ABSTRACT
The predisposition for a parent or caretaker to abuse a child has been linked, in many cases, to a family history of abuse and should be considered as a probability factor in the overall evaluation of abuse cases.[1] Intergenerational abuse is defined as possible negative consequences for abused or neglected child victims later in life.[2] Research has revealed that a childhood history of physical abuse often predisposes the survivor to violence in later years. Sometimes, a correlating factor is the influence of alcohol or chemical substances by the abuse; this may become relevant in cases of emotional and physical abuse.[3] It is illegal for one person to mistreat another, regardless of the relationship between the two. Anyone treating another person in an abusive manner (whether direct or indirect) is held accountable by standards set forth under national and international law.
