Children are often powerless to prevent abuse, particularly if they are too young to tell someone what they are experiencing. They may end up blaming themselves for what is happening and they will begin to feel worthless and deserving of the punishment. Abused children will begin to develop a range of maladaptive, self destructive and anti-social behaviour to try to cope with what they are experiencing.

Many children who are able to communicate often keep their abuse hidden, particularly if they are suffering at the hands of a family member or friend. They may feel responsible for the abuse or even deserving of it or they may have been threatened by their abuser in order to keep silent.

Children who believe that the abuse they are suffering is a direct response to their own behaviour will become withdrawn and afraid of trying out new experiences for fear of failure and rejection. Subsequently their natural curiosity will wane and the child may never achieve their full intellectual potential.