CHILD ABUSE

Child Abuse

Child abuse represents one of the Child abuse represents one of the most significant risk factors to the most significant risk factors to the psychological well-being of psychological well-being of children and its effects may endure children and its effects may endure through adolescence and through adolescence and adulthood.adulthood.

READINGS

Wenar, C. & Kerig, P. (2000)“Risk factors Wenar, C. & Kerig, P. (2000)“Risk factors in the family context: Child maltreatment in the family context: Child maltreatment and divorce” in and divorce” in Developmental Developmental Psychopathology Psychopathology (pp. 303-311). Singapore: (pp. 303-311). Singapore: McGraw-HillMcGraw-Hill

LECTURE QUESTIONS What are the different types of abuse?What are the different types of abuse? How is abuse constructed in legal, social and How is abuse constructed in legal, social and

psychological terms?psychological terms? How does child abuse link with woman abuse?How does child abuse link with woman abuse? What are the longer and shorter term effects of What are the longer and shorter term effects of

child abuse and what factors influence whether child abuse and what factors influence whether they occur?they occur?

What risk and protective factors may influence What risk and protective factors may influence whether physical child abuse occurs?whether physical child abuse occurs?

What is the debate over Section 59?What is the debate over Section 59?

Types of child abuse

Child sexual abuse-includes non contact abuse, Child sexual abuse-includes non contact abuse, contact abuse and involving child in pornographycontact abuse and involving child in pornography

Emotional abuse- includes rejection, isolation, Emotional abuse- includes rejection, isolation, oppression, threats, humiliation, corruptionoppression, threats, humiliation, corruption

Neglect- includes failure to provide necessities for Neglect- includes failure to provide necessities for health, lack of supervision, medical neglect, health, lack of supervision, medical neglect, abandonment and refusal to assume parental abandonment and refusal to assume parental responsibilityresponsibility

Physical abuse- inflicitng range of physical injuriesPhysical abuse- inflicitng range of physical injuries Exposure to domestic violence- allowing child to Exposure to domestic violence- allowing child to

witness violence between parentswitness violence between parents

Prevalence of child abuse SourcesSources- CYFS & Women’s Refuge referrals, - CYFS & Women’s Refuge referrals,

hospital admissions, surveys, police recordshospital admissions, surveys, police records CYFS abuse referralsCYFS abuse referrals 1999-2000 26 588, 1999-2000 26 588,

substantiated 9 385 and in 1998-9 by type:substantiated 9 385 and in 1998-9 by type: Sexual abuse: 1 375Sexual abuse: 1 375 Physical Abuse: 1 660Physical Abuse: 1 660 Emotional Abuse: 1 414 Emotional Abuse: 1 414 Women’s Women’s Refuge StatsRefuge Stats (1998) (1998) 6 984 women with 9 487 children 6 984 women with 9 487 children

sought help from a Women’s Refugesought help from a Women’s Refuge

Understandings of physical child abuse

Lay-pieced together from popular culture, family Lay-pieced together from popular culture, family values, education programmesvalues, education programmes

Legal -what constitutes rights of parents versus Legal -what constitutes rights of parents versus rights of children,‘reasonable force’rights of children,‘reasonable force’

Social -e.g., social disadvantage, society’s tolerance Social -e.g., social disadvantage, society’s tolerance for violencefor violence

Psychological- inadequacy of parents, Psychological- inadequacy of parents, characteristics of childcharacteristics of child

Feminist-power, dominance & authority over child Feminist-power, dominance & authority over child as well as mother as in wider social imbalancesas well as mother as in wider social imbalances

Confounds in theory, research, practiceConfounds in theory, research, practice

Physical child abuse CYFS: “any act or acts that result in inflicted injury CYFS: “any act or acts that result in inflicted injury

to a child or young person”, such as:to a child or young person”, such as: Bruises & weltsBruises & welts Cuts and abrasionsCuts and abrasions Fractures or sprainsFractures or sprains Abdominal injuiriesAbdominal injuiries Head injuriesHead injuries Injuries to internal organsInjuries to internal organs Strangulation or suffocationStrangulation or suffocation PoisoningPoisoning Burns or scaldsBurns or scalds

Links with woman abuse Estmates around 50% of families (Straus & Gelles)Estmates around 50% of families (Straus & Gelles) Beaten mothers twice as likely to abuse children Beaten mothers twice as likely to abuse children

(Straus & Gelles) but Walker study battered women, (Straus & Gelles) but Walker study battered women, 53% of fathers, 28% of mothers53% of fathers, 28% of mothers

More severe abuse of mother, more severe that of More severe abuse of mother, more severe that of childchild

Abuse of child may be tactic for control and Abuse of child may be tactic for control and dominance over motherdominance over mother

Some children may incur abuse when attempt to Some children may incur abuse when attempt to intervene to defend or protect motherintervene to defend or protect mother

My research- more than half students reporting My research- more than half students reporting physical abuse said also observed parental violencephysical abuse said also observed parental violence

Shorter term effects

Physical and neurological: fractures, internal damage to Physical and neurological: fractures, internal damage to organs, brain damage, impairments to sight and organs, brain damage, impairments to sight and hearing, restriction of growthhearing, restriction of growth

Emotional: anxiety, depression, overly compliant, Emotional: anxiety, depression, overly compliant, uncontrolled anger, attachment problemsuncontrolled anger, attachment problems

Social: aggression, withdrawal, hypervigilance, Social: aggression, withdrawal, hypervigilance, pseudomature, oppositional, peer problems, empathypseudomature, oppositional, peer problems, empathy

Psychosomatic: bed-wetting, tantrums, eating or sleep Psychosomatic: bed-wetting, tantrums, eating or sleep problemsproblems

Cognitive and language problems-poor achievementCognitive and language problems-poor achievement Psychological: low self worth, self efficacyPsychological: low self worth, self efficacy

Longer term effects

Higher risk of teenage delinquency, aggression, Higher risk of teenage delinquency, aggression, domestic violence, child abuse, domestic abuse in domestic violence, child abuse, domestic abuse in adolescence & adulthoodadolescence & adulthood

Higher risk of self-injury, suicide, anxiety, Higher risk of self-injury, suicide, anxiety, depression, somatic symptomsdepression, somatic symptoms

Possible problems with intimate relationshipsPossible problems with intimate relationships Possible long term educational consequencesPossible long term educational consequences Most children will Most children will NOTNOT endure lasting effects endure lasting effects

Links to psychological problems in adulthood

Read (2003): links to psychotic disorders in Read (2003): links to psychotic disorders in adulthood (child sexual abuse)adulthood (child sexual abuse)

Briere (1997): child sexual abuse most powerful Briere (1997): child sexual abuse most powerful predictor of later psychiatric symptoms and disorderspredictor of later psychiatric symptoms and disorders

Post traumatic stress disorder, depression, suicidality, Post traumatic stress disorder, depression, suicidality, anxiety, substance abuseanxiety, substance abuse

Violence victimisation in adulthood (physical and Violence victimisation in adulthood (physical and sexual child abuse)sexual child abuse)

Violent behaviour in adulthood (emotional and Violent behaviour in adulthood (emotional and physical abuse)physical abuse)

Links to eating disorders (tentative)Links to eating disorders (tentative)

What makes the difference?

Frequency and severity of abuseFrequency and severity of abuse Co-occurrence of other types of abuseCo-occurrence of other types of abuse Other contextual risk factors (parental Other contextual risk factors (parental

problems, parent-child relationship etc)problems, parent-child relationship etc) Whether child subjected to multiple Whether child subjected to multiple

placementsplacements Presence of resiliency or protective factorsPresence of resiliency or protective factors

Risk factors: child

YoungYoung Premature or low birth weightPremature or low birth weight Developmental delayDevelopmental delay Poor physical healthPoor physical health Difficult temperamentDifficult temperament AggressiveAggressive

Risk factors: parents

YoungYoung Abusive historiesAbusive histories Unrealistic expectations of childUnrealistic expectations of child Limited knowledge of child developmentLimited knowledge of child development Psychological problems esp substance Psychological problems esp substance

abuseabuse Poor coping skillsPoor coping skills

Risk factors: relational

Poor parent-child attachmentPoor parent-child attachment Inconsistent disciplineInconsistent discipline Problems in marital relationshipProblems in marital relationship Power/intimacy problemsPower/intimacy problems

Risk Factors: Social

Poor social support networkPoor social support network High family stressHigh family stress Social disadvantageSocial disadvantage Crowded living conditionsCrowded living conditions IsolationIsolation Poor connection extended familyPoor connection extended family

Protective factors

Child’s age, lack of neuro. injury, easy Child’s age, lack of neuro. injury, easy temperament, intelligent, positive self temperament, intelligent, positive self esteem, good functioning levelesteem, good functioning level

Positive relationship non abusing adult/sPositive relationship non abusing adult/s Low family stress, absence of financial Low family stress, absence of financial

worriesworries Access to good social supportAccess to good social support

‘Spare the rod’: Section 59

Should parents retain the right to physically punish Should parents retain the right to physically punish their children using ‘reasonable force’their children using ‘reasonable force’

What is ‘reasonable force’- different juries have What is ‘reasonable force’- different juries have different notionsdifferent notions

Research evidence- compelling links between Research evidence- compelling links between physical punishment and child abuse, domestic physical punishment and child abuse, domestic violence (Children’s Issues Centre lit.review).violence (Children’s Issues Centre lit.review).

BUT: Abuse history is not a prescription for adult BUT: Abuse history is not a prescription for adult violenceviolence

Checkpoint

What different abuse terms mean and how abuse What different abuse terms mean and how abuse variously constructedvariously constructed

Links of child abuse to other forms of violenceLinks of child abuse to other forms of violence Effects of physical child abuseEffects of physical child abuse What risk and protective factors are What risk and protective factors are What the issues are in the debate What the issues are in the debate

about repealing Section 59 of the about repealing Section 59 of the Crimes Act and how research Crimes Act and how research literature can inform itliterature can inform it