Personality Narrative of Victims of Child Abuse

The National Life Skills, Value Education & School Wellness Program IJSHW ISSN:2349-5464 Personality Narrative of Victims of Child Abuse W. Yasashree* & Anushka Suri** *MA, Ambedkar University, Delhi, **MA, Ambedkar University, Delhi Abstract The paper is an interdisciplinary approach towards understanding the personality structure of a victim of child abuse from the encounter with abuse until young adulthood when clinical- pathological manifestations start to occur. The hypothesis of this paper is constructed around the idea that the personality structure of a child abuse victim becomes way more important to understand while it is in the process of development in the here and now than just as a part of the patient’s history after clinical manifestations. The movie, Taare Zameen Par is taken as an example. The author's viewpoint is shared to know about the physical and emotional abuse children face at home and school. The role of parents, teachers, and school administration is discussed along with the defenses that help in coping with the trauma/abuse. The paper also focuses on various preventive and support measures towards the end. The idea thus was to construct a personality structure by linking all the areas mentioned above. Contributions from the vast disciplines of early childhood education and psychotherapy would help in understanding this personality structure. Keywords: Child, Child Abuse, Personality, School, Parents Focus of the paper consequences of abuse on the child who The present paper focuses on the personality encountered it not just from a clinical structure of child abuse victims. Following a psychopathology lens but rather most traumatic event, it becomes very necessary that importantly study and understand the personality the victim of such an unfortunate experience be structure of this child in the home-school space given the space necessary for the expression of before a clinical diagnosis might be arrived at. the conflicting emotions. The period following Combining the two disciplines of Early the traumatic event is a very ‘delicate’ one. We Childhood Care & Education and say it is ‘delicate’ because these situations would Clinical Psychology, the present paper is shape the personality of the concerned child and dedicated towards understanding the vicissitudes would become the foundation of all future of a child abuse victim. events; in adulthood. The attempt is to put on paper, the experiences, In everyday life, we notice the varied attitudes attitudes, behaviour, personality formulation of towards cases of child abuse and the victims. the child, and the attitudes of significant adults at The lack of space, attention, acknowledgment of home as well as at school. For this purpose, we the intense feelings the child is experiencing; wish to focus on the two forms of child abuse may later lead to a manifestation of ‘strange’ namely physical abuse and emotional/ symptoms in adulthood with the consequence of psychological abuse. We believe that these two labelling all sorts of severe clinical forms of child abuse are connected to each other psychopathology due to the ‘repressed’ event. It and thus share an inter-dependent relationship. It has been generally noticed that the aspect of is also the attempt of this paper to highlight the child abuse is never openly discussed nor any psycho-social aspects rather than to discuss the attention towards the behaviour and personality topic in the strict language of symptoms and structure of a child abuse victim is directed in pathology. the present phase of childhood. Therefore it is Introduction highly significant for us as part of the mental health field to highlight the importance and May-August 2019, Vol. 5, No. 2 44 Expressions India The National Life Skills, Value Education & School Wellness Program IJSHW ISSN:2349-5464 From the time an infant can start absorbing the conducted by the Ministry of Women and Child immediate environment, people, etc., until the Development, Government of India (2007), later stages of childhood and adolescence, we which reported that two out of every three can describe their personalities as constituting a children were physically abused, almost half curious element. They are intrinsically interested emotionally abused and seven out of every ten in everything noticeable such that they tend to girl child respondents faced neglect of one form ask loads of questions from adults. An infant can or the other by family members. be observed putting various tangible objects in There are four types of child abuse namely, the mouth to know what they are. On the other sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, hand, an adolescent can be observed to be and neglect. In the present paper, we focus curious about sexuality and various other aspects mainly on the physical and emotional forms of of life. In all these instances, we find a common child abuse. The World Health Organization link: Wanting to know the unknown. As a result, defines physical abuse of a child as an ‘incident all our actions, attitudes, thought patterns, and resulting in actual or potential physical harm behaviours are shaped around knowing this from an interaction or lack of interaction, which unknown. The purpose behind stating this is reasonably within the control of a parent or curiosity is the fact that driven by this person in a position of responsibility, power, or inquisitiveness, children are very attuned to trust.’ It is the use of force to harm a child’s the feelings, attitudes, behaviours, and facial health, development, and dignity. While, expressions of significant elders especially the emotional abuse refers to a relationship between caregivers. Infants can intuitively differentiate a child and a caregiver, which includes a ‘safe’ from ‘unsafe’ holdings, are sensitive to consistent pattern of harmful interactions with a facial expressions and can sense any child, other than physical or sexual abuse. It is uncomfortable situation. Children are overly the failure to provide a supportive environment sensitive to these situations and thus can get by threatening/scolding the child which leads to easily affected. The same theory goes for the low self-esteem and/or emotional quotient. Most phase of adolescence wherein they are not just of the child abuse cases go unreported because going through major physical transformations of the stigma attached to it and to protect the but these physical changes also have an effect on name of the family. While many studies report emotional and psychological levels. There are the prevalence of child abuse in India, only a few severe mood shifts, fantasies regarding their have tried to explore the social factors that may appearance and personality; in other words, there have a role in predisposing children to the is huge consciousness about their body. In all various forms of abuse. these scenarios, it is the responsibility of the elders to be aware of the child, be tolerant of The nature of abuse at home their outbursts, and most importantly face any In 2007, a movie called Taare Zameen Par was difficult issues in the dyadic relation with care, released. In the movie, the character and life love, sincerity, and positive strictness. trajectory of Ishaan (the main protagonist) can Child abuse, maltreatment, and neglect are be observed as the perfect example of a variant known to be a global phenomenon. They are a of child abuse. The movie beautifully depicts the violation of basic human rights that are granted complex relationship between the dynamics to everyone to live a healthy life. If these rights being played out at home and school with child are violated, they can have drastic effects on abuse at the center. one’s psychological and physical health. Child Ishaan lives in a nuclear family with his parents maltreatment is the ‘abuse and neglect that and elder brother. He is interested in extra- occurs to children under 18 years of age. It curricular activities such as painting, playing, includes all types of physical, emotional ill- crafting, and ‘hates’ studies. The reason behind treatment, sexual abuse, neglect, negligence, and his hate is a serious issue of learning difficulty commercial or other exploitation, which results termed ‘Dyslexia’ wherein the child has issues in in actual or potential harm to the child’s differentiating letters with a similar form; for health’. According to the reports of UNICEF instance, the two letters b and d. At home, (2007), an average of 86% of children aged 2–14 Ishaan’s inability to focus on his studies owing years have experienced some form of violent to his learning difficulty is not attended to by his disciplinary practice at home. A study was May-August 2019, Vol. 5, No. 2 45 Expressions India The National Life Skills, Value Education & School Wellness Program IJSHW ISSN:2349-5464 parents, especially his mother who is responsible If one was to describe what a family refers to; a for teaching Ishaan and helping him with his recurring and significant theme would be a sense homework. We see huge expectations being of security, warmth, and openness to the placed on him by his father, failing which he has expression of one’s innermost feelings and to bear the brunt daily. When in trouble, his thoughts. But what if one was to encounter a version is never listened to, and instead, the situation in the home space which threatens this whole blame is inevitably thrown on him. very sense of belongingness and love? And this Hence, he is subjected to physical beatings and situation might be encountered not just once or scolding. He is even sent off to a boarding twice but repeatedly; on an everyday basis. The school since complaints against him were early stages of life until adolescence, is a period increasing day by day. Such an attitude towards of growth, development, and transformation him has a visible emotional/psychological effect when the child can be moulded into a healthy in the sense that he loses complete interest in personality.

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