Signs and symptoms of Child Abuse
No parent likes to think that anybody is hurting or abusing their child. Below are some of the signs and symptoms that may indicate that a child is being abused. When abuse is discovered, parents often say there were no obvious signs to make them suspect that their child was being abused.
However, sometimes a child who is being abused will show the following types of behaviour.
He or she may:
- Suddenly starting to avoid being left alone with a particular person
- Shows sudden changes in behavior or school performance
- Is always watchful as though waiting for something to happen
- Lacks adult supervision
- Is overly compliant, passive, or withdrawn
- Comes to school or other activities early, stays late, and does not want to go home
- Low Self esteem
- Depression/anxiety
Signs of sexual abuse:
- Has difficulty walking or sitting
- Suddenly refuses to change for gym or to participate in physical activities
- Regression in developmental behaviors such as bedwetting, baby talk, thumb sucking
- Experiences a sudden change in appetite
- Demonstrates bizarre, sophisticated sexual knowledge or behavior
- Becomes pregnant or contracts a venereal disease, particularly if under age 14
- Repeated attempts to run away
- Reports sexual abuse by a parent or another adult caregiver
- Unusual physical symptoms
- Extreme fear of a particular room, place, person, being touched
- Inappropriate touching of others
- Carries out art work or role playing which displays sexual ideas or touching
- Depression
- Self destructive or risk taking behavior – drinking, absenteeism, suicide attempts, self harm
- Drop in school performance
- Detachment from others and/or activities they have previously taken part in
Signs of Physical Abuse:
- Unexplained burns, bites, bruises, broken bones, or black eyes
- Has fading bruises or other marks noticeable after an absence from school
- Seems frightened of the parents and protests or cries when it is time to go home
- Withdraws at the approach of adults
- Reports injury by a parent or another adult caregiver
- Their explanation of how they have received injuries changes each time they talk about it
- Frequency of injuries
Signs of neglect:
- Is frequently absent from school
- Begs or steals food or money
- Is constantly hungry
- Lacks needed medical or dental care, immunizations, or glasses
- Is consistently dirty and has severe body odor
- Lacks sufficient clothing for the weather
- Abuses alcohol or other drugs
- States that there is no one at home to provide care
Signs of Emotional Maltreatment:
- Shows extremes in behavior, such as overly compliant or demanding behavior, extreme passivity, or aggression
- Is either inappropriately adult (parenting other children, for example) or inappropriately infantile (frequently rocking or head-banging, for example)
- Is delayed in physical or emotional development
- Has attempted suicide
- Reports a lack of attachment to the parent
Long term effects of child abuse can impact many different areas of a child or youths live and outlook.
These can include:
• Low self esteem
• Feelings of guilt and shame
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Fear
• Confusion
• Suicidal thoughts and actions
• Destructive behavior
• Post traumatic Stress Disorder
If you suspect that your child or another is being abused you have a legal responsibility to report this to either the police or child protection workers.
Child protection workers have the safety and well being of the child as their main concern and focus. They investigate the allegation to determine if it can be verified or not and the level of protection, if any, that the child will require. The investigation may extend to other children being involved depending on the level of risk to them – for example a sports coach or teacher. It is best that you do not talk about your concerns with any other person until you have spoken with the child protection worker.
Police officers investigate the allegations to determine whether a criminal offence has taken place. If they determine that there has been a criminal offence it is their job to identify the alleged abuser, arrest them and lay charges when there is enough evidence. If the police determine there has been no criminal offence they will remove themselves from the investigation process and child protection workers will continue if there is a need.
What can a parent/ caregiver do to protect their child?
- Be alert to anyone paying an unusual amount of interest in your child.
- Actively seeking to spend time alone with your child
- Giving them gifts or toys
- Offering to take them on trips, vacations or outings
- Ensure that you find out as much information as you are able to when you are leaving your child with someone new.
Take time to explain to your child about sex and what are the ‘good touches’ and ‘bad touches’ and what they can do if someone tries to do this to them.
