The ‘Hidden Epidemic ‘ of Child Abuse

By MICHELLE CUMMINGS

A leading expert in adolescent health on Thursday branded violence against children “a hidden public health epidemic” at a two-day conference at Mt. Sinai Hospital focusing on the problem.

“Violence against children, including sexual abuse and exploitation, is a hidden public health epidemic in the United States and around the world,” said Angela Diaz, Director of the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, “and one that bears a lifetime of burden for its victims, including mental health and substance abuse problems later in life, and the physical effects of repeated or chronic stress,”

The event kicked off the hospital’s 50th anniversary, including some 600 participating scientists policymakers and advocates

According to Diaz 50 percent of teenage girls and 23 percent of teenage boys that the center sees disclose a history of childhood sexual abuse.

“At least 1 billion children experienced violence,” said Howard Taylor, Executive Director of End Violence Against Children.

The conference for convened more than 60 experts in research, prevention and treatment, practitioners and survivors to devise strategies to end child abuse and youth sex trade.

“When we talk about a young person as being resilient, they’re not unaffected,” said one participant. “They effectively compensate and cope with their brain changes.”

Renowned child psychologist Cathy Spatz Widom said the effort to identify and curb violence against kids began with a study in 1986 by Attorney General Janet Reno that compared the incidents of violence with court substantiated cases of neglect. Widom’s research focused on long term outcomes of abuse on cognitive development. following more than 900 people who were victims of child abuse in the 1960s and 1970s.

Back then some experts believed children who suffer abuse were destined to become adults who live a life of crime and violence, and would someday abuse their own children.

“There’s an idea that girls who are abused go on to experience more violence, and boys who are abused are more likely to commit violence,” said Widom. “They’re wrong.”

According to Widom the negative effects of childhood maltreatment are not inevitable.

However, “It’s all really complicated and we still don’t know enough about it,” said Widom.

“The impact of child abuse and childhood neglect extends well into adulthood,” said Diaz. “In a developing child physiological changes in response to stress appear to have a universal and adverse impact on neurological development.”

Annually over 3.4 million cases are referred to child protective agencies in the United States according to the National Children’s Alliance website.

“Neglect represents the vast majority, 75 percent, of cases brought to attention of authorities,” said Widom. “These victims receive scant research attention.”

The Child Abuse and Prevention Center defines neglect as the extreme failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter and medical attention.

The World Childhood Foundation USA and the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center both envision a world where all children are free from violence, sexual abuse and exploitation said Diaz.

“It is our hope this conference will be the impetus for creating a roadmap to end violence against children by 2030 in New York, the United States, and globally,” said Joanna Rubinstein, President and CEO of World Childhood Foundation.

“The impacts cascade throughout victims’ lifetimes, not only affecting them but also their families and society,” she said.