important facts
Six in ten children under the age of five, or 400 million children, regularly experience physical punishment or psychological violence from their parents or caregivers (1). One in five women and one in seven men report having experienced sexual abuse. Children (2). Consequences of child abuse include lifelong physical and mental health impairment, and social and occupational consequences can ultimately retard a country’s economic and social development. Child abuse is often hidden. Only a small proportion of children who are victims of abuse receive help from medical professionals. Abused children are more likely to abuse others as adults, so violence is passed down from generation to generation. It is possible to prevent child abuse. Effective prevention approaches include supporting parents, teaching positive parenting skills, and strengthening laws prohibiting violent punishment.
overview
Child abuse is abuse or neglect of a child under the age of 18. This includes any kind of physical and/or mental abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, negligence, and commercial or other exploitation that results in actual or Potential harm may result. responsibility, trust, or power.
scope of problem
Child abuse is a global problem with serious lifelong consequences. Despite recent national surveys in several low- and middle-income countries, data from many countries remain lacking.
Child abuse is complex and difficult to study. Current estimates vary widely depending on the country and survey method used. The estimate depends on:
The definitions of child abuse used, the types of child abuse investigated, the coverage and quality of official statistics, and the coverage and quality of surveys requiring self-reports from victims, parents, and caregivers.
Despite this, international research shows that nearly three in four children between the ages of two and four regularly experience physical punishment or psychological violence from their parents or caregivers, and one in five women , 1 in 13 men report having experienced sexual abuse. child.
There are an estimated 40,150 homicides committed by children under the age of 18 each year, some of which are likely the result of child abuse. This figure almost certainly underestimates the true extent of the problem, as a significant proportion of child abuse deaths are incorrectly attributed to falls, burns, drowning, and other causes.
In armed conflict and refugee settings, girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence, exploitation and abuse by combatants, security forces, community members, aid workers and others.
consequences of abuse
Child abuse often has serious short- and long-term effects on physical, sexual, and mental health. These include trauma, such as head trauma and severe disability (especially in young children), post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. Adolescent girls may face additional health problems, such as gynecological problems and unwanted pregnancies. Child abuse can affect cognitive and academic performance and is strongly associated with alcohol, drug abuse and smoking, which are major risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. .
Abuse causes stress and leads to disruption of early brain development. Extreme stress can impair the development of the nervous and immune systems. As a result, as adults, abused children are at increased risk for behavioral, physical, and mental health problems, including:
Perpetrator or victim of violence Depression Smoking Obesity High-risk sexual behavior Unexpected pregnancy Alcohol and drug abuse.
Violence against children also contributes to inequalities in education. Children who experience some form of violence in childhood are 13% more likely to not finish school.
Beyond the health, social, and educational impacts of child abuse, there are also economic impacts such as hospitalization, mental health treatment, child welfare, and long-term medical costs.
risk factors
Several risk factors for child abuse have been identified. Not all risk factors are present in all social and cultural backgrounds. The list presented here provides an overview in understanding the causes of child abuse.
child
It is important to emphasize that children are victims and are never responsible for abuse. Individual child characteristics that may increase the likelihood of abuse include:
be under the age of 4 or a young adult; be unwanted or fail to meet parental expectations; have special needs, cry constantly, or have abnormal physical characteristics; have an intellectual or neurological disability; Being or identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender
parent or caregiver
Characteristics of parents or caregivers that may increase the risk of child abuse include:
Difficulty bonding with a newborn Not nurturing the child Abused as a child Lack of awareness of child development or having unrealistic expectations Alcohol and drug misuse, including during pregnancy Poor self-esteem have low impulse control have a mental or neurological disorder are involved in criminal activity are experiencing financial difficulties
relationship
Characteristics of relationships within the family or with intimate partners, friends, and co-workers that may increase the risk of child abuse include:
Family breakdown or other family violence, isolation in the community or lack of support networks, and disconnection from extended family childcare support.
Community and social factors
Community and societal characteristics that can increase the risk of child abuse include:
gender and social inequalities, lack of adequate housing and services to support families and institutions, high levels of unemployment or poverty, easy access to alcohol and drugs, child abuse, child pornography, child prostitution, and child labor. Inadequate policies and programs to prevent. social and cultural norms that promote or glorify violence against others, support the use of corporal punishment, require rigid gender roles, or degrade children’s status in parent-child relationships; social and cultural norms that lead to lives of poverty; economic, health and education policy standards, or socio-economic inequalities and instability.
prevention
Preventing and responding to child abuse requires a multidisciplinary approach.
The earlier such interventions occur in a child’s life, the greater the benefits for the child (e.g., cognitive development, behavioral and social skills, educational attainment) and society (e.g., reductions in delinquency and crime).
Effective and promising interventions include:
Parent and caregiver support: Information and skills to support the development of caring, nonviolent parenting, provided by nurses, social workers, or trained lay workers in a series of home visits or in the community. Build session. Education and life skills approaches: increasing participation in quality education that enables children to gain knowledge, skills and experience that build resilience and reduce risk factors for violence; Programs to prevent sexual abuse that raise awareness and teach skills to help avoid and prevent sexual abuse, understanding and exploitation, and seeking help and support. Interventions to build a positive school climate and violence-free environment, and strengthen relationships between students, teachers, and administrators. Norms and Values Approach: Programs to transform restrictive and harmful gender and social norms regarding parenting, child discipline, and gender equality. Promoting the nurturing role of fathers. Law Enforcement and Enforcement: Laws that prohibit violent punishment and protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation. Response and support services: Combining early case recognition with ongoing care for child victims and families to help reduce recurrence of sexual abuse. Reduce abuse and reduce its impact.
To maximize the effectiveness of prevention and care, WHO recommends that interventions be implemented as part of a four-step public health approach:
define the problem; identify causes and risk factors; design and test interventions aimed at minimizing risk factors. Disseminate information about the effectiveness of interventions and scale up proven interventions.
WHO response
WHO will work with partners to:
References
UNICEF. “Nearly 400 million young children around the world regularly experience violent discipline at home.” June 11, 2024. https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/nearly-400-million-young-children-worldwide-regulatory-experience-violent-disciplineUnicef. sexual violence. October 2024. https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/violence/sexual violence/#status
