As a society we tend to ignore signs of abuse. Reasons for ignoring these signs of abuse within our community include lack of knowledge about the topic or we simply do not want to get into other people’s business. There are many different types of abuse including sexual, verbal, physical, emotional and many others however, these are the main ones that we hear about. The most noticeable indications of abuse stems from physical abuse. Each type of abuse has its own separate indicators however, some of them are not as noticeable. For example, you may not immediately notice when a child is being physically or sexually abused. However there may be signs to look for in students who are being sexually, emotionally or verbally abused. Here are a few signs for each type of abuse. Take notice of the small subtle indicators as they may be very detrimental to a child’s life.
Emotional Indicators
- A child who does not show any love and affections
- Severe symptoms of depression and anxiety
- Overly compliant
- Seeks attention
Sexual Indicators
- Playing with toys inappropriately
- Fear of certain places such as bedrooms where the abuse occurs
- Does not like certain family members or friends of the family
- Unusual knowledge of sexual activities
Verbal Indicators
- Self destructive acts
- Low self esteem
- Non traditional survival behavior
- Developmental delay
-Taniqua Shields
References:
[1] http://www.childmatters.org.nz/85/learn-about-child-abuse/recognise-the-signs/sexual-abuse
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