ABSTRACT
This study focuses on investigating the impact that Child Abuse has on the Mental Health of Victims using five (5) secondary schools in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. The study was guided with five research objectives; Find out the incidence of child abuse among secondary school students, assess the prevalence of child abuse among secondary school students, examine the impact of child abuse on academic performance and behavioral problems of secondary school students, determine if child abuse affects the student’s interaction with their peers and classmates and find out the roles of social workers in addressing child abuse among secondary school students. The study uses the survey design and the population of the study was the 174 secondary schools Local Government Area. However the study selected 5 schools out of them as sample through the simple random sampling technique. Primary data was collected through the use of questionnaire, presented and analyzed by means of simple percentage. The findings show that child abuse negatively affects the behaviour, interactions, psychological wellbeing and overall mental health of the students. It was recommended that; Government should implement child abuse prevention programs and policies that aim to educate students, parents and teachers about what constitute an abuse, the signs of child abuse and how to prevent it. These programs can help to create a safer and more supportive environment for students; all schools should provide counseling services for students who are experiencing mental health issues. These services can provide students with support and resources to help them cope with the effects of child abuse, there should be public enlightenment programs to combat mass ignorance and public awareness on the right to freedom from all forms of child abuse, schools should prioritize creating a safe and nurturing environment where students feel supported and encouraged to seek help. This can include implementing stricter anti-bullying policies, offering counseling services, and promoting empathy and kindness among students, as much as possible, teachers/caregivers should avoid using corporal punishment because it only teaches students that violence is the best way of maintaining control and it encourages them to hit other children, students should not be disciplined when the adult is not able to control their anger, intense awareness should be created among teachers and school managers using seminars, workshops and training programs about what constitutes child abuse, all forms of abuse should be exposed to parents, caregivers and teachers so as to draw their attention to some of the unintentional acts that bother on child abuse, schools should foster an open and trusting environment where students feel comfortable speaking up about their experiences. Encourage students to talk to trusted adults, such as teachers, counselors, or administrators, if they suspect or have personally experienced abuse, penalty for people who sexually abuse students should be severe enough to deter other perpetrators.
