When emotional abuse is minimized or ignored, children learn that their pain doesn’t count. Recognizing emotional abuse validates a child’s experience and opens the door to protection, healing, and long-term resilience. Protecting children means looking beyond what we can see—and listening closely to what they’re trying to tell us.

Preventing child abuse isn't just about stopping the bad—it's about building the good. Research on protective factors gives us the tools to strengthen families, empower communities, and give children the safe, loving environments they deserve. If we want to end child maltreatment, we must start investing in what works—before harm happens.