Child abuse is widely known to have a devastating impact on children, but recent studies have shown even more thoroughly how long-lasting the effects can be—not just in terms of the emotional and psychological impact, but even physical well-being and education.

Indeed, children who are abused face an increased risk of mental and physical health issues over their lifetime, as well as legal troubles and even early death, according to two large longitudinal studies.

One study looking at long-term health outcomes for children abused before the age of five are two to three times more likely to experience negative health outcomes as young adults. This was found to be particularly true of children who were abused by a loved and trusted person in a recent study published in the journal Pediatrics. The study was conducted by Jennifer Lansford, PhD, of Duke University, along with colleagues from around the country.

Lansford and the other researchers examined early adulthood outcomes including physical signs of abuse, family financial issues, legal issues, family conflict, a move or major home remodeling, separation or divorce, and parent–child separation. The researchers found that, after the study period, adults who had been abused as children were at least two times more likely to have received special education services, repeated a grade, be receiving government assistance, score in the clinical range on externalizing or internalizing disorders, or have been convicted of a crime in the past year.

It isn’t entirely clear what mechanisms drive these increased risks, Lansford said. “There is evidence that physical abuse changes brain structure at this critical time of maturation. It surely causes relationship issues and disrupts a child’s ability to trust and feel secure. Children become hypersensitive to hostile cues and more likely to interpret ambiguous information as hostile. In the long term, this change can make them hypervigilant and more aggressive.”

Another study found that adults who had been maltreated as children were up to five times more likely than others to die by the age of 33, found Leonie Segal, PhD, of the University of South Australia, along with colleagues. These deaths were from a number of causes, including self-harming behaviors like poisonings, alcohol and/or other substances, and suicide.

Early childhood maltreatment cannot be exactly measured, but was estimated by proxy with children who had been exposed to Child Protective Services (CPS). By age 33, the overall mortality in the CPS-exposed group was 30.9 per 1,000 children, compared with 5.1 per 1,000 in the group that had never had contact with CPS, the study showed.

“The strength of association was highest in categories indicating more serious maltreatment exposure, supporting the relationship as causal, when taken together with well-described mechanisms linking [child maltreatment] to disturbed emotional and behavioral responses, a high sense of shame and low impulse control, risk factors for substance use, and suicide,” the authors wrote.

“These results demand our attention,” Segal said. “We must ask, what are we doing or failing to do in supporting children exposed to child abuse or profound neglect and their distressed families? How can we do better, from early childhood, to stop this progression to an untimely death?”

Both of these studies were published in Pediatrics in December 2020, and provide yet more evidence that early intervention to protect and support children who have suffered from abuse is essential.

“This speaks to the importance of early intervention by pediatricians, teachers, adults, and society in general, talking about nonviolent forms of discipline and providing support for parents,” noted Lansford in an interview with MedPage Today.

“This is one reason why calls to Child Protective Services [CPS] and domestic violence hotlines have increased so much,” Lansford added. “Family violence is also associated with more stressful life experiences. The need for social safety nets to both prevent and treat violence against children is crucial.”

These findings may even be more pertinent given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Segal noted.

“Child maltreatment exerts a devastating impact in terms of increased risk of death,” Segal said. “I think these findings are especially pertinent now, given the considerable increased stresses on families associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, which will undoubtedly increase the exposure of children to serious child abuse and neglect.”

Of course, as these studies have shown, it may take years before the full effects of COVID-19 on child abuse is and children’s lives is known.

“We need to act now to avoid these potential disastrous consequences in adolescence and adulthood,” said Segal.

A number of organizations are currently facing scrutiny for allegations of child abuse, including but not limited to the following:

• The Catholic Church
• The Boys and Girls Clubs of America
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Other churches and religious organizations
• Youth organizations
• The YMCA and YWCA
• Schools

More and more people are coming forward with their own allegations of childhood abuse, including sexual abuse, some of which took place years or even decades ago. While these allegations may have expired under state statutes of limitations, some states have recently begun making changes to their sexual assault laws to expand the statute of limitations or to open look back windows in which previously expired claims can be filed.

If you or someone you love has suffered from childhood abuse, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by abuse, but it can at least help to hold those responsible, including organizations, accountable for their actions and inactions that allowed the abuse to take place.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.