We now often hear of child abuse stories in the news. It's difficult for most people to hear about these tragic cases. Unfortunately, most people do not spend enough time contemplating such stories, because it's just too painful. We all realize that sadly, a child abuse story may be readily found in our own hometown newspaper.

There are many types of child abuse. Some involve sheer neglect, while others include physical violence, verbal cruelty and sexual abuse. Statistics show that one in four girls in the United States are sexually abused some time during childhood. The effects of such treatment to children lasts a lifetime. Child abuse, in any form, is a scourge on our society and we all should become informed. Although educating yourself on the subject is distressing, reading up on only a few child abuse stories will surely convince you that we all must work to help stop the plague of abuse to children.

In recent decades, child abuse stories have been openly discussed. For the better part of the 20th century, this was not the case. Children who were abused lived in the shadows, afraid to let anyone know what was happening to them. They feared reprisal or condemnation, even to the point of being killed by the abuser.

Children who were physically or verbally abused usually did not recognize that they were being victimized, in many cases by a parent or family member. These children believed that this reality was normal and they deserved such treatment.

The typical child abuse story involves an entire childhood of such treatment. One critical element in the ultimate effects of child abuse is that the treatment is concurrent with the child's physical and emotional development. These children have low self-esteem. They live their lives in fear and guilt. This excludes the development of confidence and ethical behavior and nurtures the harboring of grudges, hatred, aggression and paranoid attitudes. These characteristics do not bode well for these kid's adult behaviors.

Children who are beaten throughout their childhood often exhibit antisocial, violent and highly aggressive behaviors. They may well suffer brain damage. This sort of child abuse story is all too common. This abuse victim may well turn into a spouse who beats his wife and children.

Look at the generic child abuse story which involves sexual abuse. Whether these victims are boys or girls, the child feels extreme degrees of guilt, shame, general worthlessness and fear. A shocking percentage of abused girls become prostitutes, while boys doubt their manhood. Girls and boys may well get into drugs for life because of their lack of self esteem.

This cursory look at the superficial effects of abuse is enough to make you cry. The general behaviors mentioned above tend to spiral into more complex and negative, destructive behaviors. Let's all take a moment to think on the terrible effects of child abuse. Perhaps volunteer work to help victims and prevent new cases is a responsible initiative we might all take.