Children have wonderful inquisitive minds that need nurturing not tearing to shreds with ideas that they cannot comprehend or that frighten them out of their wits. While physical abuse leaves impressions and scars on the body mental abuse is usually hidden and has very few outward signs. It can, however, be discovered through changes in behaviour and withdrawal.
One aspect of child abuse is fright. The child becomes too frightened to tell anyone of the things that are causing stress or pain. Sexual interference will do this when someone invades their body and they feel guilt and shame as a result. They may turn away and hide their face when an adult looks at them or cast their eyes down when spoken to. This behaviour may be mistaken for shyness when, in effect, the child is covering up for fear of having their thoughts discovered.
Young girls are often targeted by men who are even members of their own family. They will try to isolate their victim and when alone may expose themselves or fondle the genitalia. Both they actions will bring a degree of shock that the little one cannot comprehend. Being told by the adult to conceal the crime she is given a list of consequences that will either silence her or raise her sympathy for the offender.
There are other ways, however, to bring on mental abuse in young children and that is to tell them stories about going to hell when they die. They may not even know what death is and the yarn is all about fear. This type of thing is again too much for the young brain to comprehend or to understand and it can bring on nightmares, confusion and withdrawal. Religious fearing people are guilty of this crime. One wonders if they have any comprehension of what they are preaching and of the long-term consequences.
My own experience of child abuse alerted me to the damage that will occur when a child's mind is damaged. Lessons in protecting them at all costs is the best way to avoid many of the issues they face while growing up.
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