By Hannah Sherfinski, The Cap Times, June 1, 2020
For two months, our country has been enduring the effects of COVID-19. With over 1 million COVID-19 cases reported in the U.S. and over 30 million Americans filing for unemployment, many of us are panic-stricken about our future physical, mental, social and financial well-being. Worst of all, we must cope with these fears in isolation. These intense feelings of uncertainty and desolation may trigger the body’s instinctual fight, flight or freeze stress response. Our society is in a state of trauma. Those at greatest risk for experiencing trauma, however, may be suffering in silence — our nation's youth.
The negative, traumatic events a child experiences from birth to age 18 are called adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Currently, 57% of Wisconsin adults have reported experiencing at least one ACE, including abuse, neglect and household dysfunction. With the burden of COVID-19, many more children may be at risk of experiencing traumatic events. For children, COVID-19 has ended structured school routines, socialization with peers and interaction with trusted, non-parental adults. Even in stable homes, children may experience intense feelings of stress, anxiety and fear. In extreme cases, “Safer at Home” orders may be driving a silent epidemic of child abuse and neglect.
While stay-at-home orders are necessary steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19, they also are keeping children confined to potentially unsafe environments. The combination of stress, financial instability and lack of social support creates a perfect storm for maltreatment to occur. While cases of child maltreatment are likely rising, child abuse reports in Wisconsin have fallen dramatically — the number of CPS reports recorded during April 2020 were nearly 50% lower than the number of cases reported last April — as children no longer have direct contact with mandatory reporters. Right now, youth may be protected from the virus, but the violence they may be enduring prohibits them from being safe at home.
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