CHILD ABUSE

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

READINGS Wenar, C. & Kerig, P. (2000)“Risk factors in the family context: Child maltreatment and divorce” in Developmental Psychopathology (pp ). Singapore: McGraw-Hill Wenar, C. & Kerig, P. (2000)“Risk factors in the family context: Child maltreatment and divorce” in Developmental Psychopathology (pp ). Singapore: McGraw-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 psychological terms? How is abuse constructed in legal, social and 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 child abuse and what factors influence whether they occur? What are the longer and shorter term effects of child abuse and what factors influence whether they occur? What risk and protective factors may influence whether physical child abuse occurs? What risk and protective factors may influence 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, contact abuse and involving child in pornography Child sexual abuse-includes non contact abuse, contact abuse and involving child in pornography Emotional abuse- includes rejection, isolation, oppression, threats, humiliation, corruption Emotional abuse- includes rejection, isolation, oppression, threats, humiliation, corruption Neglect- includes failure to provide necessities for health, lack of supervision, medical neglect, abandonment and refusal to assume parental responsibility Neglect- includes failure to provide necessities for health, lack of supervision, medical neglect, abandonment and refusal to assume parental responsibility Physical abuse- inflicitng range of physical injuries Physical abuse- inflicitng range of physical injuries Exposure to domestic violence- allowing child to witness violence between parents Exposure to domestic violence- allowing child to witness violence between parents

Prevalence of child abuse Sources- CYFS & Women’s Refuge referrals, hospital admissions, surveys, police records Sources- CYFS & Women’s Refuge referrals, hospital admissions, surveys, police records CYFS abuse referrals , substantiated and in by type: CYFS abuse referrals , substantiated and in by type: Sexual abuse: Sexual abuse: Physical Abuse: Physical Abuse: Emotional Abuse: Emotional Abuse: Women’s Refuge Stats (1998) Women’s Refuge Stats (1998) women with children women with children sought help from a Women’s Refuge sought help from a Women’s Refuge

Understandings of physical child abuse Lay-pieced together from popular culture, family values, education programmes Lay-pieced together from popular culture, family values, education programmes Legal -what constitutes rights of parents versus rights of children,‘reasonable force’ Legal -what constitutes rights of parents versus rights of children,‘reasonable force’ Social -e.g., social disadvantage, society’s tolerance for violence Social -e.g., social disadvantage, society’s tolerance for violence Psychological- inadequacy of parents, characteristics of child Psychological- inadequacy of parents, characteristics of child Feminist-power, dominance & authority over child as well as mother as in wider social imbalances Feminist-power, dominance & authority over child as well as mother as in wider social imbalances Confounds in theory, research, practice Confounds in theory, research, practice

Physical child abuse CYFS: “any act or acts that result in inflicted injury to a child or young person”, such as: CYFS: “any act or acts that result in inflicted injury to a child or young person”, such as: Bruises & welts Bruises & welts Cuts and abrasions Cuts and abrasions Fractures or sprains Fractures or sprains Abdominal injuiries Abdominal injuiries Head injuries Head injuries Injuries to internal organs Injuries to internal organs Strangulation or suffocation Strangulation or suffocation Poisoning Poisoning Burns or scalds Burns 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 (Straus & Gelles) but Walker study battered women, 53% of fathers, 28% of mothers Beaten mothers twice as likely to abuse children (Straus & Gelles) but Walker study battered women, 53% of fathers, 28% of mothers More severe abuse of mother, more severe that of child More severe abuse of mother, more severe that of child Abuse of child may be tactic for control and dominance over mother Abuse of child may be tactic for control and dominance over mother Some children may incur abuse when attempt to intervene to defend or protect mother Some children may incur abuse when attempt to intervene to defend or protect mother My research- more than half students reporting physical abuse said also observed parental violence My research- more than half students reporting physical abuse said also observed parental violence

Shorter term effects Physical and neurological: fractures, internal damage to organs, brain damage, impairments to sight and hearing, restriction of growth Physical and neurological: fractures, internal damage to organs, brain damage, impairments to sight and hearing, restriction of growth Emotional: anxiety, depression, overly compliant, uncontrolled anger, attachment problems Emotional: anxiety, depression, overly compliant, uncontrolled anger, attachment problems Social: aggression, withdrawal, hypervigilance, pseudomature, oppositional, peer problems, empathy Social: aggression, withdrawal, hypervigilance, pseudomature, oppositional, peer problems, empathy Psychosomatic: bed-wetting, tantrums, eating or sleep problems Psychosomatic: bed-wetting, tantrums, eating or sleep problems Cognitive and language problems-poor achievement Cognitive and language problems-poor achievement Psychological: low self worth, self efficacy Psychological: low self worth, self efficacy

Longer term effects Higher risk of teenage delinquency, aggression, domestic violence, child abuse, domestic abuse in adolescence & adulthood Higher risk of teenage delinquency, aggression, domestic violence, child abuse, domestic abuse in adolescence & adulthood Higher risk of self-injury, suicide, anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms Higher risk of self-injury, suicide, anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms Possible problems with intimate relationships Possible problems with intimate relationships Possible long term educational consequences Possible long term educational consequences Most children will NOT endure lasting effects Most children will NOT endure lasting effects

Links to psychological problems in adulthood Read (2003): links to psychotic disorders in adulthood (child sexual abuse) Read (2003): links to psychotic disorders in adulthood (child sexual abuse) Briere (1997): child sexual abuse most powerful predictor of later psychiatric symptoms and disorders Briere (1997): child sexual abuse most powerful predictor of later psychiatric symptoms and disorders Post traumatic stress disorder, depression, suicidality, anxiety, substance abuse Post traumatic stress disorder, depression, suicidality, anxiety, substance abuse Violence victimisation in adulthood (physical and sexual child abuse) Violence victimisation in adulthood (physical and sexual child abuse) Violent behaviour in adulthood (emotional and physical abuse) Violent behaviour in adulthood (emotional and physical abuse) Links to eating disorders (tentative) Links to eating disorders (tentative)

What makes the difference? Frequency and severity of abuse Frequency and severity of abuse Co-occurrence of other types of abuse Co-occurrence of other types of abuse Other contextual risk factors (parental problems, parent-child relationship etc) Other contextual risk factors (parental problems, parent-child relationship etc) Whether child subjected to multiple placements Whether child subjected to multiple placements Presence of resiliency or protective factors Presence of resiliency or protective factors

Risk factors: child Young Young Premature or low birth weight Premature or low birth weight Developmental delay Developmental delay Poor physical health Poor physical health Difficult temperament Difficult temperament Aggressive Aggressive

Risk factors: parents Young Young Abusive histories Abusive histories Unrealistic expectations of child Unrealistic expectations of child Limited knowledge of child development Limited knowledge of child development Psychological problems esp substance abuse Psychological problems esp substance abuse Poor coping skills Poor coping skills

Risk factors: relational Poor parent-child attachment Poor parent-child attachment Inconsistent discipline Inconsistent discipline Problems in marital relationship Problems in marital relationship Power/intimacy problems Power/intimacy problems

Risk Factors: Social Poor social support network Poor social support network High family stress High family stress Social disadvantage Social disadvantage Crowded living conditions Crowded living conditions Isolation Isolation Poor connection extended family Poor connection extended family

Protective factors Child’s age, lack of neuro. injury, easy temperament, intelligent, positive self esteem, good functioning level Child’s age, lack of neuro. injury, easy temperament, intelligent, positive self esteem, good functioning level Positive relationship non abusing adult/s Positive relationship non abusing adult/s Low family stress, absence of financial worries Low family stress, absence of financial worries Access to good social support Access to good social support

‘Spare the rod’: Section 59 Should parents retain the right to physically punish their children using ‘reasonable force’ Should parents retain the right to physically punish their children using ‘reasonable force’ What is ‘reasonable force’- different juries have different notions What is ‘reasonable force’- different juries have different notions Research evidence- compelling links between physical punishment and child abuse, domestic violence (Children’s Issues Centre lit.review). Research evidence- compelling links between physical punishment and child abuse, domestic violence (Children’s Issues Centre lit.review). BUT: Abuse history is not a prescription for adult violence BUT: Abuse history is not a prescription for adult violence

Checkpoint What different abuse terms mean and how abuse variously constructed What different abuse terms mean and how abuse variously constructed Links of child abuse to other forms of violence Links of child abuse to other forms of violence Effects of physical child abuse Effects of physical child abuse What risk and protective factors are What risk and protective factors are What the issues are in the debate about repealing Section 59 of the Crimes Act and how research literature can inform it What the issues are in the debate about repealing Section 59 of the Crimes Act and how research literature can inform it