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Signs
of Sexual Abuse
Wouldn't
children just tell if they had been sexually abused?
Not always. Children may have been threatened or made
to feel responsible. Sometimes children have told in
a roundabout way and their clues have gone unheard.
For example, a child might say, "I don't like to be
alone with Miss Smith," or "Mr. Brown acts funny with
me." Some children might say nothing because they think
no one cares what happens to them. Others might be too
young to tell.
How
can you know, then, if a child has been sexually abused?
There are both physical signs and changes in a child's
behavior that might indicate sexual abuse. While many
of the behavior changes may occur because of stress
other than sexual abuse in the child's life, such changes
should be looked into.
Physical
signs include:
-Irritated or reddened genitals, itching of genitals
or anus
-Pain or injury to the areas of the genitals or the
mouth
-Vaginal or penile discharge
-Urinary infection, difficulty with urination
-Unusual and offensive odors
-Venereal disease. It is not true that children can
catch venereal disease through nonsexual means. Presence
of venereal disease in children always means there
has been sexual contact with an infected adult or
older child.
-Pregnancy
Changes
in behavior include:
-Reluctance or fear of a person or of certain places,
such as showers and washrooms
-Clinging, anxious, irritable behavior
-Regression to babyish habits, such as thumb-sucking
-Sudden self-consciousness about genitals
-Fearful behavior toward examination of the mouth
-Sudden interest in genitals of others, sexual acts,
and terminology
-Sexual behavior that's inappropriate for the age
of the child, such as a young child "french kissing"
-Acting out sexual or abusive behavior with toys,
animals, or people
-Nightmares, bedwetting, fear or dark, difficulty
falling asleep, new fears
-Increase or decrease in appetite
-Drawings that are scary or use a lot of black and
red
-Vehement over-reaction when the child is questioned
about whether he or she was touched
From
"Talking About Child Sexual Abuse," by Cornelia
Spelman
©1985 Prevent Child Abuse America.
All
rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.
For a complete
brochure, contact Prevent Child Abuse America, 800-CHILDREN.
Prevent
Child Abuse America
200 S. Michigan Avenue, 17th Floor, Chicago, IL 60604-2404
phone 312-663-3520; fax 312-939-8962
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