What causes child abuse?

Answer 1

One of the worst aspects of being abused is being blamed for the abuse. Blaming the victim is a classic component of abuse whether the abuse is spousal abuse, partner abuse or child abuse. Children are so often the victims because they are smaller, weaker and have fewer resources to end the abuse. The following is a brief description of some of the causes of child abuse. All the causes are too numerous to mention here. Sexual abuse of children is not addressed in this answer.

Child abuse occurs across all cultural, gender, racial, economic and social lines. It is committed most often by the caretaker of the child. People who abuse their children lack the necessary abilities needed to parent properly, to nurture and to form a consistent, stable relationship with their child. Children with special needs are sometimes at more risk because of the stress of parenting the child and the lack of understanding by the parent that the child's behavior is caused by their disability.

People who abuse are frequently self-centered, lack coping skills and have little understanding of normal child development. They often have unreasonably high expectations of what constitutes normal behavior in a child. They have anger management issues. They are people who put other things first ahead of their child's needs: work, money, sleep, their own entertainment, their partner, their friends, their own needs. They frequently have substance abuse problems. They are often reluctant parents, resenting the child they brought into the world especially if the other parent is not around to help.

Statistics show that some adults who were abused as children will abuse their own children. They are unable to develop healthy ways to discipline and repeat the behaviors they learned in their childhood. The person who is abusing a child may be involved in an abusive relationship themselves. A major cause of child abuse is poverty and young single mothers with no family assistance and no idea how to raise a child.