The V Word

One of the focus areas in April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, a month dedicated to raising awareness of child abuse and it’s impact on the individual, the family and the community.

Child abuse takes many forms – physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect.

-Physical child abuse occurs when a child is purposefully injured. Physical abuse can be an act of direct physical harm or an act of omission that leads to injury.
-Sexual child abuse is any sexual activity with a child, including fondling, oral-genital contact, intercourse and exposure to child pornography, and includes coercion as well as force.
-Emotional child abuse includes verbal and emotional assault — such as continually belittling or berating a child — as well as isolating, ignoring or rejecting a child.
-Child neglect is failure to provide a child adequate food, shelter, affection, supervision or medical care.

Most child abuse is inflicted by someone the child knows and trusts, often a parent or other relative. If you suspect child abuse, either in your own child or a close contact, report the abuse to child protective services in your area and report to law enforcement. When in doubt, call – social services can help make the decision to investigate.

Red Flags and Warning signs:
A child who’s being abused may feel guilty, ashamed or confused. He or she may be afraid to tell anyone about the abuse, especially if the abuser is a parent or other loved one. That’s why it’s vital to watch for red flags, such as:

Sudden changes in behavior or school performance
Untreated medical or dental problems
Unexplained bruises, cuts, burns or other injuries
Blood in the child’s underwear
Inappropriate sexual behavior for the child’s age
Behavior extremes, from overly aggressive to unusually passive
Nightmares or unusual fears
Withdrawal from friends or usual activities
Low self-esteem
Poor hygiene
Frequent absences from school

Sometimes a parent’s or caregiver’s demeanor or behavior also sends red flags about child abuse. Warning signs include a parent/caregiver who:

Shows little concern for the child
Denies the existence of problems at home or school, or blames the child for the problems
Refuses offers of help to resolve problems at school
Consistently blames, belittles or berates the child
Describes the child with negative terms
Uses harsh physical discipline or asks teachers to do so
Demands an inappropriate level of physical or academic performance
Severely limits the child’s contact with other children
Offers conflicting or unconvincing explanations for a child’s injuries, or no explanation at all

Keep in mind that warning signs are just that — warning signs. The presence of warning signs doesn’t necessarily mean that a child is being abused. Again, when in doubt call social services, they can help identify if what you are seeing needs to be investigated.

Risk Factors:
Child abuse occurs across all socioeconomic levels and ethnic groups. For parents and other caregivers, factors that may increase the risk of becoming abusive include:

Low self-esteem
Poor impulse control
Depression
Anxiety
Marital conflict
Domestic violence
Financial stress
Social isolation
Alcoholism or other forms of substance abuse
A history of mistreatment as a child

Impact of abuse:
Some children overcome the physical and psychological effects of child abuse, particularly those who have high self-esteem, an optimistic attitude and strong social support. For others, however, child abuse has lifelong consequences. For example, child abuse may lead to:

Physical disabilities
Learning disabilities
Low self-esteem
Depression
Difficulty establishing or maintaining relationships
Challenges with intimacy and trust
An unhealthy view of parenthood
Anxiety
Substance abuse
Eating disorders
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Personality disorders
Delinquent or violent behavior
If a child tells you he or she is being abused, take the situation seriously:

What you can do:
Encourage the child to tell you what happened. Remain calm as you assure the child that it’s OK to talk about the experience, even if someone has threatened him or her to keep silent. Ask open-ended questions such as, “What happened then?”

Remind the child that he or she isn’t responsible for the abuse. The responsibility for child abuse belongs to the abuser. Say, “It’s not your fault” over and over again.

Offer comfort. You might say, “I’m so sorry you were hurt,” “I’m glad that you told me,” and “I’ll do everything I can to help you.” Let the child know you’re available to talk or simply listen at any time.

Report the abuse. Contact a local child protective agency or the local police department. Authorities will investigate the report and, if necessary, take steps to ensure the child’s safety.
Seek medical attention. If necessary, help the child seek appropriate medical care.

Help the child remain safe. Don’t let the child be alone with the abuser. If that’s not possible, do what you can to eliminate the abuser’s access to the child. Make sure the child knows how to call for emergency help if needed.

Consider additional support. You might help the child seek counseling or other mental health treatment. Age-appropriate support groups also can be helpful.