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Statistics Services Staff |
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CHILD ABUSE FACTS |
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WHAT IS CHILD
SEXUAL ABUSE? |
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Q:
What is sexual abuse?
A: Sexual abuse occurs when someone forces,
coerces, or tricks a child into sexual contact or acts intended for
the sexual gratification of that person. Sexual abuse may
involve:
- Touching the child’s private parts or making the child touch
the offender
- Oral/genital contact
- Vaginal or anal penetration with a penis, finger or object
- Coerced sexual acts between children
- Making children view or participate in pornography
- Indecent exposure or "flashing"
Q:
What are identifying symptoms of sexual abuse?
A: Physical and behavioral indicators of a victim of a
sexual abuse/assault are listed below. Please realize these are only
indicators and are not necessarily evidence of abuse.
Physical Indicators:
- Difficulty in walking, sitting, coordination
- Genital or anal injury (swollen, bleeding)
- Urinating or defecating in clothing (inability to control)
- Venereal disease
- Genital pain and itching
- Change in neatness of appearance
- Gaining weight (wearing loose fitting clothes so as not to
draw attention to the body)
- Compulsive masturbation
- Loss of appetite or sudden increase in appetite (and other
more serious eating disorders such as anorexia)
- Altered sleep patterns (bedwetting, restlessness, nightmares,
fear of sleeping alone, needing a night light, being tired all the
time)
- Newly acquired bodily complaints, especially stomach aches
- Odor (is not taking care of personal hygiene)
Behavioral and Attitude Indicators:
- Extreme shifts of emotions/moods
- Fears and phobias especially aimed at one person or location
- Suddenly turning against someone, such as a parent
- Restlessness
- Acting adult-like, inconsistent with age
- Acting child-like, regression
- Frequent absences from school
- Daydreaming, having learning problems
- Irritability, short tempered
- Asking questions or having knowledge of terminology,
inappropriate for age
- Expression affection to adults in inappropriate ways
- Not willing to undress for PE at school
- Hostility and aggressiveness towards adults or overly trying
to please adults
- Afraid to be alone with adults
- Isolation, withdrawal
- Few friends
- Shying away from being touched
- Having low self esteem and self image
- Excessive curiosity about sexual matters
- Precocious sexual play
- Verbal descriptions of sexual matters
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