Reporting Abuse
Child Abuse consists of any act, or failure to act that endangers a child's physical or emotional health and development. Someone is abusive if he or she fails to nurture the child, physically injures the child, or relates sexually to the child.
The four major types of child abuse are
- Physical Abuse
- Sexual Abuse
- Emotional Abuse
- Neglect
Facts
- A child abuse report is made every 10 seconds.
- 4 children die every day as a result of child abuse or neglect and three 3 out of four 4 are under the age of 4.
- 1/3 of abused or neglected children will later abuse their own children.
- 1 in every 4 girls and 1 in every 6 boys are sexually abused by the age of 18.
- 30-40% of victims are sexually abused by a family member.
- Another 50% are abused by someone outside of the family whom they know and trust.
To recognize abuse look for the following:
- Inappropriate sexual behaviors - children who have been sexually abused may exhibit overly sexualized behavior or use explicit sexual language.
- Unexplained injuries - visible signs of physical abuse may include burns, bites, cuts, and bruises in the shape of objects.
- Changes in behavior - abuse can lead to many changes in a child's behavior such as a child can appear scared, anxious, depressed, withdrawn or more aggressive.
- Risk-taking behaviors - young people who are being abused may engage in high-risk activities such as using drugs or alcohol or carrying a weapon.
- Returning to earlier behaviors - children may display behaviors such a thumb-sucking, bed-wetting, fear of dark or strangers.
- Changes in eating and sleeping - abused children can have trouble falling asleep (nightmares) and may appear fatigued and the stress of abuse can lead to changes in the child's eating habits which may result in a weight loss/gain.
- Fear of going home - the abused child may have a fear of a family member or a particular person.
- Changes in school performance and attendance - abused children may have difficulty concentrating in school or have excessive absences.
- Lack of personal care or hygiene - abused and neglected children may appear dirty, have body odor, or they may lack sufficient clothing for the weather.
Warning Signs of Online Child Abuse
- Your child receives mail, gifts or packages from someone you don't know.
- Your child becomes withdrawn from the family.
- Your child is using an online account belonging to someone else.
Suspected child abuse is sufficient reason to make a report. Trust your instincts. You do not need proof. Your call may save the life of a child. If you suspect that a child is being abused or neglected, please call: 1-800-252-2873 (1-800-25-ABUSE).