Effects of Child Abuse

Emotional scars:  Children who suffer abuse or neglect feel most of the pain on the inside.  Many children suffer low self-esteem and feelings of guilt, often blaming themselves for the abuse.  Children can find it difficult to have trusting relationships and experience loneliness and bullying.  Children often have feelings of hopelessness, hate, despair, misery, and rage, sometimes talking about feeling suicidal or self-harm.

Physical scars:  Children can have direct physical effects such as bruising, cuts, broken bones, health problems, under-nourishment or even, death.

Impact on future wellbeing:  Research shows that children who have suffered abuse are more likely to have lower educational attainment and suffer from drug and alcohol dependency.  Long-term physical and mental health difficulties including depression can be a consequence.  Research shows that many individuals who commit serious offences suffered from abuse during their childhood.