Does poverty increase the risk of child abuse?
Most people struggling to make ends meet do not abuse their children, and individuals from wealthy families mistreat children as well. However, lower socioeconomic status is associated with a heightened risk of child abuse or neglect. In some cases, families living in poverty are also under extreme stress, which can make them more likely to lash out at children when frustrated or to neglect their needs. Poverty also frequently co-occurs with other child abuse risk factors, such as substance abuse, social isolation, or community violence.