Child Abuse as a Form of Trauma
Child Abuse as a Form of Trauma
⚠ Trigger Warning: Child abuse can be a difficult topic for individuals to discuss. If the topic of abuse and child abuse is triggering, we suggest that you do not read this article.
Key Words: Child Abuse, Trauma, Victim, Coping
According to research, there is attention on false reports on childhood abuse. ¹ This does not diminish that child abuse is an issue that should be recognized. However, the inability for individuals to talk about and report their childhood abuse has not often been the topic of research. ¹ Understanding this can help us be more aware about child abuse as a form of childhood trauma and being proactive in preventing and coping with it.
What is Child Abuse?
Defining child abuse can be a difficult task due to its variation across different fields. ₃ However, defining what it is can help us identify it in a real-world setting. This can contribute to us recognizing if intervention is needed.
Why are There Different Definitions of Abuse?
Child abuse is defined into law in state and national government. This is to help to define what behavior is considered "child abuse" when disciplining abusers. ₃According to the Keeping Children and Families Act (2003), Child abuse is defined as an act that a caretaker partakes that may lead to death, serious injury or harm, and exploitation. ₃ Additionally, for a caretaker to have a lack of risk prevention in harm to a child can also be considered child abuse. ₃Although the government has exclusively defined what child abuse is, there are still variations of the definition. The reasons why the definition of child abuse varies are:- Variation of age. ₃
- Variation of child development. ₃
- The frequency of the abuse. ² ₃ How many times did this act occur?
- If the there is a high frequency of abuse, the more likely maltreatment and abuse is going to occur in adulthood. ²
- Additionally, high frequency in multiple types of abuse can be a predictor of future abuse. ²
- The intentions of the abuser. ₃ Were these acts committed on purpose?
- The overall situation. ₃ the definition may change on a case-by-case basis.
The General Rule: A general definition for child abuse is when a caregiver is harming the well-being and/or the development of a child. Their harmful acts are reoccurring and intentional. ₃
✅Self-Reflection Check: Which definition of child abuse do you agree with more? The general definition of child abuse or the definition used in State and National Government. The Types of Abuse
There are different types of abuse that have the potential to produce childhood trauma. Taking the steps to understand the forms of abuse can help an individual have a form of empathy for victims of childhood abuse and are struggling with the trauma that comes from it. It is also important to note that abuse is considered child abuse when it occurs when the victim is under the age of 18 years old. ²
Note: It is not uncommon for a child who is experiencing abuse to experience different forms of abuse. ² Analyzing the different traumas and abuse that a child has experienced based on the type and frequency can be a predictor of future violence in adulthood. ²
Physical Abuse ² ₃ 
abuse is when there is notable harm done to the body of a victim. According to research Physical abuse is when a perpetrator causes intentional injury or harm to a victim. ₃Some examples of physical abuse are: - Punching ₃
- Kicking ₃
- Biting ₃
Note: There are other forms of physical abuse other than what is listed. Examples are used to help with identification.
Neglect ² ₃
Neglect can take on a variety of forms. According to academic professionals' neglect is when the needs of a child are not being provided by a caretaker. ₃ There are different types of neglect due to the different needs that a child may have. Some types of neglect are: - Physical Neglect: Not providing the basic needs to survive. (Food, water, and shelter). ² ₃
- Emotional Neglect: Leaving a child feeling as if they are not loved or cared about. ² Can come off as coldness from a caretaker. ₃
- Educational Neglect: Caretaker does not provide academic support through the lack of communication, stimulation, and even access to an academic institution. ₃
Sexual Abuse ¹ ² ₃ 
Sexual abuse is an important topic of awareness because it is an underreported form of abuse. ₃ Many victims of Sexual abuse tend to not speak up and ask for help. ₃ However, the more frequent the abuse is occurring the chances of a victim will speak up is more likely. ¹ We want to prevent the ongoing abuse before a victim is pushed to the breaking point of asking help themselves. Sexual Abuse is an extremely dangerous form of abuse because according to research, if there is frequent childhood sexual abuse the more likely the abuse will continue or reoccur during adulthood. ¹ This is a list of what may be considered child sexual abuse: - Touching private areas in an inappropriate way ₃
- Sexual exploitation ₃
- Prostitution ₃
- Creation of pornographic material ₃
Emotional Abuse or Psychological Abuse ² ₃
Emotional abuse can be serious enough to cause enough concern to mandate an individual to contact Child Protective Services. ₃This form of abuse is just as serious as other forms of abuse. According to research, emotional abuse occurs when a caregiver is causing cognitive, behavioral, and/or mental injury to a victim. ₃Some examples that may be considered emotional abuse are: - Putdowns. ²
- Bullying. ²
- Intentionally Ignoring.²
Witnessing Domestic Violence as a Form of Emotional Abuse: It is also important to note that when a child is exposed to their caregivers' expressing aggression towards each other, intimate partner violence, or domestic violence, this is considered emotional abuse as well. ² Even overhearing violence in the home is considered emotional abuse. ² 
For more information about the different types of child abuse, psych2go has a quick 6-minute video that gives a brief run down on the different types of childhood abuse.Understanding the Warning Signs and How to Approach the Conversation The symptoms or consequences of the trauma caused by abuse can be taken as warning signs as a bystander. Using this as a tool can help you engage with victims as a support and a resource or can help yourself navigate through your own trauma from abuse.
Viewing Trauma from Childhood Abuse from a Developmental Lens ₃
We can understand the signs that a child is experiencing abuse by evaluating their developmental stage that they are in. ₃We can do this by evaluating their behavior and their age and determine whether their behavior is appropriate. ₃The following list gives possible developmental delays from trauma through childhood abuse: - Identity issues ₃
- Difficulty with future relationships. ² ₃
- Self-Control ₃
- Cognitive Development or Problem Solving ₃
- Infants may experience physical delays. ₃
- Toddlers may experience anxiety ₃
- Adolescents may experience poor self-esteem₁ ₃, self-destruction ₃, isolation ₃ depression ¹ ₃, overcompliance or recklessness, ¹ ₃, relationship issues² ₃, struggles with change ₃, and academic struggles. ₃
All of these developmental delays may continue to adulthood as well. All of the following symptoms that have been listed can be signs that someone is experiencing abuse or has experienced abuse. These symptoms may need to be addressed in order to protect the well-being of the victim. For more information about how abuse may impact the development of an individual check out the ACES study in another post.
Approaching Child Abuse 
Talking about abuse can be a really difficult topic for some individuals. It is important to know what to expect when having that conversation. It may especially be difficult for victims of abuse to talk about this topic as well and their comfort is the priority at the end of the day. If the conversation with a victim about their abuse occurs, they may display behaviors such as: - Defensiveness. ¹
- Disassociation. ¹
- Other coping mechanisms. ¹
- Some examples of coping mechanisms consist of repression, forgetting trauma, and fantasy type thinking. ¹
Note: Understand that different types of abuse may be perceived differently. According to research victims and non-victims may not consider different forms of emotional abuse as abuse. ¹ This means that some victims of abuse may not consider themselves as victims of abuse. ¹
Key Words: Child Abuse, Trauma, Victim, Coping
According to research, there is attention on false reports on childhood abuse. ¹ This does not diminish that child abuse is an issue that should be recognized. However, the inability for individuals to talk about and report their childhood abuse has not often been the topic of research. ¹ Understanding this can help us be more aware about child abuse as a form of childhood trauma and being proactive in preventing and coping with it.
What is Child Abuse?
Defining child abuse can be a difficult task due to its variation across different fields. ₃ However, defining what it is can help us identify it in a real-world setting. This can contribute to us recognizing if intervention is needed.
Why are There Different Definitions of Abuse?
Child abuse is defined into law in state and national government. This is to help to define what behavior is considered "child abuse" when disciplining abusers. ₃
According to the Keeping Children and Families Act (2003), Child abuse is defined as an act that a caretaker partakes that may lead to death, serious injury or harm, and exploitation. ₃ Additionally, for a caretaker to have a lack of risk prevention in harm to a child can also be considered child abuse. ₃
Although the government has exclusively defined what child abuse is, there are still variations of the definition. The reasons why the definition of child abuse varies are:
- Variation of age. ₃
- Variation of child development. ₃
- The frequency of the abuse. ² ₃ How many times did this act occur?
- If the there is a high frequency of abuse, the more likely maltreatment and abuse is going to occur in adulthood. ²
- Additionally, high frequency in multiple types of abuse can be a predictor of future abuse. ²
- The intentions of the abuser. ₃ Were these acts committed on purpose?
- The overall situation. ₃ the definition may change on a case-by-case basis.
The General Rule: A general definition for child abuse is when a caregiver is harming the well-being and/or the development of a child. Their harmful acts are reoccurring and intentional. ₃
✅Self-Reflection Check: Which definition of child abuse do you agree with more? The general definition of child abuse or the definition used in State and National Government.
The Types of Abuse
There are different types of abuse that have the potential to produce childhood trauma. Taking the steps to understand the forms of abuse can help an individual have a form of empathy for victims of childhood abuse and are struggling with the trauma that comes from it. It is also important to note that abuse is considered child abuse when it occurs when the victim is under the age of 18 years old. ²
Note: It is not uncommon for a child who is experiencing abuse to experience different forms of abuse. ² Analyzing the different traumas and abuse that a child has experienced based on the type and frequency can be a predictor of future violence in adulthood. ²
Physical Abuse ² ₃
Some examples of physical abuse are:
- Punching ₃
- Kicking ₃
- Biting ₃
Note: There are other forms of physical abuse other than what is listed. Examples are used to help with identification.
Neglect ² ₃
Neglect can take on a variety of forms. According to academic professionals' neglect is when the needs of a child are not being provided by a caretaker. ₃ There are different types of neglect due to the different needs that a child may have.
Some types of neglect are:
- Physical Neglect: Not providing the basic needs to survive. (Food, water, and shelter). ² ₃
- Emotional Neglect: Leaving a child feeling as if they are not loved or cared about. ² Can come off as coldness from a caretaker. ₃
- Educational Neglect: Caretaker does not provide academic support through the lack of communication, stimulation, and even access to an academic institution. ₃
Sexual Abuse ¹ ² ₃
Sexual abuse is an important topic of awareness because it is an underreported form of abuse. ₃ Many victims of Sexual abuse tend to not speak up and ask for help. ₃ However, the more frequent the abuse is occurring the chances of a victim will speak up is more likely. ¹ We want to prevent the ongoing abuse before a victim is pushed to the breaking point of asking help themselves. Sexual Abuse is an extremely dangerous form of abuse because according to research, if there is frequent childhood sexual abuse the more likely the abuse will continue or reoccur during adulthood. ¹
This is a list of what may be considered child sexual abuse:
- Touching private areas in an inappropriate way ₃
- Sexual exploitation ₃
- Prostitution ₃
- Creation of pornographic material ₃
Emotional Abuse or Psychological Abuse ² ₃
Emotional abuse can be serious enough to cause enough concern to mandate an individual to contact Child Protective Services. ₃This form of abuse is just as serious as other forms of abuse. According to research, emotional abuse occurs when a caregiver is causing cognitive, behavioral, and/or mental injury to a victim. ₃
Some examples that may be considered emotional abuse are:
- Putdowns. ²
- Bullying. ²
- Intentionally Ignoring.²
Witnessing Domestic Violence as a Form of Emotional Abuse:
It is also important to note that when a child is exposed to their caregivers' expressing aggression towards each other, intimate partner violence, or domestic violence, this is considered emotional abuse as well. ² Even overhearing violence in the home is considered emotional abuse. ²
For more information about the different types of child abuse, psych2go has a quick 6-minute video that gives a brief run down on the different types of childhood abuse.
Understanding the Warning Signs and How to Approach the Conversation
The symptoms or consequences of the trauma caused by abuse can be taken as warning signs as a bystander. Using this as a tool can help you engage with victims as a support and a resource or can help yourself navigate through your own trauma from abuse.
Viewing Trauma from Childhood Abuse from a Developmental Lens ₃
We can understand the signs that a child is experiencing abuse by evaluating their developmental stage that they are in. ₃We can do this by evaluating their behavior and their age and determine whether their behavior is appropriate. ₃
The following list gives possible developmental delays from trauma through childhood abuse:
- Identity issues ₃
- Difficulty with future relationships. ² ₃
- Self-Control ₃
- Cognitive Development or Problem Solving ₃
- Infants may experience physical delays. ₃
- Toddlers may experience anxiety ₃
- Adolescents may experience poor self-esteem₁ ₃, self-destruction ₃, isolation ₃ depression ¹ ₃, overcompliance or recklessness, ¹ ₃, relationship issues² ₃, struggles with change ₃, and academic struggles. ₃
All of these developmental delays may continue to adulthood as well. All of the following symptoms that have been listed can be signs that someone is experiencing abuse or has experienced abuse. These symptoms may need to be addressed in order to protect the well-being of the victim. For more information about how abuse may impact the development of an individual check out the ACES study in another post.
Approaching Child Abuse
- Defensiveness. ¹
- Disassociation. ¹
- Other coping mechanisms. ¹
- Some examples of coping mechanisms consist of repression, forgetting trauma, and fantasy type thinking. ¹
Note: Understand that different types of abuse may be perceived differently. According to research victims and non-victims may not consider different forms of emotional abuse as abuse. ¹ This means that some victims of abuse may not consider themselves as victims of abuse. ¹
Sources:
Bottoms, B. L., Peter-Hagene, L. C., Epstein, M. A., Wiley, T. R. A., Reynolds, C. E., & Rudnicki, A. G. (2016). Abuse Characteristics and Individual Differences Related to Disclosing Childhood Sexual, Physical, and Emotional Abuse and Witnessed Domestic Violence. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 31(7), 1308–1339. https://doi-org.proxy.li.suu.edu:2443/10.1177/0886260514564155
Stroem, I., Aakvaag, H. F., & Wentzel-Larsen, T. (2019). Characteristics of Different Types of Childhood Violence and the Risk of Revictimization. Violence Against Women, 25(14), 1696–1716. https://doi-org.proxy.li.suu.edu:2443/10.1177/1077801218818381
Primavera, J., & Jackson, S. A. (2021). Child abuse. Salem Press Encyclopedia of Health.
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