Chapter 22 - Child abuse as a global mental health problem

Summary

Child abuse is an issue of major concern for the whole of society. It is a global mental health problem of epidemic proportion affecting children of all ages and races, and from all economic and cultural backgrounds. Child trafficking is a major risk factor for child abuse and child prostitution. It is a global problem and a heinous crime against children. An important specific form of child abuse relates to an increasing use of children in armed conflicts as soldiers recruited by a number of official and other agencies. The consequences of child abuse are multifaceted, varying from ongoing trauma to personality changes and even death. Child abuse is linked to long-term deleterious effects on health and well-being, but separating the effects of child maltreatment from other often concomitant childhood adversities, such as poverty, has been challenging.