Identifying Signs of Abuse In Children
In recent times there has been increasing reports in the news regarding the amount of abuse occurring against our nation’s children. Abuse does not occur on a singular scale. It consists of three different forms – physical, sexual, and emotional (neglect). Everyone who endures abuse reacts to the traumatic experience differently. As it relates to abuse in children, it may be hard for persons to recognize the signs.
It may be difficult for a child to manage their emotions and behaviour after enduring a traumatic experience. Children who endure abuse may experience shame, guilt or confusion. They may experience fear which may cause them to be scared to tell anyone about the abuse, especially if the abuser is a relative or family friend. Based on their apprehension to identify or discuss their abuser, it is helpful to look out for the following warning signs (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2015):
- Changes in behaviour — such as anger, aggression, hostility or hyperactivity
- Withdrawal from friends or typical activities
- Rebellious or defiant behaviour
- A sudden loss of self-confidence or a display of depression, anxiety or unusual fears
- Changes in school performance
- Frequent absences from school
- Reluctance to leave school activities, as if he or she doesn’t want to go home
- An apparent lack of supervision
- Attempts at running away
- Attempts at suicide
Depending on the type of abuse, the signs and symptoms may vary. These however are just warnings and may not solely indicate that the child is being abused. They could be indicators for other conditions. Professional support and assessments may need to be done as a follow up to ascertain and address what exactly is happening with the child.
Let’s explore the three major forms of abuse and how they may present in a child’s behaviour.
Emotional Abuse Signs
- Headaches or stomach aches with no medical cause
- Social withdrawal or a loss of interest or enthusiasm
- Loss of self-confidence or self-esteem
- Depression
- Delayed or inappropriate emotional development
- Desperately seeks affection
- Avoidance of certain situations, such as refusing to go to school or home or taking transportation to go to school or home
- A decrease in school performance or loss of interest in school
- Loss of previously acquired developmental skills
Signs of Neglect
- Poor hygiene
- Eating a lot in one sitting or hiding food for later
- Poor record of school attendance
- Poor growth or weight gain
- Lack of clothing or supplies to meet physical needs
- Taking food or money without permission
- Emotional swings that are inappropriate or out of context to the situation
- Lack of appropriate attention for medical, dental or psychological problems or lack of necessary follow-up care
- Indifference
Physical Abuse Signs
- Unexplained injuries, such as bruises, fractures or burns
- Injuries that do not match the given explanation
- Untreated medical or dental problems
Sexual Abuse Signs
- Blood in the child’s underwear
- Trouble walking or sitting or complaints of genital pain
- Sexual behaviour or knowledge that’s inappropriate for the child’s age
- Pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection
- Statements that he or she was sexually abused
- Abuse of other children sexually
Photo retrieved from http://www.eschooltoday.com/child-abuse/physical-child-abuse/help-for-physically-abused-kids.html
Reviewing your interactions with your child
As a parent or caregiver here are some questions to ask yourself to encourage awareness of your interactions with your child.
- Do I blame the child for problems that occur or deny that problems exist at home or school?
- Do I show little concern for the child?
- Am I unable to recognize emotional or physical distress in the child?
- Am I constantly blaming or belittling my child and describing him or her with negative terms like “good for nothing”?
- Am I using harsh physical discipline or ask teachers to do so?
- Am I demanding an inappropriate level of academic or physical performance?
- Am I expecting my child to provide me with attention and care or become jealous of other family members getting attention from him or her?
- Am I overtly limiting my child from interacting with others?
Another question to ask is whether the caregiver or parent has a tendency to provide contradicting explanations or no explanation at all for their child’s injuries.
Support
The warning signs mentioned above are provide to help identify the different characteristics of abuse that may occur in children. The child may not be empowered enough to speak out for themselves due to fear or other emotions. It is encouraged that we become advocates for the child. This would entail seeking help and support for the child by reporting it to the specific protective agencies as well as seeking medical and/or psychological services.
Reference:
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (2015). Diseases and Conditions – Child Abuse.
Written by Lesli-Ann Belnavis, Registered Art Therapist
Learn MoreARMADALE: Children on Fire
UNICEF Jamaica shares the memorial of Randy McLaren calling to mind the 22 girls who were in the fateful room and the 7 girls who lost their lives at Armadale on May 22, 2009 in Jamaica.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tgV6lBS5tQ?rel=0&w=1280&h=720] Learn MoreJerry Sandusky and the Mind of a Pedophile
The paedophile is NOT a scary monster. The paedophile is the loving, helpful family friend, or family member who takes advantage of parental trust to win a target and capture a victim.
Have parents muted the voice that speaks niggling concern and disturbing discrepancy. Are parents striving to be attune to what their child is saying, without words.
This paedophile explains how children are chosen not just on the child’s personal characteristics, but also on the loose parenting style of the family. Please take heed.
Jerry Sandusky and the Mind of a Pedophile : The New Yorker.
When monsters roam free, we assume that people in positions of authority ought to be able to catch them if only they did their jobs. But that might be wishful thinking. A pedophile, van Dam’s story of Mr. Clay reminds us, is someone adept not just at preying on children but at confusing, deceiving, and charming the adults responsible for those children
The pedophile is often imagined as the dishevelled old man baldly offering candy to preschoolers. But the truth is that most of the time we have no clue what we are dealing with.
***
The successful pedophile does not select his targets arbitrarily. He culls them from a larger pool, testing and probing until he finds the most vulnerable. Clay, for example, first put himself in a place with easy access to children—an elementary school. Then he worked his way through his class. He began by simply asking boys if they wanted to stay after school. “Those who could not do so without parental permission were screened out,” van Dam writes. Children with vigilant parents are too risky. Those who remained were then caressed on the back, first over the shirt and then, if there was no objection from the child, under the shirt. “The child’s response was evaluated by waiting to see what was reported to the parents,” she goes on. “Parents inquiring about this behavior were told by Mr. Clay that he had simply been checking their child for signs of chicken pox. Those children were not targeted further.” The rest were “selected for more contact,” gradually moving below the belt and then to the genitals. The child molester’s key strategy is one of escalation, desensitizing the target with an ever-expanding touch.
Read more http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2012/09/24/120924crat_atlarge_gladwell#ixzz27DRQI8qj
This article is written by Malcolm Gladwell, Strong Jamaican links.
Learn MoreSuggestions To The Growing Problem Of Child Sexual Abuse In The Caribbean
It seems as though leaders are unable to formulate solutions. Here are a few:
Why not start with schools? Add a class on setting appropriate physical boundaries to the curriculum, and make it a part of health and fitness. Being healthy means that we’re fully functional in mind, body and spirit. Make the curriculum more inclusive, and teach our children the importance of saying “no.” Most importantly, teach them that it’s ok to speak about uncomfortable situations, especially when they are told not to. In many Caribbean homes, parents are afraid or don’t know how to address the difficult issues. This is one area where the system should step in to fight the battle through education.
Why not start with a change in perspective? In our society, victims are made to feel as though the incident was their fault. Children who survive sexual assault and live to tell the tale are then plagued with unnecessary guilt because society generally lead victims to believe they somehow contributed to the attack. Meanwhile, molesters, rapists and abusers go on to lead “happy” lives molesting other children. A change in our environment cannot take place until Caribbean communities change their perspective on sexual assault. How could we facilitate change? By starting a campaign, by broadcasting public service announcements, by making the solution an initiative to improve neighborhoods, it is quite possible to change the thought process.
Why not start with zero tolerance for sex offenders? Yes, one strike you’re out. Being molested is an experience that stays with the victim forever. Since victims have to put in a lot of work to manage this trauma, why shouldn’t offenders be punished heavily the first time?
Click the link below for more straight shooting suggestions…
There is a growing call for action ACTION action. Will you join the movement? What suggestions do you have to share that can stem the tide of child sexual assault that floods our Caribbean shores?
Learn MoreThree lessons from Armadale – JamaicaObserver.com
Learn MoreThe fire at Armadale Juvenile Correctional Centre on May 22, 2009 should have transformed Jamaica’s juvenile justice system. It should have caused a national reflection on how the State treats the vulnerable, the incarcerated and the condemned. Amidst ever-increasing levels of distrust in politicians and public officials, in addition to constant claims of inaction and a refusal to hold individuals accountable, this was an opportunity to prove us critics wrong.
Instead, three years later, it proved three things:
Lesson 1: They gonna talk
On November 3, 2009, then Solicitor General Douglas Leys told the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that, “a new culture is emerging, a new day is dawning in the attitude of the State towards children in places of safety”.
Less than three years since Leys’ statement, the question should be asked, has the new day arrived? A look at a few headlines since the start of the year shows us that we have not learnt much, if anything at all.
On January 26, news surfaced that the Children’s Advocate received reports that Maxfield Park Children’s Home lacked proper safety measures, a resident nurse, fire extinguishers and had a malfunctioning fire hydrant. A new culture?
A couple of weeks after, the country was informed that children were still being held in police lock-ups and adult prisons. It was reported that 40 boys were in adult lock-ups and 56 girls in adult prison. A new day?
Lesson 2: Impunity reigns
The fire occurred under the watch of Mrs June Spence-Jarrett, the acting commissioner of corrections at the time. She assumed this position in December 2008, having previously been a deputy commissioner and director of juvenile institutions.
Then, in July of 2009, during the Armadale Enquiry, Mrs Spence-Jarrett was promoted to commissioner of corrections. It wasn’t until March 2010, after the release of the Armadale Report and mounting public pressure, that she was removed only to be assigned as the CEO of the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica.
New attitude? Apparently not. The attitude remains the same: we must place more emphasis on protecting the reputation of adults than on the well-being of our children.
Lesson 3: We have to act
Unfortunately, the cycle of gross neglect towards children in State care has become engrained in our culture. However, the same is true for the cycle of silence on the part of Jamaicans. We must accept responsibility for our inaction and indifference. It is our duty to keep the fire under the Government’s feet, for the sake of our children. We have the power to determine what will be said at the fourth, fifth and 10th Armadale memorials.
Let us be the ones who ensure that all children are taken out of adult lock-ups. Let us call for the provision of quality education by qualified teachers for all children in juvenile justice institutions. Let us insist that all institutions are equipped with a full-time medical orderly or nurse in-residence as well as an increase in visits from medical and mental health personnel.
It is said that with a new day comes a new beginning. Not so for our children in State care. They deserve a new day, a new culture and a new attitude. We must act, and we must act now.
Alexis Goffe
Kingston, Jamaica
LIME drops ‘Potential Kidd’ over offensive lyrics
POWER TO THE PARENTS of JAMAICA! LIME Drops Potential Kidd from school campaign.Thanks to each and everyone who fought this. Your voice and your vigilance made a Change.
LIME drops ‘Potential Kidd’ over offensive lyrics – News – Latest News – Jamaica Gleaner.
In a message posted on its social media pages, LIME said, after analyzing the unedited version of the song, it agreed that the lyrics were unacceptable. “What we would want is for our artistes to express themselves freely but responsibly and we think civil society can play a big role in this regard,” said LIME Jamaica’s Managing Director, Garry Sinclair.
Why would LIME fail to listen to the unedited version BEFORE contracting the entertainers services?
Potential Kidd has reportedly apologized to persons who may have been offended by the lyrics. “I do not support violence against women or homosexuals,” he is quoted as saying in a release from LIME.
…Hmmmm, is THAT right?
Learn MoreChild Care and Protection Act (Jamaica)
Below are the links to some of the pivotal document relating to child and adolescent sexual reproductive health, protection and rights. Please let us know if there is a document you would like us to include in this post.
- These are links to the Child care and Protection Act 2004 of Jamaica, and the subsidiary legislation as found on the website of the Ministry of Justice.
Child Care and Protection Act (link for download)
CCPA Subsidiary Legislation (link for download)
- The National Family Planning board examines Controversies with the Law (CCPA 204) and Policy (Reproductive Health Policy Guidelines for Health Professionals, May of 2004) related to Reproductive Health for Adolescents.
- Here is a report on the reproductive and sexual health of Jamaican Youth published by Advocates for Youth.