1. Dan Powers, LCSW Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County
Childhood Trauma
Dan Powers, LCSW
Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County

2. Well, they have been pretty sunny days……

3. with clouds and rain

4. Effects of child abuse fear anxiety depression anger hostility
inappropriate sexual behavior
poor self esteem
tendency toward substance abuse and
difficulty with close relationships
Browne & Finkelhor, 1986

5. Clinical findings of adult victims of sexual abuse include problems in interpersonal relationships associated with an underlying mistrust.
Generally, adult victims of incest have a severely strained relationship with their parents that is marked by feelings of mistrust, fear, ambivalence, hatred, and betrayal.
Tsai and Wagner, 1978.

6. Young girls who are forced to have sex are three times more likely to develop psychiatric disorders or abuse alcohol and drugs in adulthood, than girls who are not sexually abused.
Sexual abuse was also more strongly linked with substance abuse than with psychiatric disorders.
It was also suggested that sexual abuse may lead some girls to become sexually active at an earlier age.
Kenneth S. Kendler, M.D., et al,

7. In the adult retrospective study
Victimization was reported by 27 percent of the women and 16 percent of the men.
The median age for the occurrence of reported abuse was 9.9 for boys and 9.6 for girls.
Victimization occurred before age eight for 22 percent of boys and for 23 percent of girls.
Source: Finkelhor et al., 1990.

8. In the adult retrospective study
Most of the abuse of both boys and girls was by offenders 10 or more years older than their victims.
Girls were more likely than boys to disclose the abuse.
Forty-two percent of the women and thirty-three percent of the men reported never having disclosed the experience to anyone.
Source: Finkelhor et al., 1990.

9. Kids who experience trauma
Have their scope of the world change

10. Child Sexual Abuse no universal definition
a central characteristic of any abuse is the dominant position of the perpetrator that allows him or her to force or coerce a child into sexual activity
may include any sexual contact or contact with sexual intent with a child.
is not solely restricted to physical contact; such abuse could include non-contact abuse, such as exposure, voyeurism, and child pornography

11. Myths and Misconceptions About Child Sexual Abuse
The total stranger represents the greatest potential sexual abuse threat to a child
Sexual abuse occurs most frequently in low-socioeconomic, uneducated, non-white populations
Child sexual abuse is rare
Incest occurs only once per victim
Sexual Abuse is only committed by step-parents

12. The Issue
Every 10 seconds a child is abused
National Committee to Prevent Child abuse
Each day in the United States, more than 3 children die as a result of child abuse in the home
Childhelp USA
The Rate of Child Abuse is ten times the rate of cancer
A National Call to Action
Without intervention abused children are 67% more likely to be arrested as a teen
Child Welfare League of America

13. The Facts
The rate of child abuse is estimated to be 3 times greater than is reported. – probably more
1 in 4 girls is sexually abused before the age of 18.
1 in 6 boys is sexually abused before the age of 18.
1 in 5 children are solicited sexually while on the internet.
Nearly 70% of all reported sexual assaults occur to children ages 17 and under.
An estimated 39 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse live in the US

14. The Facts Abused kids are 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy
Abused teens are 3 times less likely to practice safe sex.

15. The Facts
Kids who have been abused are 2.5 % more likely to abuse alcohol
3.8% more likely to develop drug addictions
2/3 of people in drug tretamen treport being abused as a child

16. The Facts 14% of men in prison reported being abused as a child
36% of women in prison report being abused as a child
Kids who have been abused are 30% mose likely to commit a violent crime

17. Sex Offenders Hurt Kids till they are Stopped!
Nearly 70% of child sex offenders have between 1 and 9 victims; at least 20% have 10 to 40 victims.
An child molester may have as many as 400 victims in his lifetime
The average male, adolescent sex offender could effect 380 victims during his lifetime, if not treated.
Abel, G., Mittleman, M. and Baker, J. (1985)

18. 258 Million Cost of child abuse and neglect in United States per day
Source: Prevent Child Abuse Texas

19. We Are Not in Kansas Anymore

20. We Are Not in Kansas Anymore
The trauma appears as a whirlwind on the horizon of a child or adolescent’s life and turns their world abruptly upside down. The traumatic tornado
engulfs reality,
distorts reason,
devours trust,
fractures intimacy,
twists emotions into knots,
consumes self esteem
and leaves the child in a disruptive aftermath that is choked in lies, half truths, manipulation and secrets

21. Are kids safe at home?
30-40% of victims are abused by a family member.
Another 50% are abused by someone outside of the family whom they know.
Approximately 40% are abused by other kids.
Between 6 and 10% are abused by strangers

22. They are younger than you think
The median age for reported abuse is 9 years old.
More than 20% of children are sexually abused before the age of 8.
Force is used in nearly 50% of the time in children under 12

23. Most children don't tell, even if they have been asked
Over 30% of victims never disclose the experience to ANYONE.
Young victims may not recognize their victimization as sexual abuse.
Almost 80% initially deny abuse or are tentative in disclosing.
More than 20% eventually recant even though the abuse occurred.
False reports constitute only 1% to 4% of all reported cases.

24. Consequences
Family response (especially mom) to the abuse is one of the most important aspects of healing
Sexually abused children who keep it a secret or who "tell" and are not believed are at greater risk than the general population for psychological, emotional, social, and physical problems often lasting into adulthood.
Children who have been victims of sexual abuse are more likely to experience physical health problems and report more somatic complaints

25. Victims of child sexual abuse report:
Consequences
Victims of child sexual abuse report:
more symptoms of PTSD, more sadness, and more school problems than non-victims.
are more likely to experience major depressive disorder as adults.
more likely to develop eating disorders as adolescents.

26. Consequences
Adolescents and adults who are abused in childhood are significantly more likely to drink alcohol and/or use illicit drugs than their peers.
Adolescents and adults who were victims of childhood maltreatment have been consistently found to be more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors.

27. The Link Between Abuse As a Child & Future Criminal Behavior
14.4% of all men in prison in the United States were abused as children
36.7% of all women in prison report being abused as children
Children who experience child abuse & neglect are 59% more likely to be arrested as a juvenile,
28% more likely to be arrested as an adult, and
30% more likely to commit violent crime.
US Department of Justice Reports

28. Sexual Consequences
Children who have been victims of sexual abuse exhibit long-term and more frequent behavioral problems, particularly inappropriate sexual behaviors.
Women who report childhood rape are 3 times more likely to become pregnant before age 18.
An estimated 60% of teen first pregnancies are preceded by experiences of molestation.

29. Physical Consequences
From bruises to death
Shaken Baby Syndrome
May not be immediately noticeable
May include brain, eye, spinal cord damage
Impaired Brain Development
Regions of the brain fail to develop
Cognitive, language and academic problems

30. Physical Consequences
Poor Physical Health
Relationship between abuse/neglect and poor health
Allergies, high blood pressure, arthritis, asthma have all been linked to childhood household dysfuction

31. Psychological Consequences
Immediate
Isolation
Fear
Inability to Trust
Could lead to life long consequences

32. Psychological Consequences
Infancy
Depression and withdrawal have been observed in children as young as 3
Brain development issues

33. Psychological Consequences
Poor mental / emotional health
80% of young adults who have been abused met the criteria for at least 1 psychiatric disorder.
Depression
Anxiety
Suicide attempts
Silverman, Reinherz and Giaconia, 1996

34. Psychological Consequences
MORE
Panic disorder
Dissociative disorder
ADD/ ADHD
PTSD
Attachment disorders
Teicher, 2000; De Bellis and Thomas 2003

35. Psychological Consequences
Cognitive Difficulties
Children placed out of the home scored lower in areas of cognitive capacity, language development ad academic achievement
US Dept. Health and Human Services, 2003

36. Psychological Consequences
Cognitive Difficulties
Relationship between poor academic performance and classroom functioning and child maltreatment
Zolotor, Kotch, Dufort, Winsor and Catellier 1999

37. Psychological Consequences
Social Difficulties
Children who experience rejection or neglect are more likely to develop antisocial traits
Parental neglect is also associated with borderline P/O and violent behavior
Schore, 2003

38. Behavioral Consequences
Kids who have experienced abuse are found have behavioral problems twice the rate of kids who have not.

39. Behavioral Consequences
Adolescence
Kids who have been abused/neglected are 25% more likely to have problems such as delinquency, teen pregnancy, low academic performance, drug use and mental health problems.
Kelly, Thornberry and Smith 1997

40. Behavioral Consequences
Adolescence
They are more likely to engage in sexual risk taking
Johnson, Rew and Sternglanz, 2006

41. Behavioral Consequences
Juvenile Delinquency and Adult Criminal Behavior
Abused/neglected kids are 11 time more likely to be arrested as a juvenile and 2.7 times more likely to be arrested for violent and criminal behavior as a adult (National Institute of Justice)

42. Behavioral Consequences
Alcohol and Drugs
National Institute on Drug Abuse report:
2/3 of people in drug treatment report being abused a s a child

43. Behavioral Consequences
Abusive Behavior
1/3 of abused and neglected children will eventually abuse their own children
Prevent Child Abuse America, 2003

44. THERAPY WITH CHILDREN INVOLVES
Providing a safe place for the child and establishing a relationship
Going at a pace that is set by the child and working within the child’s system
Confidentiality
Processing the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that result from the trauma

45. Treatment Issues Require
Extensive training and experience in child abuse and family violence
Treatment professionals who specialize in this field
Coordination of treatment services for victims and their families

46. Treatment Issues Require
Coordination of efforts and sharing of information between CPS Investigators, Law Enforcement, Medical, Prosecutors, Therapists and other professionals
Understanding of the legal process and its impact on the victim and family

47. HOPE

48. Dan Powers, LCSW Sr. VP, Clinical and Administrative Services Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County