There are many warning signs of abuse of children. One sign, one or two times,
does not necessarily mean anything. Keep watching before you jump to conclusions but once
you are reasonably sure, report it to the proper authorities. That's the law and the only
choice when children are involved.
Physical Abuse:
Sores,
burns, bruises on body. A reluctance or vagueness about where these originated.
Bruises and burns are the most persistent physical
symptoms.
Neglect:
Soiled
diapers, dirty hair, unwashed clothes, body odor. Sometimes weight loss and lackluster
skin and/or hair can indicate neglect, particularly in a proper or sufficient diet.
Emotional or Mental Abuse:
This is harder to tell. Abused children often become quiet but that is not
always a way to tell. Lack of self-esteem is another way to tell but again, that does not
mean children are abused.
Sexual Abuse:
There are warning signs
of sexual abuse of children, too. Precocious behavior; sexual knowledge, through language or behavior, that is beyond what is normal for
their age; copying adult sexual behavior; inappropriate sexual behavior such
as kissing on the mouth and/or attempting to insert tongue in your mouth; soreness,
redness, chaffing around genitals; habitual sleeping with parent of opposite sex
in pre-teen or older; reluctance or outright refusal to let you wash or dry
those parts of the body; persistent sexual
play with other children, themselves, toys or pets.
Remember that inappropriate
touching is also sexual abuse. This is not uncommon, particularly when alcohol
or drugs are involved.
Additional information about abuse and
being abused. |
