It's no secret that one of the most common effects of child abuse are that most abused children grow up to be alcoholics or addicts

The effects of child abuse have profound physiological, spiritual, emotional, and social consequences that are carried with the victim for the rest of their lives. There are more than three million reports of child abuse and neglect each year, and that's only the cases being reported. Most child abuse goes unreported.

That means there is a staggering amount of abuse taking place in our society. Child abuse continues to be overlooked and minimised in our culture because there is still a pervading dysfunctional and destructive belief that it is acceptable to use physical violence, verbal aggression and exploitation in the process of child rearing, which originated in and continues to be encouraged within religion. Additionally, most of society fails to recognise the depth of damage that is incurred.

It's no secret that one of the most common effects of child abuse are that most abused children grow up to be alcoholics or addicts, and most alcoholics and addicts have had an abusive childhood, and science now reveals that there is a biochemical reason this occurs. It used to be believed that the scars of child abuse were exhibited only in the psychosocial arena or through the development of defence mechanisms that become maladaptive and self-defeating in adulthood; and that in itself is detrimental enough, however, scientific findings now tell us that it is much deeper and more serious than even this.

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