Family History of Abuse Contributes to Child Abuse (From Child Abuse: Opposing Viewpoints, P 107-113, 1994, David Bender and Bruno Leone, eds. -- See NCJ-159823)

• NCJ Number: 159836
• Author(s): S Mufson; R Kranz
• Date Published: 1994
• Length: 7 pages
• Sale Source: Greenhaven Press
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Opposing Viewpoints Series

Annotation

Parents who were themselves abused as children are more likely to abuse their own children because they come to believe abuse is the proper method of childrearing.

Abstract

Certain abusers may simply not know any other way to act. This is particularly true of parents who physically abuse and neglect infants. Some abusers, especially young or teenage parents, do not have a realistic idea of how easily an infant can be hurt or of how much stronger they are than their children. With other abusive parents, the problem goes deeper. Many child abusers were also survivors of child abuse themselves and are simply unaware of any other way to act. Sometimes, parents decide that their children "deserve" to be abused, just like parents "deserved" abuse when they were young. No matter how much they may love their parents, abused children feel anger and resentment along with the love. This anger and resentment may continue into adulthood and may be targeted toward children. Frequently in families, only one parent is abusive while the other parent does not act abusively, and the nonabusive parent may believe that the abusing parent is acting correctly. Because the effects of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse of children are serious, children need to tell an adult they trust so that the abuse can be stopped.