Childhood Physical Abuse and long-term health implications - scientific evidence & call to action What is Childhood Physical Abuse?  Physical abuse of a child is defined as the intentional use of physical force against a child that results in—or has a high likelihood of resulting in—harm to the child’s health, survival, development, or dignity[i]. Physical abuse includes hitting, beating, kicking, shaking, biting, strangling, scalding, burning, poisoning, and suffocating. Much physical violence against children in the home is inflicted with the object of punishment[ii]. Physical abuse leaves a more profound impact on an individual, and evidence suggests that it transforms into

What is PTSD? Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, or rape or who have been threatened with death, sexual violence or serious injury[1]. PTSD affects approximately 3.5 percent of U.S. adults every year, and an estimated one in 11 people will be diagnosed with PTSD in their lifetime. Women are twice as likely as men to have PTSD. People with PTSD have intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their experience that last