FYI: Child Abuse and Neglect

[Dreamer]

Statistics: Approximately 1,800,000 referrals of abuse and neglect are made annually. Of those 1,800,000, 3 million children are affected. 896,000 of the reports are determined to be abuse.

The rate of abused and neglected children per 1,000 victims in the United States has dropped from 13.4 in 1990 to 12.3 in 2002.

Of the 896,000 reports determined to be abuse or neglect...60% are neglected. 20% are physically abused. 10% are sexually abused. 7% are emotionally maltreated.

1,400 children die annually from child abuse and neglect in United States alone.

Characteristics of abuse: Age; Birth to 3 years are more likely to be abused (16 children per 1,000)

Gender: Girls have a higher rate of abuse and neglect than boys.


Children who may have been abused may display these behaviors:
* a poor self-image
* sexual acting out (of very young children who should not know about
these matters)
* an inabilaty to trust or love others
* agressive, disruptive behavior
* anger and rage
* self-destructive or self-abusive behavior
* passive or withdrawn behavior
* fear of entering into new relationships or activities
* anxieties and fears
* school problems or failure
* feelings of sadness or other symptoms of depression
* flashbacks, nightmares
* drug and alcohol abuse

 

[mounty]

Thank you for sharing this dreamer
Let us take comfort in knowing Jesus is with all children
God Bless xxxxxxxxx

 

[Dreamer]

Yes, Jesus sees what's going on. But it never seems to those children that anyone is with them, or that anyone cares. I know. I was a neglected child. You don't feel like Jesus is with you when your family doesn't love you.

I know that sounds harsh, but it's true. Not every child is the apple of their parents' eye. It has taken me a lifetime of reprogramming from God's Word to believe that I'm special and that God loves me.

Some people say this verse doesn't apply to children. Maybe, maybe not. I think it does apply.
Luke 17:2 "It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin." So, you're right, God does take note of the abuse, but He doesn't always take the child out of the abusive situation. In fact, most of the time, He doesn't. These people, after they grow up, are called "Survivors".

Survivors are not worse, or better than any other person. But the manner in which our mind has been programmed (literally) does take some work to reprogram. And only God's healing hand can heal those wounds. Only God.

 

[Dove]

I agree with you totally abuse is so common and even after the abuse has stopped it has such an impact on your life.

 

[Apple]

Yes, Jesus sees what's going on. But it never seems to those children that anyone is with them, or that anyone cares. I know. I was a neglected child. You don't feel like Jesus is with you when your family doesn't love you.

I know that sounds harsh, but it's true. Not every child is the apple of their parents' eye. It has taken me a lifetime of reprogramming from God's Word to believe that I'm special and that God loves me.

Survivors are not worse, or better than any other person. But the manner in which our mind has been programmed (literally) does take some work to reprogram. And only God's healing hand can heal those wounds. Only God.

I would never wish anybody to go through the abuse that I suffered as a child, but in all honesty, it is so nice to read this and to know that somebody understands the pain of an abused childhood.

I think that it is also very exciting that God can heal those wounds.

:girl_hug::girl_hug:

 

[Dreamer]

Sadeyes, I'm excited that Dovedale brought this thread forward--as you can see, I wrote it several months ago.

Even since the time that I started writing this thread, God has done MUCH healing in my life.

He is the ONLY healer, through His grace I am healed, and no other.

I urge you, Dovedale and Sadeyes, to keep holding onto the One who saved you so that He can complete in you what He started!

God is so amazing: I stand amazed before Him right now. I just want to say, thank You Jesus.

Sometimes, people who have had relatively good childhoods do not want to acknowledge that child abuse and child neglect goes on. We know that it does go on, unfortunately, so keep your eyes open and your heart tender.

Once God begins a healing process in you----He will give you the ability to minister grace to others who are going through similar situations. This is a great privilege.

I love to minister because Jesus has ministered so much grace and love to me that I could not possibly hold it all in.

Give your love away, and it comes right back to you

Glendale and Sadeyes, you have both been on my hearts today and I will be praying for both of you.

 

[Apple]

WOW! - No I had not noticed the date that the thread had started.

I'm still working on the idea of forgiving my abusers. I would love to already be at the point where I can forgive. There is more to it than just abuse in my childhood, but the childhood abuse is significant in itself.

I would love God to heal the wounds from my past.

Thank you for your prayers. :girl_hug:

 

[Dreamer]

In Isaiah 50:2A the Lord says, "Why was no one there when I came? Why was there no answer when I called?

Is My hand too short to redeem?

Or do I have no power to deliver?"

---------

I tell you, Sadeyes, NOTHING is too hard for the Lord.

 

[Apple]

NOTHING is too hard for the Lord.


I believe that TOTALLY.

The problem is me - not God.



I need to forgive my father right here and now.

 

[Dreamer]

Let's go, Sadeyes. Begin to pray right now to your Heavenly Father.

Do you want to go to the shoutbox so that you can communicate with me after you pray?

That would be fine with me if you want to?

Can you get into chat yet? Or IM? Shoutbox is fine, honey.

 

[Apple]

Thank you for praying with me Dreamer. -

God's presence is still with me. -

Jesus helped me to forgive my father -

I feel free of the burden of unforgiveness towards my father. -

I feel so happy -

 

[Dreamer]

I am beside myself with joy because of you! I have even been washing the walls and cleaning, since we were on the shoutbox. (I only do things like wash walls when I'm extremely happy) I know, go figure.

You are our inspiration, our Calendar Girl, and the apple of God's eye. You are bright eyes, you are blessed, and you are healed.

Just like LLJ, said, when the enemy comes back to taunt you and talk about your past, you remind him about his future. Then just let Jesus chase the enemy away. As you submit to God and resist the devil, the devil will flee, hallelujah!

 

[Apple]

I'm glad that your walls have benefited from my wonderful experience.

Next time that you want to pray for me, you can come first to my house and I'll have the mop and bucket ready - and then you can clean my walls after we have prayed!!!!!!!

 

[Dreamer]

Woo-hoo! You're not going to believe this, but I also just finished washing the wood floors with Murphy's Oil soap before I logged back in.

Okay! I'll be there. You supply the hot water and the bucket, I'll bring the Murphy's Oil soap.

God bless you!

 

[calluna]

I haven't read this thread before either.
I read the list of symptoms of child abuse, and many of which I had as a child, teenager and through adulthood. My father was abusive. Not sexually, but physically and somewhat mentally at times, my mother had her issues also, which effected me.

When I came to know Christ a few years back, and experienced that unconditional love, it was an awakening. God began to work in me. It has taken time, years, but many of those symptoms no longer exist in my life, and some are becoming less and less, the more I grow and stand on the promises of God, and just knowing who I am in Christ. It is definitely a 're-programming' of the mind, a renewing of the mind, that is how we become transformed. It does take time and effort. We need to read God's Word, and believe it, and apply it to our lives. Casting down negative self-talk, rebuking satan's lies. We have to be on guard.

Jesus enabled me to forgive my father and mother, father especially. It has been a journey. I went to see him recently, and I love him and showed him love, that is the power of Jesus. There were a couple of times I got upset with my dad and a little angry, but it wasn't because of the past, it was of his current behaviour and attitude. And I kept asking the Lord to help me to forgive him each and every time. We must forgive not 7 times but 77 times, Mathew 18:22 Thank and praise God.

So Apple and anyone else, God bless you for obeying God and forgiving your enemies, it is healing to our souls. Just keep on singing praises to the King.

Calluna

 

[Dreamer]

Amen, calluna, good words there

I have found in my walk with Christ...that in the beginning of my walk, I had not learned every day normal "basics of life" truths that other people just "seemed to know". These truths were unseen and unknown to me. Things like:

People can like me

I can learn to like myself

God loves me unconditionally (had no understanding of unconditional love)

Unforgiveness is a vile sin and causes bitterness and other problems

I can learn about God's love day to day

I can grow!

Seriously, these things were not clear to me, until I came to Christ. That was 16 years ago. And I have grown up alot in those 16 years. However, even though I am 46, I am still a little immature, emotionally. Spiritually, I am grown up. But emotionally, God is still weaning me.

I walked in the survival mode for SO MANY YEARS: emotionally numbed, unforgiving, unblessed. When I came to Christ, I was totally surprised at his unconditional love and the positive emotions that were available to me through Him!

Oh, let's just praise the Lord, people!

 

[Apple]

When I came to Christ, I was totally surprised at his unconditional love and the positive emotions that were available to me through Him!

I can relate to that. It was God's unconditional love towards me through reading the Father's love letter that grabbed my attention. I had never experienced that kind of love and had got to the point of believing that I was unlovable. I could not imagine anybody loving me, especially not Almighty God.

But he did and he does and he will love me forever.

'All you need is love' is a famous expression and it is so true. To be loved is a basic human requirement. The thing is though, we are all loved - by God. We just don't know it and struggle on by ourselves looking for love.

I now know that I am loved unconditionally by God and that puts a whole new perspective on things!