Consequences Of Child Abuse On Students Academic Performance As Perceived By Secondary School Teachers
[A CASE STUDY OF ILORIN METROPOLIS]

One of the most destructive consequences of child abuse may be the detrimental effect on a child’s school performance. Over and over again, research indicates that abused children demonstrate reduced intellectual functioning and perform very poorly in school. And poor school performance can have serious long-term consequences. Academic failure has been associated with antisocial behaviour and quitting school. These behaviours in turn increase the risk of long-term decreased productivity, long-term economic dependence and generally lower levels of satisfaction with life as adults. 58. Maltreated children may display the following (Animba 1991):
•    Lower overall schools performance test scores and lower language, reading and math scores.
•    Grade repetitions, disciplinary referrals and a high number of suspensions.
•    Working and learning at below average levels (as reported by teachers).
•    Weaker orientation to future vocational and educational goals compared to non-maltreated children.
It is understandable that maltreated children will perform poorly in school. Not only do they face the obvious complications associated with a violent home life, but neglectful and abusive parents are less likely to provide an intellectually stimulating environment for the child, read to the child, supervise homework and generally become involved in their child’s academic life.
Effect of Abuse on Sexuality
 In general, abuse adversely affects a child’s concept of sexuality, reduces his or her ability to set appropriate boundaries and often instills a fear or negative perception of sex. While the majority of sexual consequences are the result of sexual abuse, other forms of maltreatment can also be sexually destructive. For example, a neglected child may seek sexual intimacy very early in life in order to fulfill an unmet need for parental intimacy. This creates a risk for teenage pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases. The following are the major sexual consequences of maltreatment reported in the literature:
•    Engaging in open or excessive masturbation, excessive sexual curiosity and frequent exposure of the genitals.
•    Simulated sexual acts with siblings and friends, inappropriate sexual behaviour such as breast or genital grabbing.
•    Premature sexual knowledge sexualized kissing in friendships and with parents.
In adolescence and adulthood, maltreated children continue to display sexually maladaptive behaviour:
•    Orgasmic disorders and painful intercourse.
•    Promiscuity.