Page 47 - Magazine 07 Of June 2024_Neat

Baptistery - 2024 │ Message from Different Students

feelings validated and appropriately jurisdictions, any act that causes injury to a child’s body is
responded to. considered abuse and is a criminal offense. This could include
bruising, burns, bone injury, head injury and injury to an
In addition to the physical harm that internal organ.
can occur from child abuse, abused
children can suffer intense emotional Emotional and psychological abuse includes insults, put-
damage and can develop severe downs and name calling. It also includes ignoring the child
social problems, such as struggles or threatening the child with violence. This type of abuse can
at school, drug use and juvenile occur coincidentally with domestic violence, when children are
delinquency. witness to acts of violence or abuse between adults.
Effects of abuse Another variation of this is threatening a child’s mother,
siblings with harm or death, as well as a parent threatening to
Child abuse causes a wide range of kill himself or herself.
problems for children. An immediate
risk is that the child will be seriously Sexual abuse is any sexual activity which a child cannot
injured or killed. However, most comprehend or to which a child cannot consent, including
abused children suffer greater fondling, oral-genital contact, intercourse, exhibitionism and
emotional than physical harm. exposure to pornography.

Abused children tend to per-form Neglect can include withholding from a child physical needs
worse at school (and are more likely (food, clothing, shelter), emotional and social needs (love,
to drop out) and have higher rates comfort, access to school), or medical care.
of juvenile delinquency (including
running away, becoming violent
with other children and engaging in
criminal behaviors such as assault).

They experience a higher likeli-hood
of drug and alcohol use and associated
problems as well as much higher
rates of mental health problems,
such as depression, anxiety and
suicidal thoughts. Child abuse can
result in long-term physical, social
and emotional problems.
Risk factors for abuse and neglect

Types of abuse Most child abuse occurs within the family. Risk factors include
parental depression or other mental health issues, a parental
Physical abuse might include pun- history of childhood abuse or neglect, parental substance abuse
ching, slapping or choking. In most and domestic violence. 47

MAGAZINE OF COLLEGE ST JEAN NYARUSANGE │ VOLUME 07 │ 2023-2024