April is Child Abuse Prevention Awareness month. This topic hits home for me, because I personally have experienced and have seen things that no one should ever have to witness firsthand. I don’t want to say that my parents are bad people, because this is not true. They’ve both worked hard for my siblings and me, and have worked towards getting the right treatment and help. There have been many pleasant memories in my childhood, but with the good ones come the bad.

No child should have to be afraid of when their parent comes home, and no child should have to seek refuge by making a bed in their closet so they can hide. Eventually, you get used to the routine of how things go down: Control your breathing. Do not speak, or else they’ll hear you. Especially do not whimper or cry.

Though you try to seem cool and collected, nothing can mask the heavy feeling in your chest or the fear of being found. You feel like a victim in your own home.

The truth is that child abuse comes in all shapes and forms, and more likely than not, is undetectable due to fear. In public, people pretend that everything is OK because it’s embarrassing to say that it’s not.

Many believe that abuse is only abuse if it's violent. While I’ve experienced and witnessed physical abuse including pushing, slapping, punching and throwing large objects, mental and emotional abuse is equally, if not, more scarring than physical abuse. Mental abuse is more subtle, and causes less people to intervene if they suspect a problem.

While you may think that you’re simply teaching your child a lesson, belittling, humiliating, threatening and frequent yelling are all types of emotional child abuse. After awhile, you’ll begin to see that the child becomes withdrawn and afraid, and they're constantly anxious that they’ll make a mistake.

Parents who emotionally abuse their kids don’t know how to communicate, leaving the child constantly confused and on edge about their actions.The kids will show that they are unattached to their parent and will become one of two extremes. They will be either incredibly grown-up, and take on the tasks of taking care of their other siblings, cooking for themselves, etc., or they can be extremely childish, and they'll suck their thumb, rock back and forth, etc.

If you notice that a child is acting suspicious, it’s important to intervene and call Childhelp at 800-422-4453. Learn more about child abuse at the Child Welfare website.

No child should have to witness or experience abuse by their own parent.