Siblings of abused suffer, often ignored
Published: March 6, 2008 at 3:54 PM
NORFOLK, Va., March 6 (UPI) -- Untreated collateral victims of child abuse -- siblings of child-abuse victims -- often grow up to lead dysfunctional lives, a U.S. psychologist said.
Jane Hollingsworth of the Child Abuse Program at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters in Norfolk, Va., says the siblings of a child that has been scapegoated or singled out for abuse may grow up with an "empathy deficit" and be unable to feel the pain of others.
In many cases, when abusive parents with multiple children target one child for emotional or physical cruelty, authorities often remove the abused child from the home and return the non-abused siblings. However, brothers and sisters of abused children can suffer lifelong emotional scars from helping parents conceal the abuse.
"Many children survive by becoming callous to the suffering or even torture of their brothers and sisters," Hollingsworth said in a statement. "Those children require therapy but don't get it."
Hollingsworth and social worker Joanne Glass distill what they learned handling hundreds of these cases and offer a guide to identifying cases of siblings at risk in an article published in the Journal of Emotional Abuse.
Jane Hollingsworth of the Child Abuse Program at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters in Norfolk, Va., says the siblings of a child that has been scapegoated or singled out for abuse may grow up with an "empathy deficit" and be unable to feel the pain of others.
In many cases, when abusive parents with multiple children target one child for emotional or physical cruelty, authorities often remove the abused child from the home and return the non-abused siblings. However, brothers and sisters of abused children can suffer lifelong emotional scars from helping parents conceal the abuse.
"Many children survive by becoming callous to the suffering or even torture of their brothers and sisters," Hollingsworth said in a statement. "Those children require therapy but don't get it."
Hollingsworth and social worker Joanne Glass distill what they learned handling hundreds of these cases and offer a guide to identifying cases of siblings at risk in an article published in the Journal of Emotional Abuse.
© 2008 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
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