Week Four: Violence and Children

Thinking about children experiencing hardships is a difficult task.  However, when studying child development, it is important to consider all the stressors that may effect the child's biosocial, cognitive, and psychosocial progression.  It is sad to say, that when thinking about what, or who, to write about on this topic, I was able to think of many people in my life that have suffered through violence as a child.  I, fortunately, was not a child that was affected by violence at a young age.  I have a few friends that were not as lucky as I.

A friend of mine was sexually abused as a child by a relative.  This, to me, is the unthinkable.  Having lived such a blessed and happy childhood, it is hard for me to comprehend the ramifications a child will suffer due to this type of violence.  As an individual outside of the situation, I was horrified to learn this about my friend's past, and thoroughly impressed by her strength and ability to be a positive contributor to society, regardless of what she had to suffer.  She is a strong, confident woman who is a fantastic mother, sister, daughter, and friend.  Knowing her, you would never guess that at one point in her life, she was tortured by such maltreatment.  My friend never received therapy or sought outside help.  She made it through on the support of her mother and has continued to stay a survivor through the support of her friends and family.  I feel she finds comfort in having loved ones who know her story and respect and love her, and does not feel the need to discuss it now that she is older.

"Maltreatment is neither rare nor sudden, and the perpetrators are usually well known to the child.  in face, for young children, one or both of the child's own parents are most likely to be the abusers.  That makes the situation much worse: Ongoing maltreatment, with no safe haven, is much more damaging to children than is a single brief incident, however injurious."  (Berger, 2009)  Because my friend's abuse was continuous and spread out over years, her reaction to the abuse as a child was more severe.  Continuous abuse can cause children to become "fearful, startled by noise, defensive and quick to attack, and confused between fantasy and reality."  (Berger, 2009)  Through the support of her mother, she was able to make it through and become a much stronger person today.  However, this makes me think about what would have happened to her had it not been for the unwavering love and support of her mother.  Would she be the person she is today had she gone through it alone?

To answer my own question, I conducted research on abused orphans in Romania.  I was appalled to see how young children that have nowhere to turn and no one to call home were treated on a regular basis by the institution that is supposed to be helping them and supporting them.  "The children were confined to their cribs most of the time, the report states. Some of the older ones rocked back and forth, banging their heads or "making the rhythmic sounds from dislocated jaws common in children left lying down for extended periods," the report said." (Smith, 2006)    Children in this orphanage were also found bound and tied in sheets so tightly, that their skin came off when they were removed.  The biosocial, cognitive, and psychosocial developmental damage that is done due to this type of neglect and abuse is extensive.  


The long term effects can severely impact a child's social skills.  For example, the child may "typically regard other people as hostile and exploitative; hence, they are less friendly, more aggressive, and more isolated than other children.  The longer their abuse continues, and the earlier it started, the worse their peer relationships are."  (Berger, 2009)  This abuse will also effect the child's abilities to regulate their emotions.  "Early neglect and abuse cause internalizing or externalizing problems that are more sever than does maltreatment that begins later in childhood." (Berger, 2009)  This will effect a child's ability to form positive relationships as well as the prevent them from obtaining the tools necessary to face the challenges that life presents them in a healthy and productive way.  


To counteract the tragedies these children have suffered, the Romanian government has reopened overseas adoption.  This way, children are leaving orphanages, instead of staying in overpopulated and sub par conditions.  I hope that this change will help to diminish the violence that has occurred in these orphanages over the years.  Violence is a horrible thing to suffer through at any age; it is especially difficult to overcome such travesties during childhood.  


Resources:
Berger, K. S. (2009). The developing person through childhood (5th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Graham, B. (2006, September 24). Romania's orphans claim years of abuse. The Sunday Times.

Smith, C. S. (2006, May 10). Romania's Orphans Face Widespread Abuse, Group Says. The New York Times.

http://www.internationaladoptionguide.co.uk/genericPage.jsp?genericPageValue=Adoption%20Options