ACCORDING to the United Nations Secretary General’s report, between 100 and 300 million children have been abused worldwide and of this figure, the number of sexually abused children remains unclear due to under reporting.
Studies have found that children who have been maltreated at very young ages experience actual biological changes in the brain, according to clinical studies conducted in the United States.
This, coupled with deep poverty, neglect and exposure to violence in early childhood can all lead to ‘Toxic Stress’.
Based on these studies, scientists can now credibly say that the early childhood years lay the foundation for later economic productivity, responsible citizenship and a lifetime of sound physical and mental health.
Director at the Centre on the Developing Child at Harvard University, Professor Julius B. Richmond, stated in a report on Toxic Stress, ‘In contrast to normal or tolerable stress, which can build resilience and adjust a child’s stress- response system, toxic stress is caused by extreme, prolonged adversity in the absence of a supportive network of adults to help the child adapt. When this occurs, toxic stress can actually damage the architecture of the developing brain, leading to disrupted circuits and a weakened foundation for future learning and health.’
The report also states that the lasting, neuro-biological effect on young children who experience toxic stress leads to a far greater likelihood of anti-social behavior, lower achievement in school and work, and poor physical and mental health.                                                                                               Neuroscience and the biology of stress, according to findings, help to understand how adversities are literally built into our bodies. Prolonged activation of the body’s stress system during early development can damage the brain.
A study on domestic violence against women shows that children who grow up in homes where domestic violence is perpetuated are more likely to use violence in response to perceived threats, attempt suicide, use drugs, commit crimes to enhance their self esteem and become abusers in later life (Kaur & Garg, 2008)
It can therefore be understood why children born into such circumstances have more problems at school, are more likely to commit crimes and are more prone to physical and mental issues later in life.’
In Guyana, there were 886 incidents of child abuse cases recorded in 2009. Of that number, 40 per cent were boys, according to the Statistical Unit at the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security.
The most common forms of abuse were neglect (43 per cent), physical abuse (27 per cent), sexual abuse (22 per cent) and abandonment (two per cent).
Statistical reports from Help and Shelter show that from November 2005, to May, 2010, there were 1,105 reported cases of child abuse. Of this amount, 755 represented children six to 14 years old.
Coordinator of Help and Shelter, Ms. Margaret Kertzious, pointed out that these figures represent only a fraction of the cases since there are a number of centres in the country that handle cases of child abuse.
She said, “In order to know what the actual figures are, a system devised to collect all the data from the various centers across the country needs to be implemented.”
Ms. Kertzious pointed out that at each of these centres, counselling is provided to individuals to help them cope with the aftermath of abuse.
According to Child Protection Officer at Help and Shelter, Ms. Carol Innis-Baptiste, re-socialization could be one of the ways of dealing with the after-effects of abuse.
She stressed the importance of having seminars, articles or workshops to highlight the effects of child abuse, not only on the victim, but on society as a whole.
She said, “We need to illustrate this issue in a way that persons can relate to.”
A growing body of science shows the critical effects on the brain of children in an extremely stressful environment.
Toxic stress can shift the brain into surviving in a way that is more rigid and less adaptable, and this, according to Professor Richmond, increases the risk of long term damage to the brain that has far reaching implications – all of which society addresses at a cost.