We all know that child abuse is terrible and can have life-long effects on a person.
But a recent study offers some hope for those victims who want to start their own family.
Hey everyone Julia here for DNews
According to one study published in JAMA Pediatrics over 5 million American children suffer from
some form of maltreatment.
To put that statistic in another light, that’s nearly 1 in 8 American children.
Each year over 4,500 kids will wind up in a hospital for abuse-related injuries.
That’s really not okay.
But there’s some good news, a recent study published in the journal Science found that
the “cycle of violence” isn’t fate.
The researchers wanted to see if these abused children would in turn, abuse their children.
They interviewed hundreds of victims of abuse in 1989 and followed up with them over the
years.
Most of the the victims are now parents themselves.
Researchers found that people who experienced childhood abuse were NOT more likely to physically
abuse their children, which came as a surprise.
That’s good news for anyone who is concerned about perpetuating the cycle.
However, the subjects were more likely to neglect or sexually abuse their children.
And one researcher is concerned that the lower physical abuse figures were the result of
reporting.
Reporting something as “neglect” often takes less paperwork for Child Protective
Services and is more effective in getting a child help.
I shouldn’t even have to say it, but all forms of childhood maltreatment are harmful.
People who experienced childhood abuse often have more problems with substance abuse and
mental health issues.
The experience can trigger PTSD and can even change a person’s genes.
One study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Early Edition
found that people who developed PTSD as a result of their childhood trauma had distinct
changes in their genes, related to things like cell death and growth rate regulation.
It even affected their immune systems.
The researchers say that “childhood abuse is embedded in a person’s cells for a long
time”.
And it’s not just physical changes, another study published in Violence and Victims found
that abuse survivors scored lower on ratings of overall well being.
Measuring less tangible things like, self-esteem, self-independence and life satisfaction.
So it’s good news to hear that “The Cycle of Abuse” isn’t a guarantee.
And victims aren’t always subject to the bad hand fate as dealt them.
One study published in the Journal of Family Violence found that marriage and education
seemed to temper some of the effects of childhood maltreatment.
Being married and/or graduating high school lowered the risk of depression and alcohol
problems.
Decreasing inequality also reduces the likelihood of abuse.
Some studies, like one by researchers from Cornell University, suggest a link between
poverty and abuse.
One of the researchers said that “reducing poverty and inequality would be the single
most effective way to prevent maltreatment of children”.
While many scientific inquiries of childhood abuse seem to focus on physical abuse, emotional
abuse can be just as painful.
Tara explains why in this video here.
Alright, got any other questions about the tough stuff?
Let us know in the comments below….