Verbal abuse ‘as bad as hitting your children'

Telegraph

6 days ago

Suffering verbal abuse at home can be as damaging to children's mental health as being physically hit, researchers have warned.
Under the Children Act 2004, it is illegal to cause actual or bodily harm to a child, and smacking can only be used by parents if deemed a 'reasonable'' punishment.
But researchers at Liverpool John Moores University said that verbal bullying was also linked to long-term mental problems, and called on Britain to catch up with other counties which have banned the degrading or psychological abuse of children.
The analysis of 20,000 children found that 16 per cent of those who suffered no abuse had poor mental health in adulthood but it rose to 22.5 per cent for those who had been physically abused and 24 per cent for those mentally abused.
And it increased to 29 per cent for children who experienced both physical and verbal abuse.
'We need strong protections'
Prof Mark Bellis, of the Public Health Institute at the university, said: 'Countries like Sweden and Germany have already embedded strong protections for children into their legal systems.
'These laws explicitly prohibit psychological harm, degrading treatment and humiliating measures, and set a high standard for child welfare and protection.
'More nations need to follow this lead but legal reform alone isn't enough. We must also equip families with the skills to prevent verbal and emotional abuse.'
The study also found that while the physical abuse of children has dropped significantly in recent years, verbal abuse has risen.
Around 20 per cent of children born between 1950 and 1979 suffered physical abuse compared to 10 per cent among those born in 2000 or later.
But the reverse was true of the prevalence of verbal abuse, which rose from 12 per cent among those born before 1950 to around 20 per cent amongst those born in 2000 or later.
Physical abuse can exert lifelong effects on mental and physical health and wellbeing, note the researchers.
It is known to bring higher levels of anxiety and depression, problematic alcohol and drug use, other 'risky' behaviours, violence towards others and serious health issues, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, they say.
Verbal abuse is a source of toxic stress, which may affect the neurobiological development of children, the experts believe.
'Parents need guidance'
Prof Bellis added: 'Our findings suggest that while physical abuse has declined in the decades spanning the end of the 20th century, verbal abuse has increased.
'Although our study cannot determine the reasons behind this shift, it's important to ensure we are not simply replacing one form of childhood trauma with another.
'That's why it's critical not only to tell parents what not to do, but also to offer practical guidance and support on how to raise children in healthy, nurturing ways.'
Researchers say policies and initiatives to prevent violence against children have tended to focus on physical abuse, often overlooking the potential impact of verbal abuse, they point out.
Those born in or after 2000 had higher likelihoods of all individual poor mental wellbeing components as well as overall low mental wellbeing.
And men were more likely to report never or rarely feeling optimistic, useful, or close to other people, while women were more likely to report never or rarely feeling relaxed.
The research was published in the journal BMJ Open.