INDICATORS OF CHILD ABUSE

INDICATORS OF CHILD ABUSEFor Parents:
Physical Indicators
· gastrointestinal disturbance
· difficulty in walking or sitting
· torn, stained, or bloody underclothing
· pain or itching in genital areas
· unexplained bruises, lacerations, redness, swelling, or bleeding in the genital, vaginal, or anal areas.
· blood in urine or stools
· complaints of genital or rectal pain
· pain experienced in elimination
· sexually transmitted disease
· pregnancy
Emotional & Behavioural Indicators
A Young Child:
· becomes frantic when his or her diaper is changed in bath being washed between legs or wiped.
· is hyperactive.
· is disruptive and / or demanding.
· shows unhappiness by crying or being unduly anxious.
· behaves in an overly compliant manner.
· has a short attention span or displays lack of attention.
· is preoccupied: seems to live in a "dream world".
· attempts sexual behaviour with other children, toys, or animals and may act in an angry, aggressive, or controlling fashion.
· displays regressive behaviour
o such as return to younger, more babyish behaviour
§ ie: thumb sucking, bed wetting or soiling, baby talk, clinging, etc.
· inserts objects into the vagina or rectum.
· is clinging or excessively dependent.
· has sleep disturbances
o ie: nightmares or fear of the dark, fear of going to bed, screaming, phobias, hysteria, etc.
· has a change or loss of appetite.
· protests suddenly or continuously when left with someone he or she knows
o such as a relative, neighbour, day care worker, baby-sitter, etc.
· has a fear of particular area of the house or a particular family member or is afraid of being left alone with a person of a particular sex.
· gives an indirect message by refusing to go to the house of a relative or friend for no apparent reason.
· is inappropriately affectionate toward strangers.
· shows and unusual and exaggerated interest in people's bodies.
· has a detailed and age-appropriate understanding of sexual behaviour and is preoccupied with sex in conversations.
· at play explicitly mimics sexual activities.
· displays unusual interest in or preoccupation with sexual acts or language far beyond the developmentally normal level and may act out with sexual approaches that appear to be sexually provocative behaviour with adults.
· draws pictures that indirectly depict sexual activity/sexualized drawings.
· reverts to bed wetting.
· is suddenly reluctant or resistant to going to a specific place
o ie: going to school or home after school, or to the day care, baby sitter, etc.
· has nonspecific physical complaints
o such as headaches, sore throat, nausea,etc.
· is irritable or has sudden shifts in temper.
· hints about sexual activity or states that he/she has been abused.
· makes unusual statements that only make sense in a sexual content.
· is unable to concentrate at school
o ie: performance suddenly deteriorates.
· has poor peer relationships or is unable to make friends.
· has a poor self-image and lacks self-esteem.
· does not participate in school and/or social activities.
· is afraid to remove clothing for gym classes or at the doctor's office or refuses to use toilet facilities when attending day programs.
· where a female has been sexually abused by a male perpetrator, shows seductive behaviour with males.
· wears an excessive amount of clothing.
· does not trust people-particularly significant others.
Parent's Behavioral IndicatorsVery protective or jealous of childEncourages child to engage in prostitution or sexual acts in the presence of caretakerMisuses alcohol or other drugsIs geographically isolated and/or lacking in social and emotional contacts outside the familyHas low self-esteem