Journal number 5

I read the article on "Task Force Finds Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Effective for Children and Adolescents Exposed to Trauma". I would have to say that the two most disturbing things I learned from that article were one: National survey data from 2002 to 2003 on children ages 12 to 17 indicate that one in eight children experienced a form of child maltreatment, such as abuse or neglect; one in 12 experienced sexual victimization; and one in three witnessed or indirectly experienced violence or victimization, including rioting, assault, and theft. Another thing that disturbed me was the psychological harm that can result from exposure of children to trauma includes post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and thoughts of suicide, risk-taking and aggressive behavior, and substance abuse. It's very scary to think about. I have 5 children and my best friend has three. According to those statistics one of our children will experience some form of child maltreatment. And I sure as heck know it won't be from me or her.

A question I ask myself often is "how can I protect my children from this sort of thing happening?" The answer I get scares me because I don't think that I can fully protect them. Unless of course I sheltered them constantly and didn't let them have a life, but then I would go insane so that is out of the question.