Identifying
Child Sexual Abuse
Signs that a child is being sexually abused are often present , but they can be indistinguishable from other signs of child stress , distress or trauma . Knowing what to look for can help .
Signs of child sexual abuse can be physical and / or emotional , with physical signs being less common . Emotional signs can range from “ too perfect ” behavior to withdrawal , depression or unexplained anger . It ’ s important to remember that some children may show no signs at all . There are also red flag behaviors you can identify if you know what to look for to help intervene in the grooming process .
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EMOTIONAL SIGNS Emotional and behavioral signs or changes are more common than physical signs and can include :
• anxiety and depression
• sleep disturbances , including nightmares or night terrors
• change in eating habits
• unusual fear of certain people or places ; reluctance to be alone with a certain person
• changes in mood that may include anger , aggressiveness towards parents , siblings , friends , pets
• rebellion or withdrawal ; runaway behavior
• change in attitude towards school or academic performance ; lack of interest in friends , sports or other activities
• unexplained or frequent health problems like headaches or stomach aches
• poor self-esteem ; avoidance of relationships
• self-mutilation or change in body perception , like thinking of self or body as dirty or bad ; suicidal thoughts
• regression to previously outgrown behaviors , for example , bedwetting or thumb sucking
• abnormal sexual behaviors or knowledge of advanced sexual language and behaviors
• too “ perfect ” behavior or overly compliant behavior