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Child abuse affects children in ways many of us may never see. It reaches far beyond a single moment, shaping a child’s psychological, social, and physical health in ways that can echo throughout a lifetime.
As a forensic interviewer and family advocate at The Children’s Advocacy Center of the SLV, I sit with children who have endured sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. I’ve witnessed how trauma shows up in behavioral challenges, in deep-rooted anger, in low self-esteem, in children acting out or becoming sexually active earlier than is developmentally typical. Sometimes it looks like withdrawal. Sometimes it looks like aggression. Sometimes it looks like a child trying to survive the only way they know how. What I have learned is that child abuse does not “stay in childhood.” It shapes how a child sees themselves, how they trust others, and who they become as adults.
We see this truth reflected even in on-screen movies. Take for example a show that I have been watching lately called Wentworth. In it, a character named Kaz Proctor is imprisoned for violent crimes and murder, yet her story can be traced back to a childhood marked by sexual abuse at the hands of her father, and a mother who failed to protect her. Her trauma eventually evolved into rage and a fierce need to protect vulnerable women. This reminded me that unhealed wounds often resurface in powerful and complicated ways.
While not every child’s story unfolds so dramatically, the root truth remains: trauma shapes development. That is why awareness matters. That is why believing children matters. That is why safe adults matter. Whether you are a parent, teacher, coach, neighbor, or simply someone who cares, your presence can be part of a child’s healing. When we protect children, listen to them, and advocate for them, we don’t just change their childhood, we change the adults they will one day become.
As April approaches this year and we recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month, I encourage whoever is reading this to take part in spreading awareness. It can be as simple as wearing blue on Blue Day (April 4th) to show your support, sharing educational information about child abuse prevention on your social media, or intentionally showing extra love and encouragement to a child in your life. We will be putting our blue pinwheels on display and working with students for our annual Child Abuse Prevention Month poster contest!
Awareness creates conversation and conversation creates protection. When we choose to speak up, learn more, and stand in support of children, we help build communities where children feel seen, valued, and safe. Every small action matters, and together, those actions can create lasting change.
Radulovich, Lara, and David Hannam. “Wentworth (TV Series 2013–2021) .” Wentworth, www.imdb.com/title/tt2433738/. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
Invisible Scars: Residual Consequences of Childhood Maltreatment Even in Adults Classified as Resilient - Korrina A. Duffy, Mary D. Sammel, Chloe E. Page, C. Neill Epperson, 2025, journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10775595251387057. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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