CHILD Protection & Rights > Child Protection Issues.

What is the impact of abuse and violence on children?

Child abuse damages children physically, mentally and behaviourally and the impact can result in both short and long-term consequences on the individual, on their family and on the community. The impact of abuse is largely determined by the nature, duration, extent of abuse, the relationship of the perpetrator to the victim, the age of the child when it occurred, the response of the adults.

A small proportion of violence against children leads to death, but most often the violence does not even leave visible marks. However it is one of the most serious problems affecting children today. It can affect children’s physical and mental health, impair their ability to learn and socialize. It can lead children to run away from home, exposing them to further risks.

Violence can also have severe implications for children’s development. It destroys children’s self-confidence and can undermine their development as functional adults and good parents later in life. Children subjected to violence have a heightened risk of depression and suicide in later life. In the most severe cases, violence against children leads to death.

What are the factors that make children vulnerable to violence and abuse?

Traditions and cultural values
Child abuse may have its roots in issues such as the power relations associated with children or gender or the absence of societal norms protective or respectful of children. Physical and psychological punishment may take place in the name of discipline and be culturally accepted. Both child and abuser may see nothing unusual or wrong in the child being subjected to violence. They may not consider an act of violence to be violence at all, perhaps viewing it as justifiable and necessary punishment.

Culture of silence Communities are most often silent and unwilling to speak about this phenomenon.

Children without caregivers
Children who are without caregivers are extremely vulnerable to all kinds of abuse on street or in institutions.

Economic factors
Poverty, lack of adequate nutrition, poor access to medical facilities, migration from rural to urban areas or exclusion frequently force vulnerable children to turn to child labor or to sexual exploitation where they are physically, emotionally, sexual abused by their employee.

Low school enrolment
School enrollment is a critical factor in the fight against abuse against children. Uneducated children have few opportunities for their future, and are therefore more vulnerable to traffickers’ promises of money and a ‘better life’. Additionally, most prevention messages are aimed to children who can read, placing illiterate children at a disadvantage.

Lack of birth registration
Children who are not registered are more susceptible to trafficking and to being forced in sexual commercial exploitation.

Demand for exploitative sex
The existing demand for sexual services favors the commercial sexual exploitation of children. This is particularly true, when men or women are allowed to sexually exploit without facing any repercussions or punishment.

Humanitarian disasters and armed conflict
Humanitarian disasters, armed conflicts and migration often leave children unaccompanied. They are more vulnerable to psychical and sexual abuse.

Other factors than make children vulnerable include unemployment, alcohol abuse, drugs consummation, availability of firearms and culture of violence, impunity.

Much violence is hidden. The child victim may feel ashamed or guilty, believing that the violence was deserved. Child may also not feel able to report acts of violence for fear of retribution from his/her abuser. This often leads the child to be unwilling to speak about it.

Unless these underlying causes are addressed, the more direct measures to stop violence against children will have limited success.

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