Words Matter: Study Estimates $300 Billion Global Economic Burden of Childhood Verbal Abuse by Adults

Childhood verbal abuse by adults costs society an estimated $300 billion a year globally, according to a new study by a Georgia State University researcher presented at the first international conference on childhood verbal abuse hosted by Words Matter, the World Health Organization (WHO) and University College London.

The Words Matter: Impact and Prevention of Childhood Verbal Abuse conference marks the first time that experts from around the world have come together to focus attention on the lifetime damage of childhood verbal abuse and the urgent need to develop solutions.

Childhood verbal abuse by adults—the use of words to blame, insult, scold or criticise children—is a pervasive form of child maltreatment. It can be as harmful as other forms of abuse and have significant adverse impacts on children’s mental and physical health and development leading to anxiety, depression, eating disorders, self-harm, substance abuse and even suicide. Its long-lasting consequences can damage a child’s sense of self, their future relationships, and their ability to function at home, school, in social situations and at work.

Emotional abuse, of which verbal abuse is the main component, is now the most prevalent form of childhood abuse.

The pioneering multi-country study on the economic burden of CVA was undertaken by Research Associate Professor Xiangming Fang in the Georgia State University School of Public Health. It estimates the economic burden of CVA in four countries, one per continent, by analysing its effects on selected health outcomes including mental distress, self-harm, drug use and problem drinking. Data came from the CDC’s Violence Against Children Surveys conducted in Cambodia, Kenya, Colombia, and Moldova.

The study estimated the Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) lost due to health outcomes attributed to CVA. Using a method that has been used by the WHO, DALY losses were converted into monetary value by assuming that one DALY is equal to the country’s per-capita GDP.

The mean economic burden of CVA across the four-country study was 0.34% of GDP. Applying it to the global level, the estimated global economic impact of DALYs lost due to childhood verbal abuse is approximately $300 billion.

Compared to other public health concerns in these four countries, DALYs lost to CVA are significantly greater than the corresponding estimates for breast cancer and liver cancer and are similar to the DALYs lost to hypertensive heart disease.

Prevention and education is key to ending childhood verbal abuse by adults. The global issue must be given the immediate attention it warrants in order to protect children and reduce the economic burden on society. The Words Matter charity was established with this sole purpose, and focuses on three key areas - research; raising awareness through campaigns, education and training; and collaboration to develop solutions to prevent this form of childhood maltreatment.

“The economic burden of childhood verbal abuse by adults that we have quantified clearly highlights the shocking hidden cost of the damage it causes to children throughout their lifetime,” Fang said. “However, this is likely a considerable underestimate given the impact of childhood verbal abuse on several outcomes, including healthcare utilisation costs and legal system expenses, which were not included in the analysis due to data unavailability. There is clearly a significant opportunity for economic growth by ending childhood verbal abuse and by revealing these figures, we hope this form of childhood maltreatment will be given the attention it deserves. Vital now is undertaking more research and devoting funds and resources to preventing it, so the cost to society can be reduced.”

“For too long, childhood verbal abuse by adults has gone under the radar, yet it is all around us,” said Jessica Bondy, Founder of Words Matter. “We hope this conference helps put the issue firmly on the map and galvanises action. It is possible to bring an end to childhood verbal abuse with greater awareness, understanding and collaboration across the globe to devise solutions. We must act now, given the lifelong impact on children’s mental and physical health and wellbeing and the monumental cost to society. Let’s build children up, not knock them down, and create a better future for children.”

To read the full news release from Words Matter, click here.

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