Impacts of Physical and Psychological Abuse of Children on Family Demographic Variables (Report‪)‬

INTRODUCTION Child abuse can be defined as the adverse treatment of children under the age of 18 by parent, caretaker, or someone living in their home (1). Child abuse is anything that causes injury or puts the child under threat especially physical injury (2). Further, child abuse can be physical injury (ranging from minor bruises to severe fractures or death) as a result of punching, beating, kicking, biting, shaking, throwing, stabbing, choking, hitting (with a hand, stick, strap, or other object), burning, or otherwise harming a child. Such injury is considered abuse regardless of whether the caretaker intended to hurt the child (3). Sexual abuse includes activities administered by a parent or caretaker such as fondling a child's genitals, penetration, incest, rape, sodomy, indecent exposure, and exploitation through prostitution or the production of pornographic materials (4). Psychological abuse is a pattern of behavior that impairs a child's emotional development or sense of self-worth. This may include constant criticism, threats, or rejection, as well as withholding love, support, or guidance. This kind of abuse is often difficult to detect. To prove this, I will illustrate the major causes that play a primary role in child abuse, firstly, mentally disordered people (5). Many people have difficulty in understanding why any person would hurt a child. The public often assumes that people who abuse their children suffer from mental disorders, but fewer than 10 percent of abusers have mental illnesses (6). Most abusers love their children but tend to have less patience and less mature personalities than other parents. These traits make it difficult to cope with the demands of their children and increase the likelihood of physical or emotional abuse. However, there is no single explanation for child abuse. Secondly, Child abuse results from a complex combination of personal, social, and cultural factors. These may be grouped into four primary categories: (1) intergenerational transmission of violence; (2) social stress; (3) social isolation and low community involvement; (4) family structure (7).