Types of Child Abuse:
Physical abuse: When a child is deliberately injured or put at risk of physical harm by another person.
Sexual abuse: Any sexual activity with a child that includes: intentional sexual touching, oral-genital contact, or intercourse; noncontact sexual abuse such as exposing a child to sexual activity or pornography, observing or filming a child in a sexual manner, or sexual harassment of a child; and prostitution of a child, including sex trafficking.
Emotional abuse: Causing harm to a child's self-esteem or emotional well-being. It includes verbal and emotional assault (belittling or berating), and isolating, ignoring or rejecting a child.
Neglect: Failure to provide adequately for a child in ones care including lack of proper food, clothing, shelter, clean living conditions, affection, supervision, education, and/or dental or medical care.
Symptoms of an Abused Child:
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Many children who are abused feel guilty, confused, or ashamed, and may be afraid to reveal their abuse to anyone.
It is critical that people who are with children (teachers, neighbors, family friends, doctors, etc.) watch for the following symptoms*:
• Withdrawal from friends
• Withdrawal from usual activities
• Changes in behavior (angry, sad, withdrawn, etc.)
• Changes in school performance
• Changes in physical appearance
• Depression, anxiety, or unusual fears
• Loss of self-confidence
• Sleep problems and/or nightmares
• Lack of supervision
• Frequent absences from school
• Rebellious or defiant behavior
• Self-harm or attempts at suicide
Physical Abuse Signs and Symptoms
• Unexplained injuries: bruises, broken bones, burns
• Injuries that don’t match with the child’s explanation
• Injuries that aren't compatible with the child's developmental ability
Sexual Abuse Signs and Symptoms
• Sexual behavior or knowledge that's inappropriate for a child
• Pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection
• Genital or anal pain, bleeding, or injury
• Inappropriate sexual acts or behavior with other children
Emotional Abuse Signs and Symptoms
• Delayed or inappropriate emotional development
• Loss of self-confidence or self-esteem
• Social withdrawal or a loss of interest or enthusiasm
• Depression
• Avoidance of certain situations
• A decrease in grades or school performance
• Loss of interest in school
• Loss of previously acquired developmental skills
Neglect Signs and Symptoms
• Poor growth due to malnutrition
• Excessive weight with medical complications that are not being treated by a medical professional
• Poor personal cleanliness
• Lack of clothing or supplies
• Hoarding or stealing food
• Poor school attendance
• Lack of medical or dental attention
Parental Behavior Warning Signs:
Warning signs include a parent who:
• Shows little concern for their child
• Doesn’t recognize physical or emotional distress in the child
• Blames the child for the problems of the parent
• Consistently belittles or criticizes the child, using negative words to describe the child
• Expects the child to provide attention and care to the parent
• Is jealous of other family members who receive attention from the child
• Uses harsh physical discipline
• Demands an unrealistic level of physical or academic performance
• Isolates the child from others
• Offers conflicting or unconvincing explanations for a child's injuries or fails to provide any explanation
• Use of physical force when punishing the child
*Please note that these symptoms can vary depending on the type of abuse and that the presence of a symptom doesn't necessarily mean that a child is being abused.