During the first semester of his second year at Crozer, King wrote this paper for Enslinโs course on Greek religion. Mithraism, a sect of Zoroastrianism characterized by the worship of Mithra as the defender of the truth, was a monotheistic mystery religion prevalent in the Roman empire before the acceptance of Christianity in the fourth century. Followers of Mithra became less common after the Roman emperors banned their cults, and Christianity gained the popularity that once belonged to Mithraism. Enslin gave the essay an A and wrote: โThis is an exceedingly good paper. You have given a very complete picture of the essential details and you have presented this in a balanced and restrained way. And furthermore you know how to write. You should go a long way if you continue to pay the price.โ
The Greco-Roman world in which the early church developed was one of diverse religions. The conditions of that era made it possible for these religions to sweep like a tidal wave over the ancient world. The people of that age were eager and zealous in their search for religious experience. The existence of this atmosphere was vitally important in the development and eventual triumph of Christianity.
These many religions were not alike in every respect; to draw this conclusion would lead to a gratuitous and erroneous supposition. But it is to be noticed that they possessed many fundamental likenesses; (1) All held that the initiate shared in symbolic (sacramental) fashion the experiences of the god. (2) All had secret rites for the initiated. (3) All offered mystical cleansing from sin. (4) All promised a happy future life for the faithful.\[Footnote:] Enslin, Christian Beginnings, pp. 187, 188.\
It is not at all surprising in view of the wide and growing influence of these religions that when the disciples in Antioch and elsewhere preached a crucified and risen Jesus they should be regarded as the heralds of another mystery religion, and that Jesus himself should be taken for the divine Lord of the cult through whose death and resurrection salvation was to be had.
It is at this point that we are able to see why knowledge of these cults is important for any serious New Testament study. It is well-nigh impossible to grasp Christianity through and through without knowledge of these cults. That there were striking similarities between the developing church and these religions cannot be denied. Even Christian apologist had to admit that fact. For an instance, in the mystery-religions identification between the devotee and the Lord of the cult was supposed to be brought about by various rites of initiation; the taurobolium, or bath of blood; the eating of flesh of the sacrifical beast and the like. Now there was something of this in Paul too, for he thought of the believer as buried with Christ in baptism and as feeding upon him in the eucharist. This is only one of many examples that I could give to prove the similarity between the developing Christian Church and the Mystery Religions.
This is not to say that a Saint Paul or a Saint John sat down and copied these views verbatim. But after being in contact with these surrounding religions and hearing certain doctrines expressed, it was only natural for some of these views to become a part of their subconscious minds. When they sat down to write they were expressing consciously that which had dwelled in their subconscious minds.1 It is also significant to know that Roman tolerance had favoured this great syncretism of religious ideas. Borrowing was not only natural but inevitable.
One of the most interesting of these ancient cults was Mithraism, which bore so many points of resemblance to Christianity that it is a challenge to the modern student to investigate these likenesses and learn more about them. Mithraism is perhaps the greatest example of paganismโs last effort to reconcile itself to the great spiritual movement which was gaining such sturdy influence with its purer conception of God.\[Footnote:] Dill, Roman Society From Nero to Marcus Aurelius, p. 585.\ Ernest Renan, the French philosopher and Orientalist, expressed the opinion that Mithraism would have been the religion of the modern world if anything had occured to halt or destroy the growth of Christianity in the early centuries of its existence. All this goes to show how important Mithraism was in ancient times.
The present study represents an attempt to provide a survey of the general character of the Mithraic religion. The main source of reference for this study was the magnificent work of Cumont. In order to give a comprehensive picture of this mystery cult, I will discuss four points:
The history of Mithraism lies deep in the roots of the past. Documents which belong to the fourteenth century before Christ have been found in the Hittite capital of Boghaz Keui, in which the names of Mithra, Vanuna, Indra, and the Heavenly Twins are recorded.2ย It is also known that they were written long before the separation of the Indian and Iranian races. But to give the exact origin of this cult and to determine exactly where Mithra came from would be merely conjecture.
Many have held the opinion that Mithra came originally from the high plateuas of the Hindukush;3 and the differences in his nature, when he is found later in India and Iran, were due to environmental influences in the two distinctly different areas. In the Vedas he was associated with Varuna and was invoked together with him as a light god. The Iranians, however, placed Mithra in the position of Archangel. Although Ahura Mazda was the supreme god, he created Mithra equal to himself and made him chief among the yazatas. Evidence of his exalted position lies in the fact that the longest yasht, eight times longer than that in honour of Ahura Mazda, is dedicated to Mithra.\[Footnote:] Dhalla, History of Zoroastrianism, p. 183.\ He possessed many attributes, the most important being his office of defender of truth and all good things. In the Avesta,\[Footnote:] This is the sacred book of the religion of Iran.\ Mithra is represented as the genius of celestial light. He emerges from the rocky summits of eastern mountains at dawn, and goes through heaven with a team of four white horses; when the night falls he still illumines the surface of the earth โever walking ever watchful.โ He is not sun or moon or any star, but a spirit of light, ever wakeful, watching with a hundred eyes. He hears all and sees all: none can deceive him.\[Footnote:] Cumont, Mysteries of Mithra, pp. 2, 3.\4 Mithra was the god of wide pastures and the giver of gifts. He was worthy of sacrifice and worship and desired the respect and prayer of the faithful, on whom he bestowed bounteous gifts. On the other hand, he was a warrior of violent and bitter nature; the forces of evil were his enemies, and he joined with Sraosha (Obedience) and Rashnu (Justice) in opposing them.
The fame of Mithra spread as the Persian empire expanded, and he became particularly strong in Asia Minor. Many of the Persian Kings grew very fond of Mithra and sponsored worship of him. It was during this time that the worship of Mithra developed into an independent religion. It is interesting to know that as Mithraism was spreading through the Persian empire, it was constantly borrowing ideas from other cultures. When it came in contact with Semitic star worship, it assimilated much of it as well as some of the mythology of ancient Babylon. Also the cult incorporated many local practices and ideas from Asia Minor. Finally it was influenced to a certain extent by Hellenistic culture. After having consolidated its theology and drawing into its ranksxmany converts in Asia Minor and Persia, Mithraism had almost reached its climax. It was, however, the latest religion of its kind to become popular in the Roman empire.\[Footnote:] Mithraism was not popular in the Roman empire until ca. a.d. 100.\
The greatest agency of propagation of Mithraism was the army. Under the Roman policy of conscription troops from conquered lands were sent to serve in other parts of the empire. Among the forces which were drawn up in that fashion were soldiers from such places as Cappadocia, Commagene, Pontus and Armenia, where Mithraism was extremely popular. When these men were sent out to foreign outpost to serve in the Roman army they did not forget their religious customs. Converts were quickly gained within the army. Evidences of the diffusion of Mithraism by the army has been found in Scotland, Africa, Spain, Germany, and almost every locality where Roman troops were sent.
A second means of spreading Mithraism in the empire was through slaves who were sent to Italy from Asia Minor. Many of these slaves became public servants in the great bureaus of the government. It was these slaves who were missionaries for Mirtha in Italy and who practiced his mysteries in the very heart of the Roman world.
There was a third group which spread the Mithraic religion. This group consisted of Syrian merchants who established trading posts throughout the empire. Cumont is of the opinion that most of these Syrians belonged to the upper classes and were not the true worshippers of Mithra. He argues that it was the slaves and servants of these merchants who were followers of Mithra; and they introduced the religion to the inhabitants of maritime towns where their masters engaged in trading.\[Footnote:] Cumont, op. cit., p. 63.\
The great expansion of Mithraism in the ancient world can be traced to these three sources in almost every case. The slaves were forever looking for a better day, and they beleived that through worshipping Mithra that day would eventually come. As for the soldiers they found Mithraism very appealing because it offered them the protection of a deity who they believed would help them to be victorious in combat. After seeing these facts it is very easy to understand why these worshippers were so zealous in spreading their religion. It was a part of their total make-up. To argue that many were drawn into this cult through curiosity alone is certainly an unwarranted assumption. To be sure, the iniatory rites (as we will see later in the paper) were so strenuous that only the sincere and earnest converts would have wished to take part in them.
After the cult became popular throughout the Roman Empire, it received many converts from the upper classes. It had been spread by slaves and freedmen for the most part, but it did {not} remain a religion of the lower classes alone. As stated above, even the emperors gave it their approval.
Whether the religion of Mithra gained great influence in Greece is still under discussion by many scholars. There seems to be many conflicting statements about this question.5 Cumont writes, โIt may be said, in a general way, that Mithra remained forever excluded from the Hellenic world. The ancient authors of Greece speak of him only as a foreign god worshipped by the kings of Persia.โ\[Footnote:] Cumont, op. cit., p. 9.6\ Dhalla says that Mithra โis the only Iranian divinity who won popularity for himself in Greece.โ\[Footnote:] Dhalla, History of Zoroastrianism, p. 303.\ George Foot Moore says of Mithraism that โit never took root in the lands of Hellenistic culture.โ\[Footnote:] Moore, History of Religion, Vol. 1, p. 600.\ The majority of opinions seem to support the fact that Mithraism was excluded from Hellenized countries. It is probable that the name of Mithra was well-known in these lands, but the inhabitants declined to worship him.
The worship of Mithra, which had had its very first introduction into the western part of the empire only a short time before the birth of Christ and had not begun to expand until the end of the first century, became widespread and popular in a remarkably short time. It was during the same period, of course, that christianity was beginning to develop and reach out into new territories. The question immediately arises, why did the two religions not conflict?
One reason that the two religions did not conflict in the early years of their growth in the Roman Empire is that their activities for a while took place in different geographical areas. Another reason why these religions did not clash with each other was because each thought the other was too insignificant for serious competition. It is apparent, therefore, that geographically and socially these religions did not clash for a while.
Unfortunately, there is practically no literary evidence for the inner history of Mithraism. A few scattered facts may be gathered from the remains of Christian polemics, a great deal of information about the overall character of the ideas to which they gave expression may be gotten from the writings of Neo-Platonists and a close examination of mystical papyri.7ย Fortunately, these numerous monuments have been synthesized in the scholarly work of Cumont. From this work we are able to get with a degree of certainty the mythological and eschatological teaching of this cult. For the moment let us look into these teachings.
First we turn to the cosmogonic views of Mithraism. It is interesting to know how Mithraic preachers sought to explain the origin of the world. They explained it in terms of a series of successive generations. The first principle begot a primordial couple, the Heaven and the Earth; and the Earth, who was impregnated by her brother, gave birth to the vast Ocean. This group formed the supreme triad of the Mithraic Panthean.8
At times these cosmic divinities were personified in quite different names from their original ones. The Heaven was called Ormazd or Jupiter, the Earth was identified with Spenta-Armaiti or Juno, and the Ocean was called Apam-Napat or Neptune.9
As was stated above, Jupiter (Heaven) and Juno (Earth) were the sovereign couple. They gave birth not only to Neptune (Ocean) who became their peer, but to many other immortals. Shahrivar or Mars, Valcun or Atar, Bacchus or Haoma, Silvanus or Drvaspa, Diana or Luna are but a few of the long line of immortals. These innumerable multitude of divinities composed the celestial court.\[Footnote:] Cumont, op. cit., pp. 111, 112.\ This in short sums up the cosmogonic views of the Mithraic religion.
The doctrine of the immortality of the soul was another view which was very prominent in Mithraism. Mithraism insisted that the soul was immortal and its temporary sojourn in a body was a period of trial. The worshipperโs action determined the posthumous fate of his soul. Of course, he was not alone in his attempt to attain purity and truth; Mithra stood by his side as a divine helper.10
The background of Mithraic eschatology was provided by that theory of the relation of the soul to the universe. It was believed that the soul descended at birth {from} the eternal home of light through the gate of Cancer, passing down through the seven planetary spheres to earth. As the soul passed through each stage it accumulated more and more impurity. It was possible for the initiate, while in his trial period on earth, to gain purity through the practice of courage and truth.11
After death there was judgment of the soul. Mithra, the protector of the truth, presided over the judgment court. If the soul had lived an impure life, it was dragged down to the infernal depths, where it received a thousand tortures. If, on the contrary, its good qualities outweighed the bad, it rises through the gate of caprocorn, passing in reverse order through the planetary sphere. At each stage the impurities which the soul picked up in its downward flow gradually diminished. The end of this great rise was supreme happiness and eternal bliss.
The doctrine of resurrection of the flesh was also a basic belief in the Mithraic circle. It was believed that the long struggle between the principles of good and evil would one day end. At this time a great bull would reappear on earth; and Mithra would redescend and reawaken men to life. All would come forth from the tombs with the same appearance they had on earth. All mankind would unite into a great union, at which time the god of truth would separate the good from the bad. Then the great bull would be sacrificed. The fat of this bull would be mingled with the consecrated wine, and would be offered to the just. From this they would receive immortality. After this great event, Jupiter-Ormazd would cause a great fire to fall from heaven which would destroy all the wicked. The Spirit of Darkness would be completely destroyed. The universe would then enjoy eternal happiness and peace.
There was another doctrine which remained fundamental to Mithraism throughout its history. It was the doctrine of dualism. This doctrine was taken from Zoroastrianism. This doctrine accounted for the problem of evil by supposing that the world was a battleground between the Good Principle, Ahura Mazda, and the Evil Principle, Ahriman. The powers of good were identified with Light or Day, and the powers of evil were identified with Darkness or Night. These two powers were in a state of perpetual war. It was Mithra, the spirit of light and truth who became naturally a celestial warrior on the side of Ahura Mazda.\[Footnote:] Halliday, The Pagan Background of Early Christianity, pp. 285, 286.\12
It was many of these doctrines that became very influential in later years to the Christian religion. They molded the thinking of the ancient world.
According to a text of St. Jerome, there were seven degrees of initiation which the Mithraic convert passed through. At each stage he assumed a different name: (1) Raven, (2) Occult, (3) Soldier, (4) Lion, (5) Persian, (6) Runner of the sun, (7) and Father. It is probable that there were slight variations of names of the grades from East to West. Each grade had its appropriate mask and costume.
First we turn to the cosmogonic views of Mithraism. It is interesting to know how Mithraic preachers sought to explain the origin of the world. They explained it in terms of a series of successive generations. The first principle begot a primordial couple, the Heaven and the Earth; and the Earth, who was impregnated by her brother, gave birth to the vast Ocean. This group formed the supreme triad of the Mithraic Panthean.8
At times these cosmic divinities were personified in quite different names from their original ones. The Heaven was called Ormazd or Jupiter, the Earth was identified with Spenta-Armaiti or Juno, and the Ocean was called Apam-Napat or Neptune.9
As was stated above, Jupiter (Heaven) and Juno (Earth) were the sovereign couple. They gave birth not only to Neptune (Ocean) who became their peer, but to many other immortals. Shahrivar or Mars, Valcun or Atar, Bacchus or Haoma, Silvanus or Drvaspa, Diana or Luna are but a few of the long line of immortals. These innumerable multitude of divinities composed the celestial court.\[Footnote:] Cumont, op. cit., pp. 111, 112.\ This in short sums up the cosmogonic views of the Mithraic religion.
The doctrine of the immortality of the soul was another view which was very prominent in Mithraism. Mithraism insisted that the soul was immortal and its temporary sojourn in a body was a period of trial. The worshipperโs action determined the posthumous fate of his soul. Of course, he was not alone in his attempt to attain purity and truth; Mithra stood by his side as a divine helper.10
The background of Mithraic eschatology was provided by that theory of the relation of the soul to the universe. It was believed that the soul descended at birth {from} the eternal home of light through the gate of Cancer, passing down through the seven planetary spheres to earth. As the soul passed through each stage it accumulated more and more impurity. It was possible for the initiate, while in his trial period on earth, to gain purity through the practice of courage and truth.11
After death there was judgment of the soul. Mithra, the protector of the truth, presided over the judgment court. If the soul had lived an impure life, it was dragged down to the infernal depths, where it received a thousand tortures. If, on the contrary, its good qualities outweighed the bad, it rises through the gate of caprocorn, passing in reverse order through the planetary sphere. At each stage the impurities which the soul picked up in its downward flow gradually diminished. The end of this great rise was supreme happiness and eternal bliss.
The doctrine of resurrection of the flesh was also a basic belief in the Mithraic circle. It was believed that the long struggle between the principles of good and evil would one day end. At this time a great bull would reappear on earth; and Mithra would redescend and reawaken men to life. All would come forth from the tombs with the same appearance they had on earth. All mankind would unite into a great union, at which time the god of truth would separate the good from the bad. Then the great bull would be sacrificed. The fat of this bull would be mingled with the consecrated wine, and would be offered to the just. From this they would receive immortality. After this great event, Jupiter-Ormazd would cause a great fire to fall from heaven which would destroy all the wicked. The Spirit of Darkness would be completely destroyed. The universe would then enjoy eternal happiness and peace.
There was another doctrine which remained fundamental to Mithraism throughout its history. It was the doctrine of dualism. This doctrine was taken from Zoroastrianism. This doctrine accounted for the problem of evil by supposing that the world was a battleground between the Good Principle, Ahura Mazda, and the Evil Principle, Ahriman. The powers of good were identified with Light or Day, and the powers of evil were identified with Darkness or Night. These two powers were in a state of perpetual war. It was Mithra, the spirit of light and truth who became naturally a celestial warrior on the side of Ahura Mazda.\[Footnote:] Halliday, The Pagan Background of Early Christianity, pp. 285, 286.\12
It was many of these doctrines that became very influential in later years to the Christian religion. They molded the thinking of the ancient world.
According to a text of St. Jerome, there were seven degrees of initiation which the Mithraic convert passed through. At each stage he assumed a different name: (1) Raven, (2) Occult, (3) Soldier, (4) Lion, (5) Persian, (6) Runner of the sun, (7) and Father. It is probable that there were slight variations of names of the grades from East to West. Each grade had its appropriate mask and costume.
Many of the similarities between these two religions have already been alluded to, but there are many others of greater or lesser significance. The belief in immortality, a mediator between god and man, the observance of certain sacramental rites, the rebirth of converts, and (in most cases) the support of high ethical ideas were common to Mithraism as well as to Christianity. In fact, the comparison became so evident that many believed the Christian movement itself became a mystery cult. โJesus was the divine Lord. He too had found the road to heaven by his suffering and resurrection. He too had God for his father. He had left behind the secret whereby men could achieve the goal with him.โ\[Footnote:] Enslin, op. cit., p. 190.\
There were many other points of similarity between these two groups. Let us look at a few of them: (1) Both regarded Sunday as a holy day.17 (2) December 25 came to be considered as the anniversary of the birth of Mithra and Christ also. (3) Baptism and a communion meal were important parts of the ritual of both groups. (4) The rebirth of converts was a fundamental idea in the two cults. (5) The struggle with evil and the eventual triumph of good were essential ideas in both religions. (6) In both religions only initiates who passed through certain preliminary phases of introduction were admitted to the mysteries which brought salvation to converts. There were many more similarities between Christianity and Mithraismโmost of them purely superficial. These which have been mentioned are largely only surface likenesses because the reasoning behind them is quite different, but the general effect is almost startling.
The sacraments of baptism and the eucharist have been mentioned as rites which were practiced both by christians and pagans. It is improbable, however, that either of these {were} introduced into Christian practices by association with the mystery cults. The baptismal ceremony in both cases (christian and mystery) was supposed to have the effect of identifying the initiate with his saviour. But although baptism did not originate with the Christians, still it was not copied from the pagans. It seems instead to have been carried over from Jewish background and modified by the new ideas and beliefs of the Christians. The eucharist, likewise though similar in some respects to the communion meal of Mithraism, was not a rite borrowed from them. There are several explanations regarding the beginning of the observance of the Lordโs Supper. Some held that the sacrament was instituted by Jesus himself. Others saw it as an outgrowth from Jewish precedents. Still others felt that, after the death of Jesus, the disciples saw in their common meal an opportunity to hold a kind of memorial service for him.
On the whole, early Christians were not greatly concerned about the likenesses between the Mithraic cult and their own. They felt at first that these competitors were not worthy of consideration, and few references to them are found in Christian literature. When Mithraism became widespread and powerful, it attracted so much attention that certain Christian apologists felt the need to present an explanation for the similarities in their respective characteristics. The only one they could offer was quite naive, but it was in keeping with the trends of thought in that age. They maintained that it was the work of the devil who helped to confuse men by creating a pagan imitation of the true religion.18
The greatest influence of Mithraism on Christianity lies in a different direction from that of doctrine and ritual. It lies in the fact that Mithraism paved the way for the presentation of Christianity to the world of that time. It prepared the people mentally and emotionally to understand the type of religion which Christianity represented. It was itself in varying degrees, an imperfect example of the Galilean cult which was to replace it. It encouraged the movement away from the state religions and the philosophical systems and toward the desire for personal salvation and promise of immortality. Christianity was truly indebted to Mithraism for this contribution, for it had done this part of the groundwork and thus opened the way for Christian missionary work.
Conclusion
That Christianity did copy and borrow from Mithraism cannot be denied, but it was generally a natural and unconscious process rather than a deliberate plan of action. It was subject to the same influences from the environment as were the other cults, and it sometimes produced the same reaction. The people were conditioned by the contact with the older religions and the background and general trend of the time.
Many of the views, while passing out of Paganism into Christianity were given a more profound and spiritual meaning by Christians, yet we must be indebted to the source. To discuss Christianity without mentioning other religions would be like discussing the greatness of the Atlantic Ocean without the slightest mention of the many tributaries that keep it flowing.
There is no information too small or insignificant. Something that may appear small or insignificant could prove vital to a police investigation. It is important to understand that the police are here to protect children from online child sexual abuse. They will not blame or criticise you for being a victim.
If you or someone you know is affected by physical child sexual abuse or exploitation including historical child sexual abuse, please report to police in your relevant state or territory.
There is help available for people impacted by child sexual exploitation. These avenues of support are available to help, listen and believe. If you or someone you know are impacted by child sexual abuse or online child sexual exploitation there are support services available.
Other reports you can make relating to online issues and child exploitation
Illegal and harmful content online
Card Content
If you encounter child abuse material or other offensive and illegal content online, you can report it to the eSafety Commissioner who will work with law enforcement to remove content that is hosted in Australia and overseas. If you come across illegal content such as child sexual abuse material on a social media, you can make a complaint directly to the provider.
Image-based abuse, including sexual extortion, occurs when intimate, nude or sexual images are distributed without the consent of the person pictured. This includes real, altered and drawn pictures and videos. The eSafety Commissioner has a range of powers to help with the removal of intimate images or videos and, in some cases, take civil action against the person who shared the content without consent.
The eSafety Commissioner operates a complaints scheme to tackle serious cyberbullying affecting an Australian child. Working with social media companies, they have powers to assist the rapid removal of material when it is seriously threatening, seriously humiliating, seriously harassing, or seriously intimidating.
ReportCyber is a national online system to securely report instances of cybercrime. It also provides advice to help people recognise and avoid common types of cybercrime. This could include crimes such as fraud, scams and harassment. Report to ReportCyber in the first instance, or your local police.
The ACCCE uses the internationally recognised the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) logo and report abuse button to support VGTโs delivery of a coordinated international law enforcement response to online child sexual abuse.
ScamWatch is run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). It provides information to consumers and small businesses about how to recognise, avoid and report scams.
We need your help in the fight against online child sexual exploitation. Help us to identify objects taken from the background of child sexual abuse images.
In the spirit of reconciliation the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
Beginning to tap into the growing area of Child Abuse: Emotional Abuse will be first of the list of (hidden) moments which more of our children are being exposed to. Although it it is a part of the much wider ecosystem that is concerning aging & recent surviving-victims of child sexual abuse (in their younger years), the lifelong results are only beginning to be realised. Following are links to some articles, discussing things from supporting children and young people, defining ECA, why kids need to escape family violence & to cutting off contact:
While some of these readings may cause tensions, itโs best to stop reading โ get your mind onto something relaxing โ coming back to the remaining (when you can). Weโll try to work on providing Spoken-text versions of our Articleโs, as concentration + PTSD + CSA may be connected.
Australiaโs National Redress Scheme | RSS Redress Support Services continues to offer Counselling, amongst its services. While some Surviving-Victims may have received other amounts from NRS, including Redress + Apologies โ Counselling is a worthwhile external service for CSA victims, their family-friends & other community members. Iโm finally bringing a Support Worker into these NRS Sessions, which is dealing with many (hidden) secrets! RSS offer face-to-face, online and telephone support.
Still wondering why our emotions was chosen as the 1st topic? Our emotions reveal so much of our true nature, which power and control try to manipulate. If nothing can be seen as wrong, nothing can be proven โ right? Through focus on parts of our emotions, there is still a huge focus on โunpacking the box of mysteriesโ. As such, this post can be our beginning of each of our related matters. These emotional abuse posts go on further โฆ
ยฉ and โข Tony Anstatt. ABN 2voices: โญ37522760054โฌ.
Recognizing Child Abuse: What Parents Should Know
SIGNS OF EMOTIONAL MALTREATMENT
Consider the possibility of emotional maltreatment when the child:
๏ปฟ๏ปฟShows extremes in behavior, such as overly compliant or demanding behavior, extreme passivity or aggression;
๏ปฟ๏ปฟIs either inappropriately adult (parenting other children, for example) or inappropriately infantile (frequently rocking or head-banging, for example);
๏ปฟ๏ปฟIs delayed in physical or emotional development;
๏ปฟ๏ปฟHas attempted suicide; or
๏ปฟ๏ปฟReports a lack of attachment to the parent.
Consider the possibility of emotional maltreatment when the parent or other adult caregiver:
โข Constantly blames, belittles, or berates the child; โข Is unconcerned about the child and refuses to consider offers of help for the child’s school problems; or
It is certain that many people will have mixed feelings about the life of Pope Benedict XVI. The expected passing of Benedict is a painful reminder that we’re still dealing with the aftereffects of his tenure in Germany as Archbishop. We also canโt forget the twenty years he spent as Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under John Paul II before becoming Pope. Sadly, many clergy abuse victims are not out of the woods in terms of healing from their wounds and getting the justice they deserve.
Survivors of child sexual abuse in Germany were among the most hurt, having been deceived first by Benedict’s cover-up of sex crimes and then monumentally betrayed following his election to the papacy. There are no words to adequately express the anguish these survivors and their dear ones faced. We wish to honor the abuse survivors in Germany and everywhere for continuing to speak truth to power against such great odds and in the face of such powerful denial. Despite Benedictโs lack of candor, their truths cannot be denied.
In our view, Pope Benedict XVI, much like John Paul II, was more concerned about the churchโs deteriorating image and financial flow to the hierarchy versus grasping the concept of genuine apologies followed by true amends to victims of abuse. The rot of clergy sexual abuse of children and adults, including their own nuns and seminarians, runs throughout the Catholic church, to every country, and we now have incontrovertible evidence, all the way to the top.
Any celebration that marks the life of abuse enablers like Pope Benedict must end. It is time for the Vatican to refocus on change: tell the truth about known abusive clergy, protect children and adults, and allow justice to those who have been hurt.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Content Warning: Please be advised, the below article might mention trauma-related topics that include abuse which could be triggering to the reader. If you or someone you love is experiencing abuse, contact theDomestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Support is available 24/7. Please also see our Get Help Now page for more immediate resources.
The effects of child abuse and neglect can be serious and detrimental, both short-term and long-term. It can be important to recognize the effects of child abuse and neglect and to report possible mistreatment whenever you see it. People who have been mistreated may also face a greater risk of becoming harmful to others later in life, although many people who were once abused move on to become careful, kind, and productive part of society. If you survived childhood abuse and are still experiencing negative effects, therapy with a licensed mental health professional can be beneficial.
If you or someone you know is witnessing or experiencing any form of abuse, please know that help is available. You can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline anytime at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). โจ
Content/Trigger Warning: Please be advised, the below article references trauma-related topics that may potentially be triggering.
Effects Of Child Abuse And Neglect: Potential Long-Term Consequences
Long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect can be physical, psychological, and behavioral. The following may occur after mistreatment:
Health Problems
While some long-term effects of child abuse and neglect can occur instantly, such as brain damage from head trauma, other effects may take months or even years to become detectable. Survivors of abuse may face a higher risk for a variety of long-term or future physical health problems, including:
Malnutrition
High blood pressure
Arthritis
Cancer
Bowel disease
Diabetes
Heart disease
Lung problems
Survivors of mistreatment and neglect may also be at risk for the effects of stunted or improper brain development. Regions of the brain, including the amygdala, which typically plays a large part in processing emotions, and the hippocampus, which can be critical for learning and memory, can be negatively affected by child abuse and neglect. However, with the help of treatment and intervention, it can be possible to help these areas of the brain recover.
Substance Use Disorders
Children of parents with substance use disorders may face a greater risk of experiencing abuse or neglect. Abuse, in turn, can increase their risk of turning to various substances as coping mechanisms when they grow older.
One long-term study that followed survivors until they reached age 24 found that experiencing physical abuse during the first five years of life can be strongly linked to developing a substance use disorder later in life.
Juvenile Delinquency And Criminal Acts
According to research funded by the National Institute of Justice, those who are neglected or abused as children may be more likely to develop antisocial behaviors, which can include criminal acts and juvenile delinquency, and may choose to associate with others who also display these antisocial tendencies.
Psychological And Behavioral Issues
Experiencing abuse and neglect when you’re young can also be a risk factor for developing psychiatric disorders, such as:
Depression
Anxiety
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Anorexia or bulimia
Behavioral disorders
Research on childhood trauma and its effects on the brain suggests that stunted or impaired brain development from abuse may play a part in the potential development of these disorders.
Impaired Cognitive Skills And Executive Functioning
Child abuse and neglect can disrupt brain development, potentially resulting in the impairment of the brainโs executive functions. These functions may include working memory, self-awareness, planning, and problem-solving. This damage can result in:
Learning disabilities
Poor grades
A higher chance of dropping out of school
These short-term effects can sometimes have a drastic impact on a childโs future.
Direct And Indirect Costs To Society
Abuse and neglect can have far-reaching consequences that often do not stop at the person who is or was abused. Society, as a whole, can be affected by childhood abuse.
In 2015, the Centers for Disease Control found that the total lifetime economic cost of child abuse and neglect generally added up to $428 billion. Direct costs, such as hospitalizations and foster care payments, and indirect costs, such as long-term care, like therapy and medication, factored into this total.
Child Mistreatment And Neglect: Potential Short-Term Consequences
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Depending on their age, children who experience abuse and neglect can respond to it in a variety of different ways. Preschool-aged children or toddlers may start bed-wetting and displaying signs of severe anxiety. Elementary school kids might have low grades or very few friends. Some teenagers might experiment with substances or fight with their families, though these arenโt always signs of abuse or neglect.
Depression And Anxiety
Children of any gender or age can experience depression and anxiety as a result of abuse (or unrelated to abuse). Feelings of guilt and anger may also be common, especially among adolescent survivors of abuse.
Altered Sleep Cycles
Those who are abused as children may also experience altered sleep cycles. Nightmares, sleep disturbances, and hypervigilance can contribute to their sleep problems. These symptoms typically occur in preschoolers, but can occur later in life as well, especially if PTSD or anxiety are present.
Regressive Behavior
Regressive behavior can occur when a child regresses to an earlier developmental stage emotionally, socially, or behaviorally. Wanting a bottle or pacifier after they have already been weaned off them may be one example of regressive behavior. Age regression can occur in people of all ages.
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Preschool-aged children may develop separation anxiety disorder as a result of abuse and neglect. Symptoms of this disorder can include constantly shadowing a caretaker around the house, as well as stomachaches and dizziness in anticipation of separation.
Low Self-Esteem
People abused as children may develop low self-worth. They may internalize the abuse and believe they caused or deserve it. These feelings of incompetence and shame can carry into adulthood and become long-term effects of child abuse and neglect.
Risky Behavior
Teenagers may start to engage in unsafe sex or start misusing substances as a result of abuse or neglect from loved ones. They may also start fights in school or bully others.
Possible Signs Of Mistreatment In Children
Many people abused as children feel afraid to tell someone about the situation. This may stem from shame or confusion. It could also occur if the abuser is a parent or trusted adult. Thatโs why it can be so important to remain aware and alert for signs of child abuse in anyone under your care.
Common red flags of physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect may include:
Unexplained injuries
Sexual behavior or knowledge that is inappropriate for their age
Depression
Low attendance in school
Poor hygiene
You may also notice disturbing behavior from the childrenโs parents when they are around. This can include verbal abuse, a lack of concern for their childrenโs well-being, and even physical abuse. While child health experts generally condemn the use of any kind of violence, some people still use corporal punishment to discipline their children.
Types Of Child Abuse
Child abuse can take many forms. Some of them may even occur at the same time. They may include the following:
Physical abuse: Hitting, punching, and choking can be several examples of physical abuse. Anything that puts a child in harmโs way or that is meant to physically injure them is typically considered physical abuse.
Sexual abuse: Sexual abuse generally includes any form of sexual activity with a child.
Emotional abuse: Emotional abuse, such as verbal assault or ignoring a child, can negatively affect self-esteem and emotional well-being.
Neglect: Failing to provide adequate food, shelter, supervision, education, or healthcare is normally considered to be child neglect.
Prevent Child Abuse And Neglect
As a parent, you can work to prevent child abuse and neglect by ensuring that your child is always nurtured and looked after. As a friend or a relative, you can help babysit or look after children in your life and keep an eye out for any of the potential signs of abuse discussed above.
You can also get involved in the local community by developing parenting resources at the local library, asking leaders to create services to meet the needs of different families, and volunteering at child abuse prevention programs.If you believe a child has been abused, please seek help for them immediately. You can contact the childโs doctor, the local police department, or the 24-hour Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. The National Child Abuse Hotline can give you information on support resources, emergency services, and social assistance.
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Seeking Professional Help As An Adult Survivor Of Childhood Abuse
If you experienced abuse as a child, it may be beneficial to seek professional help so you can address any long-term effects you may be experiencing. Both in-person and online therapy can be valid options for treatment.
You may feel more comfortable trying online therapy, as you can attend sessions from home at a time that fits your schedule. When discussing vulnerable topics like abuse, it can be helpful to be in a familiar place where you feel safe and comfortable. In addition, you can choose to speak to your therapist via phone call or online chat if a video call feels too intimidating.
Although there isnโt yet much research regarding the efficacy of online therapy for adult survivors of childhood abuse, studies show that, in general, online therapy tends to be just as effective as in-person therapy. Please donโt hesitate to reach out for the help you deserve.
Takeaway
Child abuse and neglect can result in a variety of short-term and long-term consequences. In the short term, some of the effects children may experience can include depression, anxiety, altered sleep cycles, regressive behavior, and low self-esteem. In the long term, those who survived childhood abuse may experience health problems, develop substance use disorders, and live with impaired cognitive skills and executive functioning.
If you believe a child in your life is experiencing abuse, please help them by contacting the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. Meanwhile, if you are an adult survivor of childhood abuse, you mightย consider reaching out for helpย with any long-lasting effects through in-person or online therapy.
NOTE While contacts of this page may be foreign, the overall aim of it is supporting therapy. If you canโt find what youโre after, send a message?! CARC contacts.
Content warning: This page contains information that readers may find confronting or distressing.
Help is available if you or someone you know has experienced or is at risk of child sexual abuse. Our Get support page has a list of dedicated services if you need help or support. For information on reporting child safety concerns, visit our Make a report page.
If you or a child are in immediate danger, call Triple Zero (000).
In order to keep children and young people safe, it is important to understand what grooming is and how to prevent it. The term โgrooming’ refers to behaviours that manipulate and control a child, as well as their family, kin and carers, other support networks, or organisations in order to perpetrate child sexual abuse.
The intent of grooming is to:
gain access to the child or young person to perpetrate child sexual abuse
obtain sexual material of the child or young person
obtain the child or young person’s trust and/or compliance
maintain the child or young person’s silence, and/or
Grooming can occur online or in-person. Online child grooming is the process of establishing and building a relationship with a child or young person while online, to facilitate sexual abuse that is either physical (in person) or online.2This is achieved through the internet or other technologies such as phones, social media, gaming, chat and messaging apps.
Online grooming may involve perpetrators encouraging children and young people to engage in sexual activity or to send the perpetrator sexually explicit material. It may lead to perpetrators meeting the child or young person in person or blackmailing them to self-produce explicit materials. To evade detection while grooming children and young people, perpetrators may also convince them to use different online platforms, including those using encrypted technologies.3 Encrypted technologies are used to protect data from being stolen, changed, or compromised by scrambling data into a secret code that hides the information’s true meaning. Only a unique digital key can unlock the secret code.
Socialising online is a great way for children and young people to build friendships and have fun, but it is important to ensure online technologies are being used in a way that keeps children and young people safe. You can find resources about how to stay safe online on the eSafety website- external site.
How grooming occurs
Child sexual abuse and grooming can occur within families, by other people the child or young person knows or does not know, in organisations, and online. Behaviours related to grooming are not necessarily explicitly sexual, directly abusive or criminal, and may be consistent with behaviours or activities in non-abusive relationships. They can often be difficult to identify and may only be recognised in hindsight. In these cases, the main difference between acceptable behaviours and grooming behaviours is the motivation behind them.4
Grooming of a child or young person, online or in-person, may include:
building their trust, sometimes through special attention or gifts
treating them like an adult to make them feel different and special
gaining the trust of their parents, family or carers
isolating them from supportive and protective family and friends
coercing them, including through threats, stalking and asking them to keep secrets
manipulating them to blame themselves for the situation
encouraging them to produce child sexual abuse imagery or enticing them to participate in sexualised virtual chats
non-sexual touching of the child or young person that develops into sexual behaviour over time.
Signs of grooming
Being aware of the signs of grooming can help protect children and young people from child sexual abuse. A child or young person may show signs of being a victim of grooming in different ways. They may show all or some of the following signs:
developing an unusually close connection with an older person
having gifts or money from new friends that they cannot account for
being very secretive about their phone, internet or social media use
going missing for long periods of time
appearing extremely tired, including at school
being dishonest about who they have been with and where they have been
substance misuse
assuming a new name, having false identification, a stolen passport or driver licence, or a new phone
being collected from school by an older or new friend.5
How to prevent grooming
Teaching children and young people what is appropriate and inappropriate contact (both online and offline), and encouraging open and honest communication, without shame or stigma, will help to better protect them. This includes supporting children and young people to:
understand safe and unsafe behaviours and situations, including being able to identify early warning signs and their body’s natural reactions when they feel unsafe, worried, or scared. These may include feeling butterflies, and having sweaty palms and a racing pulse
practice safe online behaviour, including deleting and blocking requests and messages from people they don’t know, and reviewing and updating privacy settings
know what to do and who to talk to if something feels uncomfortable, as well as what support services are available if they are unsure or if something has happened
say no to requests to engage in unsafe behaviours or sexual advances
block unsafe users, make a complaint to social media companies and report online grooming
understand body boundaries, respectful relationships and consent
feel safe and protected when disclosing what is happening to them.
What to do about suspected grooming
Your child may not understand they are being groomed, and may not tell you that they are being groomed directly. It is important to understand the signs of grooming and talk to your child if you notice changes in their behaviour and suspect something isn’t right.
If you suspect a child or young person is being groomed or is at risk of being groomed, contact your relevant state or territory child protection agency. Visit our Make a report page to find out more.
Our Get support page provides a list of dedicated support and assistance services.
Helpful resources
eSafety- external site is Australia’s national independent regulator and educator for online safety. It provides tools and resources for parents- external site and carers to help keep children safe online, including access to free webinars. Issues covered include:
Educators can also use the unwanted contact and grooming- external site scenarios with students โ these are designed to start conversations that help build online safety skills.
You can also find out more about grooming on these websites:
1 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2017, Final Report: Our Inquiry โ Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Volume 1, page 323.
4 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2017, Final Report: Our Inquiry โ Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Volume 1, page 323.
