Child abuse may be our number one public health problem (Wylie 1). Munchausen By Proxy is a type of child abuse, where the perpetrator is most commonly a parent or guardian of a young child. The parent will intentionally neglect and abuse their child to get attention from doctors and other individuals. This leads us to ask: what leads a parent to mistreat their children in the first place? In many cases the cause of the abuse can be linked to family relationship problems. In the novel Sickened, by Julie Gregory, Gregory recounts his childhood with a mother who was diagnosed with Munchausen By Proxy. He tells readers that his "mother married at the tender age of nineteen." Marrying him when she was young made them fight each other and they didn't have a genuine relationship. Soon after the death of her first husband it seemed that she was desperate for another husband because she felt isolated and alone and craved the attention of an intimate relationship. His craving for attention was the fuel for his desire to make Julie sick. A parent is also more likely to abuse their children if the spouse has very little, if any, input into family activities, leaving the abusive parent in control of everything. In another situation where family relationships might be an issue, a woman named “Shannon Hudson was trying to break up with the boys' father [her children's abuser] when he shot her three times. Then he shot himself” (Burling A1+). The abuse that caused the husband to become angry and frustrated with his wife caused the violent act that resulted in the failure of their relationship. "Domestic violence is often not so much physical as emotional or financial - a man with a large ... ... middle of paper ... in debt, often looks to their parents to see how they should behave. If their parents behave in a certain way, those children will grow up believing that what their parents do is right. This is the cycle of child abuse. Likewise, we also consider that people diagnosed with Munchausen By Proxy are most commonly found in financial difficulties, have uncontrollable anger, have low self-respect, or have conflicts with their relationships. Researchers have elaborated on all these notions that are said to lead to child abuse. They found that the main reason why abusive parents are forced to abuse is if they were abused by their parents or close family members. Researchers also believe that the only way to ensure the cycle is intercepted is to protect children before they begin to develop the same behaviors as their parents..