People don't try to become bad parents. Very few people actually set out to abuse or neglect their children, yet it happens all too often. Abusive parents are not necessarily criminals or terrible people. In most cases, they are people who crossed the line, due to stressors and/or lack of coping skills. More often, it results in emotionally damaged human beings who continue to abuse themselves and others in a variety of ways. Statistically, more than 2.5 million cases of child abuse and neglect are reported each year. Of these, 35% involve physical abuse, 15% involve sexual abuse, and 50% involve neglect. Studies show that one in four girls and one in eight boys will be sexually abused before they are 18 years of age. About one in 20 children is physically abused each year (1).
"Child abuse by definition is any mistreatment or neglect of a child that results in non-accidental harm or injury and which cannot be reasonably explained (2). Child abuse includes physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. .
Physical abuse can be defined as any act that results in a non-accidental trauma or physical injury. This usually happens when a frustrated or angry parent strikes, shakes, or throws a child. Emotional abuse is commonly defined as the systematic emotional tearing down of another human being. Sexual abuse is any misuse of a child for sexual pleasure or gratification. Neglect is defined as a " type of maltreatment that refers to the failure to provide needed age appropriate care, such as shelter, food, clothing, education, supervision, medical care, and other basic necessities needed for development of physical, intellectual, and emotionally capacities" (2).
So, what makes people abuse and neglect the little ones entrusted in their care? No one knows for sure. The only thing the experts can agree on is that it is caused by a complex interaction of numerous factors.
