POLICE ASSOCIATION OF NOVA SCOTIA 71 Signs Of Child Abuse continued continued Sexual abuse Sexual abuse is another form of child maltreatment that deeply affects the physical and mental well-being of children. This form of abuse occurs when an adult – or even a teenager or older child – touches a child’s private parts or makes a child touch another person in a sexual way. However, this type of child abuse does not always involve body contact. Examples of non-touching sexual abuse include manipulating and forcing a child to pose for sexual photos or coercing a child to watch sexual acts. Sextortion is blackmail. It’s when someone online threatens to send a sexual image or video of you to other people if you don’t pay them or provide more sexual content. Online luring is when a person (typically an adult but not always) communicates with youth through technology, like texting, direct messaging, or chatting in an app/game/website, to make it easier to commit a specific sexual offence against them. This form of abuse causes a great deal of shame, confusion and guilt for children and youth. As a result, young people find it difficult to seek help. They fear that others may not believe their story or somehow blame them. Children may also fear splitting the family apart. Neglect Child neglect is the most common type of abuse, but it can be difficult to spot. This type of child abuse refers to failing to provide for a child’s basic needs. This includes affection, food, shelter, education, supervision or medical care. There are various reasons why a parent may be physically or mentally available to care for their child. For example, it could be due to a severe injury or illness, or even untreated anxiety or depression. Other times, drug or alcohol abuse may cloud a parent’s judgment to provide for their child and keep them safe. Emotional abuse Emotional abuse is a form of injuring a child’s emotional well-being. Painful words can seriously damage a child’s social development and mental health. Constant belittling or shaming can also cause a child’s confidence to drop. Frequent yelling, threatening or silent treatments as punishments are other examples of abuse. Limiting affection is also a form of emotional abuse, as the lack of love and care can change the social and mental development of a child. Warning Signs of Child Abuse Knowing the warning signs of child abuse will help you protect the child’s rights. A child may feel guilty or ashamed to tell the truth to somebody else. It may also be difficult to speak since the abuser may be their parent, relative, or family friend. The child may become increasingly secretive, especially regarding their time and activities spent online. Look through these warning signs of child abuse to reduce risks and possible outcomes for the child. Physical Abuse Physical abuse may be hard to identify since playing and other normal activities can lead to injuries. Be on the watch for unexplained injuries, such as burns, bruises, black eyes or broken bones. Forced to cover their injuries, children may wear inappropriate clothes to hide them. Wearing long-sleeved shirts on very hot days is an example. They may also flinch at sudden touches or movements.
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