The consequences of child abuse in the family and the importance of prevention

Svrha ovoga rada je istaknuti posljedice zlostavljanja djece u obitelji i njihov utjecaj na razvojne ishode djece. Naime, postoji nekoliko oblika zlostavljanja: fizičko, psihičko, seksualno i zanemarivanje pri čemu svako od navedenih ostavlja teške i dugotrajne posljedice za dijete, posebno ukoliko se radi o dugotrajnom, prikrivenom, neprijavljenom zlostavljanju djece u obitelji. Posljedice pogađaju dijete na raznim poljima njegova funkcioniranja, od fizičkog, psihičkog, kognitivnog, socijalnog i protežu se kroz cijeli život i tako otežavaju svaku slijedeću ulogu koju bi dijete trebalo preuzeti. U takvim je slučajevima od velike važnosti postojanje ustanova, stručnjaka i tretmana za proradu teškog i traumatskog iskustva kao što je zlostavljanje. Osim pomoći i podrške žrtvi, od velike je važnosti i rad s počiniteljima kako bi stekli uvid u vlastito ponašanje, posljedice koje ono ostavlja, preuzeli odgovornost i usvojili neke nove, drugačije vještine rješavanja problemskih situacija, sukoba, odgoja djece. Naime, nema velikog pomaka ukoliko se žrtva vraća u sredinu u kojoj je stanje ne promijenjeno. Upravo bi svijest o posljedicama zlostavljanja trebala biti poticaj za osmišljavanje što kvalitetnijih i na zaštitu djeteta usmjerenih preventivnih programa. Svrha ovoga rada je, dakle, isto tako naglasiti važnost prevencije zlostavljanja djece u obitelji, prikazati moguće zaštitne čimbenike koje bi preventivnim aktivnostima trebalo njegovati i svakako iskoristiti u omogućavanju bezbrižnog rasta i razvoja svakog djeteta.The purpose of this paper is to bring light on the consequences of child abuse in the family and its impact on the developmental outcomes of children. There are several types of abuse: physical, mental, sexual, and neglect. Every type leaves burdensome and longlasting consequences on the child, especially if the abuse was long-term,hidden and unreported in the family. The consequences affect the child on different areas of its functioning, ranging from physical, mental, cognitive, social and they spread across a person's whole life and consequently make every future role that the child would take on much more difficult. In those instances the existence of institutions, experts and treatments for deliberation of a difficult and traumatic experiences such as abuse is of great importance. Besides the help and support for the victim, work with the perpetrators is also important in order for them to get an insight in their own behaviour, the consequences of that behaviour, to take responsibility and to acquire some new, different skills of solving problematic situations, conflicts, and raising children. This is due to the fact that there is no change if the victim gets back to the ambience in which nothing has changed. The awareness of the consequences of ill-treatment should be the main incentive to design remarkable and prevention programs targeting children's protection. The purpose of this paper is, therefore, to emphasize the importance of preventing child abuse in the family, to show possible protective factors that should be nurtured by preventive activities and to make sure to take advantage of a carefree growth and development of each child