Manifestations of child maltreatment, social repercussion and ways for its prevention

Abstract

Introduction: child abuse is one of the most widespread expressions of violence and silenced socially; it is a phenomenon with multiple and complex causes that produces various damages to the child's health and affects the formation of his personality, his emotional stability, family and social relationships, and his future adult life.

Objective: to characterize the main manifestations of child maltreatment and its social repercussion in the current Cuban context.

Method: the national and international bibliography on the subject, corresponding to the last five years, was reviewed in the CUMED, EBSCO and HINARI databases in Spanish and English, and printed materials. With the selected information, a structured review was prepared.

Development: while there are no reliable statistics, because some forms of child maltreatment –such as neglecting attention to food, recreational, educational and health care needs of children– are silenced within families, the consequences on children are visible in very varied ways: emotional disturbances, social isolation, aggressiveness, learning difficulties, decreased attention, consumption of alcoholic beverages and drugs, sleep disturbances, criminal behavior.

Conclusions: although there is political will in Cuba and multiple strategies are developed to eradicate child abuse, it is necessary that families, health workers, educators and the community know and be aware of multiple manifestations of this phenomenon and its impact on the infants and in the society so that the preventive work is effective.