Child abuse is a complex phenomenon with multiple causes (Fontana, 2009). No single factor can be identified as to why some adults behave violently toward children. The World Health Organization (WHO) (2006) identified multiple factors at the level of the individual, their relationships, their local community, and their society at large, that combine to influence the occurrence of child maltreatment. At the individual level, such factors include age, sex, and personal history, while at the level of society, factors
contributing to child abuse include cultural norms encouraging harsh physical punishment of children, economic inequality, and the lack of social safety nets. WHO (2006) further stated that understanding the complex interplay of various risk factors is vital for dealing with the problem of child abuse.
contributing to child abuse include cultural norms encouraging harsh physical punishment of children, economic inequality, and the lack of social safety nets. WHO (2006) further stated that understanding the complex interplay of various risk factors is vital for dealing with the problem of child abuse.
Parents who physically abuse their spouses are more likely than others to physically abuse their children. However, it is impossible to know whether marital strife is a cause of child abuse, or if both the marital strife and the abuse are caused by tendencies in the abuser (Ross, 2006). Sometimes, parents set expectations for their child that are clearly beyond the child’s capability. When parents’ expectations are far beyond what is appropriate to the child (e.g., preschool children who are expected to be totally responsible for self-care or provision of nurturance to parents) the resulting frustration caused by the child’s non-compliance is believed to function as a contributory if not necessary cause of child abuse. Most acts of physical violence against children are undertaken with the intent to punish (Twentyman & Plotkin, 2012).
Studies indicate that such abusive treatment often involves parents attributing conflict to their child’s willfulness or rejection, as well as coercive family dynamics and conditioned emotional responses. Factors involved in the escalation of ordinary physical punishment by parents into confirmed child abuse may be the punishing parent’s inability to control their anger or judge their own strength, and the parent being unaware of the child’s physical vulnerabilities. Some professionals argue that cultural norms that sanction
physical punishment are one of the causes of child abuse, and have undertaken campaigns to redefine such norms (Haeuser, 2010).
physical punishment are one of the causes of child abuse, and have undertaken campaigns to redefine such norms (Haeuser, 2010).
Children resulting from unintended pregnancies are more likely to be abused or neglected. In addition, unintended pregnancies are more likely than intended pregnancies to be associated with abusive relationships, and there is an increased risk of physical violence during pregnancy. They also result in poorer maternal mental health, and lower mother-child relationship quality (Hathaway, 2010).
Substance abuse can be a major contributing factor to child abuse. Parents who engage in substance abuse such as alcohol, cocaine and heroin, were much more likely to mistreat their children. Also parental stress caused by substance increases the likelihood of the minor exhibiting internalizing and externalizing behaviours. Unemployment and financial difficulties are also associated with increased rates of child abuse (Murphy, 2011).
