How to identify violence against children

They are two kinds of situations when the children are victims of violence: when they see the violence against their mother, and this affects them emotional, behavioral and academically, or when they are victims of the aggressor themselves.

There exist different kinds of child abuse: physical, sexual, emotional and abandon.

To identify physical violence is important to be alert about:

• Bruises, burns or scars in the skin of the child.
• Broke or dislocated bones.
• The kid is scared about the parents and don´t want to go home after school.
• The kid affirms that the parents or guardian hurt him or her.
• The kid is afraid when an adult is near him.

It is important to see if the parents or other guardian can´t explain the kid injuries, if they affirm that the child is bad or use extreme discipline against him or her.

To identify sexual violence, here is what you should look for:

• The kid might have pains in genitals.
• Have difficulty in walking or sitting.
• Doesn't want to change clothes in the gym or doesn´t want to practice sports.
• He or she wet's the bed.
• She or he knows more than common about sex.
• Loses appetite.
• Girls get pregnant or have a venereal disease before they are14 years old.
• Leaves home.
• Affirms that he is victim of abuse from the parents or an adult guardian.

It is important to identify if the parent or adult is overprotecting the kid or limiting the contact with other kids (specially the opposite sex), if is jealous with other members of the family, is mysterious or lonely.

To identify emotional violence observe if the kid:

• Have behavioral changes suddenly: go to passivity to aggression, to calm to hysteric.
• His or her behavior is like an adult, for example: taking care of other child.
• His or her behavior is very childlike: hit his or her head.
• Have a slow emotional or physical development.
• Try to commit suicide.

Also the adult o parent in charge accused or humiliates the kid constantly, reject the kid openly or don´t want to accept the kid problems.

Finally to identify abandon is important to see if the kid

• Is absent to the school frequently.
• Is asking for money or food or thief this.
• Is dirty and smelling.
• Don´t have enough clothes to protect him or herself to the weather.
• Looks ill or with dental problems.

It is important to consider that maybe the parent or guardian is having troubles with drugs, alcohol, looks depress, have an irrational behavior, don´t care about child needs.

In all the cases is important to identify if the aggressor is lying and we can identify this with the face expression, with the sallow of saliva, the changes in the voice loud, and always when the kid tells you that he or she is being abused because the kids never lie.

The most of the times this signs are identified into the school, but is important to take care about this signs if you are a working parent and you leave your children with a nanny or guardian.

If you believe that one kid that you know is being abused because you recognize some of this behaviors please denounce the parents or guardian to protect the children life.

Source:
http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/sp_signs.cfm
http://rompeelmaltratodetuhijo.com/blog/como-ayudar-a-ninos-maltratados-detectando-las-mentiras-del-maltratador.html


By Claudia Fierro