INSTITUTE OF PSYCHIATRY CALLS TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE IN THE FAMILY

Minors who are victims of child abuse can experience short-term and long-term consequences for their mental health.

Any aggression or intentional, physical, sexual, psychological or negligent omission, against a minor, before or after birth and that affects their biopsychosocial integrity in the short, medium or long term, is considered child abuse; This was reported by the general director of the Institute of Psychiatry of the State of Baja California (IPEBC), Víctor Salvador Rico Hernández.

The official stressed that both physical abuse, sexual and psychological abuse, as well as neglect of care in children is considered child abuse. This can lead to mental illnesses, the development of dysfunctional habits, risk behaviors and loss of trust towards others, presenting difficulties to interact socially and affectively.

He called on fathers and mothers to be attentive to their physical and affective needs, as well as to provide them with a safe, affective, adaptive and structured environment.

He recalled that fathers and mothers, as well as their caregivers, can count on the support of the IPEBC, either with counseling and psychological care and/or free psychiatric treatment for minors at the Child and Adolescent Clinic; It is only necessary that they go to the nearest health center and request a referral form from the institution to access said services.

Finally, Rico Hernández invited people to approach the care programs offered by the IPEBC, dialing (686) 842 7050 in Mexicali, (664) 684 2664 in Tijuana, and (646) 178 8577 in Ensenada or in the official Facebook profile of the Institute of Psychiatry of the State of Baja California to receive guidance.