Signs Of Child Abuse

It is an unthinkable crime directed against the most vulnerable – child abuse.

But would you know what constitutes the crime and when to report it?

According to the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, there are specific criteria that meet the definition.

And under the law in Ontario, every citizen who suspects a child is being harmed has the duty to report it.

Unfortunately, the rules don’t have a lot of teeth, and the C.A.S. admits there’s only a penalty for a set number of professionals.

That means it would be up to the police and the Attorney General’s Office to decide if you should have reported something you knew.

The C.A.S. knows many people are reluctant to get involved and don’t want to cause problems for people they don’t know.

But the Society suggests you tell them and let them investigate – and if there’s nothing there, no one is harmed.

The alternative is you could save a child’s life.

Those required by law to always tells authorities what they suspect include:

• Health care professionals, (physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and psychologists)
• Teachers, and school principals;
• Social workers and family counsellors;
• Priests, rabbis and other members of the clergy;
• Operators or employees of day nurseries;
• Youth and recreation workers (not volunteers);
• Peace officers and coroners;
• Solicitors;
• Service providers and employees of service providers; and any other person who performs professional or official duties with respect to a child.

Signs of Child Abuse

When most of us think about child abuse, we get a picture of a youngster being hit. But sadly, there are a lot of other ways that a kid can suffer the slings and arrows of these outrageous fortunes.

Here are a few of them, along with the signs of each.

Physical Abuse

• Bruises;
• Welts;
• Cuts;
• Fractures;
• Burns;
• Internal injuries.

Indicators

• Cannot recall how injuries occurred or offers an inconsistent explanation
• Wary of adults
• May cringe or flinch if touched unexpectedly
• Infants may display a vacant stare
• Extremely aggressive or extremely withdrawn
• Indiscriminately seeks affection
• Extremely compliant and/or eager to please
• Injuries that are not consistent with explanation
• Presence of several injuries that are in various stages of healing
• Presence of various injuries over a period of time
• Facial injuries in infants and preschool children
• Injuries inconsistent with the child’s age and developmental phase

Signs of Sexual Abuse

• Age inappropriate play with toys, self or others displaying explicit sexual acts
• Age inappropriate sexually explicit drawing and/or descriptions
• Bizarre, sophisticated or unusual sexual knowledge
• Prostitution
• Seductive behaviours
• Unusual or excessive itching in the genital or anal area
• Torn, stained or bloody underwear (may be observed if the child needs bathroom assistance)
• Pregnancy
• Injuries to the genital or anal areas, e.g. bruising, swelling or infection
• Venereal disease   

Emotional Abuse

May be the hardest to spot. Consists of methods that injure a child’s self worth, including excessive yelling, rejection, isolation and more.

Indicators

• Severe depression
• Extreme withdrawal or aggressiveness
• Overly compliant, too well mannered, too neat or clean
• Extreme attention seeking
• Displays extreme inhibition in play
• Bed wetting that is non-medical in origin
• Frequent psychosomatic complaints, headaches, nausea, abdominal pains
• Child fails to thrive

Neglect

Neglect occurs when a caregiver fails to provide basic needs such as adequate food, sleep, safety, supervision, clothing or medical treatment. Most often spotted by someone that has frequent contact with the child, like a teacher.

Indicators

• Pale, listless, unkempt
• Frequent absence from school
• Inappropriate clothing for the weather, dirty clothes
• Engaged in delinquent acts, alcohol/drug abuse
• Frequently forgets a lunch

Physical indicators

• Poor hygiene
• Unattended physical problems or medical needs, e.g. dental work, glasses
• Consistent lack of supervision

Source: Children’s Aid Society of Toronto

How To Tell If An Online Predator Is Targeting Your Child:

A child or teen spends large amounts of time online
Most children who fall victim to online predators spend a lot of time online, particularly in chat rooms. In such cases, parents should monitor how much time is spent online, and in what activities.

You find pornography on the family computer
Predators often use pornography to sexually victimize children-often supplying it as a way to open sexual discussions with potential victims. Child pornography may be used to convince a child victim that adults having sex with children is “normal.” Parents should be aware that a child may hide pornographic files on diskettes, especially if the computer is used by other family members.

A child or teen receives phone calls from people you don’t know; or makes calls to numbers you don’t recognize-sometimes long distance
Online predators may try to contact young people to engage in “phone sex,” or to try to set up a real-world meeting. If kids are hesitant to give out their home phone number, online sex offenders will give out theirs. Some have even obtained toll-free 1-800 numbers, so their potential victims can call them without their parents finding out. Others will tell the child to call collect-and then, with Caller ID, they can easily find out the child’s phone number.

A child or teen receives mail, gifts, or packages from someone you don’t know
It’s common for offenders to send letters, photographs, and all manner of gifts to their potential victims. Computer-sex offenders have even sent plane tickets to try to entice a child or teen to travel across the country to meet them.

A child or teen becomes withdrawn from family and friends; or quickly turns the computer monitor off or changes the screen if an adult comes into the room
Online predators work hard to drive wedges between kids and their families, often exaggerating any minor problems at home. Sexually victimized children often become withdrawn and depressed. And if kids are avoiding their friends or skipping classes, they may be attempting to meet with a predator.

A child is using someone else’s online account
Even kids who don’t have access to the Internet at home may meet an offender while online at a friend’s house or the library. Predators will sometimes provide their victims with a computer account, so they can communicate with them.

What Can You Do If A Child Is Being Targeted?

• You should contact your local police immediately if an online correspondent sends a young person child pornography or sexually explicit images; and especially if a young person is actually sexually solicited.
• Check your computer for pornographic files or any kind of sexual communications-these can be warning signs.
• Monitor the child’s access to all live electronic communications, such as chat rooms, instant messages, and email. Online predators almost always meet potential victims in chat rooms at first, and then continue communicating with them electronically via email.

Courtesy of the Media Awareness Network

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