Signs That Your Child is Silently Suffering from Sexual Abuse
It is true that the harsh reality is something we cannot come to terms. And, likewise it is necessary that we familiarize ourselves with all the symptoms therein to understand if our children are victims of child sexual abuse. Here are some factors that might suggest your child is sexually abused.
Given the times we are in, the dangers that our children are exposed to are multi-pronged. As recent reports in media from across the country have shown, we and our society are unable to guard our children every waking hour. While a lot of steps are undertaken to equip children to know what is good and bad touch, how do we prepare ourselves to identify symptoms that something may be amiss. There are several steps that are drawn out. However, changes in regular behavior patterns are one of the simplistic ways of identifying the cause.
Factors That Might Suggest Someone is Sexually Abusing Your Kid
1. Emotional Outbursts
Emotional outbursts are visible signs in young children whose childhood has been affected with sexual abuse. More often than not, a child has been made to feel the guilty party in the act and threatened with shame in front of family and friends. It may cause a series of upheavals in a little one’s mind.
2. Withdrawal
Your little one may suddenly turn shy on seeing friends she has been playing with otherwise. She may refuse to interact with family with whom she was comfortable before. The fear of becoming the subject of ridicule is too heavy to play on a young mind.
3. Fear of Individuals
Watch out uncharacteristic refusal to interact with specific individuals and fear in your child’s body language when they are around. It may be the perpetrator. Studies indicate that in 90% of cases, the perpetrator was a known person.
4. Change in Behavioural Patterns
Eating tantrums or bed-wetting may often be a result of your child being a victim. The fear that the abuse will continue unabated is the cause for such extreme manifestations. There may also be sudden outbursts of anger in a child if he or she is going through abuse, as it indicates his frustration over the obvious lack of control over what he is being subjected to.
5. Physical Injuries
Noticing soreness or redness around your child’s private parts when you are bathing or dressing him up should immediately rouse up your antennae that all is probably not well. Ensure you take him in for a medical check-up as soon as possible, so as to rule out any doubts. Also, watch out for unexplained bruises or cuts that may be a result of abuse. The child may also begin touching his genitals more often in such a scenario. Blood in his undergarments, sexually transmitted infection, stomach aches in spite of no apparent medical condition – are additional symptoms to watch out for in your child.
6. Linguistic Changes
Children facing abuse also begin speaking differently from earlier. There may be a sudden unexplained surge in sexually-explicit language. You may notice them using different words for their private parts than what they used earlier or ones you have established as the norm. It should again set off warning bells ringing inside your head.
It is imperative that you are completely clued into your child’s behavioral patterns, so that even the slightest change gets noticed. Even if there is an inch of doubt in your mind that your child may be sexually abused, immediately seek the help and advice of a professional counselor who can scientifically examine your child.
