Indicators of Abuse
Indicators of physical abuse:
- Bruises, burns, sprains, dislocations, bite marks, cuts, welts, scratches
- Fractured bones
- Poisoning
- Internal injuries
- Shaking injuries
- Strangulation marks
- Ingestion of alcohol & drugs
- Dislocations
- Head injuries
Indicators of emotional abuse:
Emotional abuse/psychological abuse may cause delays in physical, emotional or cognitive development. For example:
- Delays in physical development
- Failure to thrive
- Speech disorders
Indicators of neglect:
When a child has been neglected, you may notice that they:
- Suffer from frequent hunger or malnutrition
- Have poor hygiene
- Wear inappropriate clothing
- Remain unsupervised for long periods of time
- Lack proper medical attention
- Experience abandonment by parents/carers
- Fail to thrive
Indicators of sexual abuse:
Many of the physical indicators of sexual abuse are only identifiable via a medical examination. For example:
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Semen in the vagina
- Vaginal or anal injury or scarring
- Injury to the penis or scrotum
- Abrasions/tears and
- Bruises to the vagina or anus
- Chronic urinary tract infections or difficulty urinating
- Bleeding from the anus or vagina
Often the first indication the child gives is when they tell a person whom they trust that they have been sexually abused.
Physical Abuse
- Expressing little or no emotion when hurt
- Offering unlikely explanations for injuries
- Wearing long-sleeved clothes on hot days (possibly to hide bruising or other injuries marking the body)
- Demonstrating fear of particular care givers, other adults or children
- Demonstrating a fear of their parents or a fear of going home
- Being fearful when other children cry or shout
- Being excessively friendly to strangers
- Being passive and compliant
- Being nervous, hyperactive, aggressive, disruptive
Emotional Abuse
- Stealing food
- Staying at school or other activities outside hours and not wanting to go home
- Lacks trust in other people
- Reluctance to attend an activity at a particular club or organisation
- Tired, lethargic, falling asleep at inappropriate times
- Abuse of alcohol or drugs
- Aggressive behaviour
- Poor peer relationships
- Indiscriminate with affection
- Lack of social skills
- Distress, e.g. frequent crying or apathy
- Demonstrating fear, of parent, caregiver or other adult
- Attention or risk taking behaviour
Neglect
- Stealing food or clothing
- Spending time at school or other external activities beyond the usual hours
- Reluctance to attend an activity at a particular club or organisation
- Tired or falling asleep at inappropriate times
- Abuse of alcohol or drugs
- Aggressive behaviour
- Poor peer relationships
- Indiscriminate with affection
- Desire for adult affection
- Poor emotional response / lack of expression or enthusiasm
- Anxiety about being left
- Frequent rocking and sucking behaviour
Sexual Abuse
- Persistent and age-inappropriate sexual activity
- Sexual aggression towards younger or more naive children
- Sexual invitations or gestures to older people
- Sexual interaction involving animals or toys
- Sexual promiscuity or prostitution
- Regressive behaviour, such as bedwetting and speech loss
- Challenging and aggressive behaviour
- Fear of people of a particular type or gender
- Suicidal and self-harm behaviour including self-mutilation, drug or alcohol abuse
- Risk taking behaviour such as lighting fires
- Cruelty to animals
- Criminal activity
- Frequent rocking, sucking and biting behaviour
Module 3 Summary:
- Child abuse takes many forms.
- Defining child abuse can help you share a common understanding of what behaviour constitutes child abuse and can therefore help them act to prevent it occurring or to stop it when it occurs.
- There are four broad types of child abuse: physical abuse, emotional/psychological abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. Witnessing violence, bullying, sibling abuse and peer abuse are generally included within these types but are sometimes considered as distinct types.
- Child abuse can have devastating long term consequences for children.
- Sometimes a child cannot tell us that they are experiencing abuse but there may be indicators or warning signs that a child or young person may be experiencing abuse.