Child Soldiers Effects

Violence has been steadily increasing as nations have been consistently searching for greater national power. Because of the rise of aggression, unorthodox forms of warfare have been introduced. This radical form of exploitation includes the use of child soldiers. Although many Americans do not see this type of military effort within the United States, it has become a familiar sight in other developing countries. According to statistics, "in the last fifteen years, the use of child soldiers has spread to almost every region of the world and every armed conflict. Though an exact number is impossible to define, thousands of child soldiers are legally serving in armed conflict around the world" (Child Soldiers International). Several states …show more content…
The effects of military exposure to young children have devastatingly resulted in psychosocial and physical problems for these individuals. One severe drawback in juvenile involvement includes severe emotional trauma. According to Dr. Czyz, there was one case where a "... 15-year old boy who spent four gruesome years serving in the Khmer Rouge army of Cambodia...began hearing two voices that were quarrelling inside his head. The first voice was that of a Khmer Rouge leader, who was angry with the boy for having left the army. The second was that of a Buddhist priest who said the boy would be punished for his actions when he dies," (Magdalena Czyz). Unfortunately, the same voices are being heard in countless other children. Although several ex-soldiers regain a considerable amount of their psychological health back, the pain of having to go through such torture is unimaginable. Research has found out that most of the psychological turmoil that children encounter is actually after the violence is over, and after they have given up their guns. The reason may be because they are hit with the sudden realization that what they have just committed was morally wrong. This is especially traumatic to some because they may have been the ones to take the lives of their own friends or relatives. This guilt ultimately turns into depression, anger, confusion, and low self-esteem. Some children even change their names and move away from their hometown in hopes of escaping their past and their new reality. Yet, these scars are not visible to the human eye. There are, however, some apparent physical impacts on these children. Many children lose limbs and senses all along with physical scars. Some of these injuries could have been prevented had those areas they resided in been equipped with adequate