The abuse and maltreatment of children can have long-lasting effects/consequences that impact the lives of children and their families throughout the course of their development. The paper explores published literary sources and studies, regarding the linkage between high-risk sexual behaviors, sexually transmitted infections, and familial child sexual abuse perpetration; the neuro-endocrine dysregulation of school-aged maltreated children; physiological biomarkers and psychopathological risks associated with abused/maltreated children; the impact of child maltreatment on mental health outcomes in relation to age and level of cognitive development; the linkage between mental health outcomes and abuse/maltreatment; and the prevalence of child sexual abuse. These sources explore and report types of child abuse and the potential physical, mental, and social effects of child abuse that may occur across the life span as a result of abuse. An exploration of the risk factors and effective preventative methods could assist in the minimizing the effects of abuse/maltreatment and recidivism rates.
Child Abuse and Development
The maltreatment of children can have consequences that impact their lives of children and the lives of their families throughout the course of development. Psalm 127:3, Amplified Bible) states, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward”. During the Federal Fiscal Year of 2011, however, 51 States reported 676,569 victims of child abuse and maltreatment (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau, 2012, p. 19). Persons committing these acts against children do not appear to take the scripture into consideration, nor do they seem to value the gift that God has given. The purpose of this research is to identify the relationship and linkage amid child abuse/maltreatment and psychological,...