowledge with respect to child welfare services in Canada
and will be foundational for the development of policies related to protecting
children and promoting their well-being.
 Risk
Groups
Cumulative and interactive effects of risk factors

6-12 years 13-17 years 18 and older

Family dynamic and functioning •Poor parental practices •Poor parental practices
•Parental and/or sibling criminality •Parental and/or sibling criminality
•Anti-social parents with attitudes that support violence •Family violence
•Family conflicts •History of poor treatment
•Parents with substance abuse problems
•Physical abuse and neglect
•Family violence

Family characteristics •Unstable family income •Unstable family income •Unstable family income
•Broken home •Broken home
•Family mobility •Family mobility
•Mental health of parents
•Young mother
•Number of children in the family
•Single parent family
•Parental past

Area of residence •Poor area •Poor area •Poverty

•Presence of young offenders •Crime in the area •Crime
•Presence of youth gangs •Youth gangs
•Availability of drugs and firearms •Drugs and firearms
 Ways of Detection
 It is encouraging to witness the progress that has been made in
recognizing, detecting and responding to child maltreatment
as discussed by the contributors to the current issue
of Paediatrics & Child Health. However, there remain
significant gaps in our knowledge base regarding ways to
prevent its occurrence, and to reduce associated impairment
for children and adolescents, and across the lifespan. It is clear
that these gaps exist on a global level. Most of the research
examining ways of reducing child abuse and neglect has been
conducted in high-income countries; we know even less about
ways to intervene in low- and middle-income countries
 What to do if you suspect, or if a child discloses
maltreatment?
1. Act on the suspicion quickly (i.e., do not wait for days or weeks).
2. Keep the best interests of the child in mind, and protect the child from any
further harm (i.e., keep the child from returning to the abusive or
neglectful situation).
3. Write down what you have been told and by whom, your observations and
what you did.
4. If the child has disclosed maltreatment, reassure him/her that it was right
to do so, as he/she may have mixed feelings and/or feel loyalty to the
perpetrator.
5. Try to learn as much as you can about the situation and context, and find
out if the child is currently at risk (e.g., is experiencing ongoing exposure
to the perpetrator), but do not interview the child about details. That is the
responsibility of the CPS.
What to do if you suspect, or if a child discloses
maltreatment?

6. Contact the local CPS and report the situation. Provide

identifying data and your contact information.
7. In consultation with the CPS, consider immediate
medical assessment/treatment of physical problems and
referral to local emergency health services or sexual
assault teams, etc.
8. Consider referral to a mental health professional for
assessment/treatment of any psychological or psychiatric
problems.
9. Short-term and long-term safety plans for the child
should be prepared in collaboration with the CPS.
 Prevention in Child Abuse
 Every five minutes a child dies as a result of
violence.
 We work to prevent all forms of violence, abuse
and neglect towards children. We help make and
keep children safe, whether they are refugees,
migrants, live in institutions or other forms of
alternative care, are exploited, even within their
own communities and homes.
What we do to protect Children?

• Listen to and work with boys and girls to improve their

lives and safety.
• Work with schools to make them safe and free of violence.
• Protect children during emergencies.
• Operate Child Friendly Spaces where boys and girls can
socialize, play and receive psychosocial support to help
them cope during emergencies.
• Reunify separated and unaccompanied children with their
families in emergencies.
• Provide training to social workers to enable them to provide
supportive care to families and children, including through
quality case management.
What we do to protect Children?

• Advocate for more effective national protection

policies and child welfare reform within strengthened
child protection systems.
• Develop public awareness campaigns to stop child
abuse and exploitation.
• Address social norms that perpetuate violence against
children by engaging through constructive dialogue
with boys and girls, parents and community leaders.
• Work with parents and caregivers to enhanced their
ability to apply positive discipline at home.
 Bibliography
 https://www.slideshare.net/simranlotey/child-abuse-ppt-124640049?
from_action=save
 https://www.safehorizon.org/programs/5-signs-emotional-abuse/
 By: Jennifer Koza, May 23, 2017
 https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/can/defining/
 https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/types-of-abuse/neglect/
 2. According to the impact report for 2020/21: We reached many more
children and adults through our scaled-up services than target, once
restrictions eased and staff returned. GCP2 reached 19,898 people
 Radford, L. et al (2011) Child abuse and neglect in the UK today.
London: NSPCC.
 Sources: Based on data from Department for Education, StatsWales,
 Bibliography
 Children's Social Care Statistics (NI), and Scottish Government and
Brandon, M. et al. (2013) Neglect and serious case reviews: a report from
the university of East Anglia commissioned by NSPCC (PDF).
 https://au.reachout.com/articles/what-is-physical-abuse
 Tracy, N. (2021, December 17). Signs of Physical Abuse, Physically
Abused Adults, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2022, November 25 from
https://www.healthyplace.com/abuse/adult-physical-abuse/signs-of-
physical-abuse-physically-abused-adults
 https://www.healthyplace.com/abuse/adult-physical-abuse/effects-of-
physical-abuse-pictures-of-physical-abuse
 https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/domestic-violence/about/effects-of-dv
 https://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age/safety/child-sexual-abuse/signs-
of-sexual-abuse
 Bibliography
 https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2017001/article/
14698/01-eng.htm
 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42448-021-00110-
9#:~:text=An%20estimated%20299%2C171%20(95%25%20CI,%5D)
%20investigations%20per%201000%20children.
 https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/wht-knw/index-
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 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3887077/
 https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/
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 https://www.savethechildren.ca/what-we-do/global-programs/
protection/
Thank
You!