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According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), child maltreatment involves all types of abuse, including sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect, against any person or persons under the age of 18. The CDC's Child Maltreatment Fact Sheet defines sexual abuse of a minor as "involving or engaging a child in sexual acts. It includes fondling, rape, and exposing a child to other sexual activities." Physical abuse is defined as "the use of physcial force, such as hitting, kicking, shaking, burning or other show of force against a child."

 

Signs of Physical Abuse

• Unexplained injuries, especially those on parts of the body not usually affect by childhood injuries (i.e. eyes, mouth, back, thighs, buttocks, gential area, etc.)

• Repeated injuries such as bruises, welts, burns, especially those where the shape of the object is visible.

• Injuries in various stages of healing which appear in a regular pattern or are grouped together.

• Small circular burns from cigarettes or cigars, often found on forearms, hands, buttocks, or soles of the feet.

• Any burn that appears in a distinct shape that may indicate the object used to cause the burn.

• Burns caused by friction, usually found on arms, neck, legs, or torso indicating a rope or cord may have been used to tie up the victim.

• Unexplained fractures.

• Behavior by the child which may be hyperactive, disruptive, and aggressive, or complacent, compliant, shy, withdrawn, or uncommunicative.

• Denial by parents/guardians that anything is wrong, unlikely explanation of child’s injuries, delays in obtaining medical care.

 

Signs of Sexual Abuse

Children

• An older child behaving like a younger child (such as bedwetting, or thumb sucking)· Has new words for private body parts

• Resists removing clothes when appropriate times (bath, bed, toileting, diapering)

• Asks other children to behave sexually or play sexual games

• Mimics adult like sexual behaviors with toys or stuffed animals

• Wetting and soiling accidents unrelated to toilet training

 

Adolescents

• Self-injury (cutting, burning)

• Inadequate personal hygiene

• Drug and alcohol abuse

• Sexual promiscuity

• Running away from home

• Depression, anxiety

• Suicide attempts

• Fear of intimacy or closeness

• Compulsive eating or dieting

 

Visit our Classroom Warning Signs for spotting physical or sexual abuse of children and teens in the classroom setting.

 

Additional Resources:

• National Council on Child Abuse and Family Violence

• US Department of Justice National Sex Offender Public Website

• CDC: Child Maltreatment Prevention

• Adverse Childhood Experiences Infographic

• Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child