|
|
what is child abuse?
The World Health Organisation (1999) defines child abuse as:
Child abuse or maltreatment constitutes all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child's health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power.
Child abuse can be a single incident, but usually takes place over time (Richardson, 2004).
As explained by the women participants in a study by Van Loon and Kralik (2005a):
We were told throughout our lives that we were ‘useless’, ‘good for nothing’ and ‘deserving of everything we got’. This was reinforced by ‘betrayal’ from our family and ‘manipulation’ from the perpetrator/s who ‘dominated’ us from their position of power and trust, making us feel ‘powerless’, ‘worthless’, ‘ashamed’, ‘guilty’ and ‘to blame somehow’. We were ‘used’ and treated as ‘objects’ or ‘meat’. When other children were developing ‘the building blocks for a strong identity’ and understanding that they were unique and worthwhile, ‘able and OK’. We were ‘stuck’ in a world that taught us ‘we would never amount to anything’. But worse, we still carry the burden of ‘shame’ and ‘guilt’, ‘confusion’ and ‘sadness’ which continually diminishes our ‘self-worth’ and ‘shatters our identity’.
Definitions of abuse remain ambiguous. What is abusive behaviour for one person is not necessarily abusive to another. Acceptability around behaviour varies widely from one social group to another (Tucci, Saunders, & Goddard, 2002) and from culture to culture (Korbin, 1991). That said; some behaviours are objectively deleterious to the healthy development of a child regardless of the definition of the abuse or the culture.
This definition includes specific forms of child abuse, such as:
- Emotional abuse: The failure of caregivers and adults to nurture a child and provide them with the love and security that they require, and where a child's environment and relationships with caregivers are unstable, coercive or unable to support the child's healthy development.
- Neglect and negligent treatment: Where a child is deprived of essential needs, such as love, nutrition, clothing, warmth, shelter, security, protection, medical and dental care, education and supervision.
- Physical abuse: The infliction of bodily injury upon a child which is not accidental.
- Family violence: Where one partner uses violence, and the threat of violence, to control their partners, children and other family members.
- Sexual abuse: The involvement of a child in any sexual activity with an adult, or with another child who is in a relationship of responsibility, trust and power over that child. Sexual abuse includes, but is not limited to, the manipulation or coercion of a child into sexual activity, child prostitution and child pornography.
Other forms of abuse:
Organised abuse: Other less-acknowledged forms of child abuse occur in the context of abusive family groups and perpetrator networks. These forms of abuse are very complex and involve multiple forms of abuse. Researchers and health and welfare professionals have used many different terms for such complex child abuse cases, including "organised abuse", "sadistic abuse" and "ritual abuse".
Substance abuse: Parental alcoholism and/or drug addiction is sometimes viewed as a distinct maltreatment sub-type (Briere, 1992).
Domestic violence: Witnessing family violence is generally considered to be a form of psychologically abusive behaviour. However, there is growing support for the inclusion of family violence as a distinct maltreatment sub-type (James, 1994). Witnessing family violence, especially one’s mother being battered by one’s father, is clearly abusive and has been related to subsequent psychological disturbances (Briere, 1992).Extreme poverty and homelessness are also sometimes viewed as a form of child abuse (Briere, 1992).
It is important to note that children are often exposed to harmful behaviours from one or more of these categories of abuse (Higgins & McCabe, 2000). The nature of the abuse and the duration of exposure of harmful behaviours may affect the long-term effects of the abuse into adulthood (Higgins, 2004). Nonetheless, the type and duration of abuse are not the only factors determining the long-term effects of the abuse. A number of factors which impact resilience need to be considered as well.
|
Did you know?
A child is abused in Australia every nine minutes according to statistics on substantiated incidences of child abuse (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2007).
A child abuse report is made in Australia every two minutes (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2007).
Indigenous children are five times more likely to be subject to a substantiated notification then other children, and seven times more likely to be in care (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2007).
The number of children in care has increased by a third from 2002 to 2006, with 25,454 children in state care in Australia (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2007).
|
