Warning Signs

Remember that severe changes in behavior can signal not only mental, but physical changes in a child. Not all these changes are bad. As a parent or teacher or counselor you need to determine the cause of the change and determine if help is needed.

 PHYSICAL INDICATORS OF SEXUAL ABUSE

·        Torn, stained, or bloody underclothing

·        Pain or itching in genital area

·        Difficulty walking or sitting

·        Soreness, redness, chaffing, lacerations, or bleeding around genitals vaginal, or anal areas

·        Frequent urinary or yeast infections

·        Blood in urine or stools

·        Complaints of genital or rectal pain

·        Pain experienced in elimination

·        Sexually transmitted disease

·        Pregnancy

  BEHAVIORAL INDICATORS OF SEXUAL ABUSE

·        ANY major, quick change in behavior

·        Sudden school difficulties

·        Drawings in conjunction with verbal testimony

·        Becomes frantic when his or her diaper is changed

·        Prayer requests or written allusion

·        Verbal testimony

·        Frequent bathing/washing

·        Sudden strong desire for perfume or cologne

·        Withdrawal, chronic depression

·        Sexual knowledge, through language or behavior, that is beyond what is normal for their age

·        Copying adult sexual behavior

·        Inappropriate sexual behavior such as kissing on the mouth and/or attempting to insert tongue in your mouth

·        Excessive seductiveness

·        Role reversal, overly concerned for siblings

·        Poor self-esteem, self-devaluation, lack of confidence

·        Peer problems, lack of involvement

·        Massive weight change

·        Suicide attempts (especially adolescents)

·        Hysteria, lack of emotional control

·        Inappropriate sex play or premature understanding of sex

·        Threatened by physical contact or closeness

·        Precocious behavior.

A Young Child:

·        Becomes frantic when his or her diaper is changed.

·        Is hyperactive.

·        Is disruptive and / or demanding.

·        Shows unhappiness by crying or being unduly anxious.

·        Behaves in an overly compliant manner.

·        Has a short attention span or displays lack of attention.

·        Is preoccupied: seems to live in a "dream world".

·        Attempts sexual behavior with other children, toys, or animals and may act in an angry, aggressive, or controlling fashion.

·        Displays regressive behavior

   o       Such as return to younger, more babyish behavior

      §          I.e.: thumb sucking, bed wetting or soiling, baby talk, clinging, etc.

·        Inserts objects into the vagina or rectum.

·        Is clinging or excessively dependent.

·        Has sleep disturbances

   o       i.e.: nightmares or fear of the dark, fear of going to bed, screaming, phobias, hysteria, etc.

·        Has a change or loss of appetite.

·        Protests suddenly or continuously when left with someone he or she knows

·        Such as a relative, neighbor, day care worker, baby-sitter, etc.

·        Has a fear of particular area of the house or a particular family member or is afraid of being left alone with a person of a particular sex.

·        Gives an indirect message by refusing to go to the house of a relative or friend for no apparent reason.

·        Is inappropriately affectionate toward strangers.

·        Shows and unusual and exaggerated interest in people's bodies.

·        Has a detailed and age-appropriate understanding of sexual behavior and is preoccupied with sex in conversations.

·        At play explicitly mimics sexual activities.

·        Displays unusual interest in or preoccupation with sexual acts or language far beyond the developmentally normal level and may act out with sexual approaches that appear to be sexually provocative behavior with adults.

·        Draws pictures that indirectly depict sexual activity/sexualized drawings.

·        Reverts to bed-wetting.

·        Is suddenly reluctant or resistant to going to a specific place

   o       i.e.: going to school or home after school, or to the day care, baby sitter, etc.

·        Has nonspecific physical complaints

·        Such as headaches, sore throat, nausea, etc.

·        Is irritable or has sudden shifts in temper.

·        Hints about sexual activity or states that he/she has been abused.

·        Makes unusual statements that only make sense in a sexual content.

·        Is unable to concentrate at school

   o       i.e.: performance suddenly deteriorates.

·        Has poor peer relationships or is unable to make friends.

·        Has a poor self-image and lacks self-esteem.

·        Does not participate in school and/or social activities.

·        Is afraid to remove clothing for gym classes or at the doctor's office or refuses to use toilet facilities when attending day programs.

·        Where a male perpetrator has sexually abused a female, shows seductive behavior with males.

·        Wears an excessive amount of clothing.

·        Does not trust people-particularly significant others.

In An Older Child:

·        Loses his or her friends.

·        Has academic problems.

·        Is unable to concentrate

   o       i.e. performance at school suddenly deteriorates.

·        Is truant.

·        Withdraws, both from usual activities and from others.

·        Has recurrent physical complaints that are without physiological basis

   o       i.e.: abdominal pain, headaches, sore throat, nausea, etc.

·        Does not trust people, particularly significant others.

·        Is unable to "have fun".

·        Suffers from clinical depression.

·        Has suicidal feelings or behavior.

·        Engages in self-destructive behavior

   o       i.e.: drug or alcohol abuse, suicide attempts, etc.

·        Suddenly loses interest in her/himself

   o       i.e.: there is a change in personal hygiene or care.

·        Has a poor self-image and lacks self-esteem.

·        Is unable to eat or overeats excessively.

·        Is unable to sleep.

·        Acts out or behaves aggressively.

·        Makes unusual statements that only make sense in sexual context.

·        These may be written statements in a diary or a school project, such as work journal.

·        Hints about sexual activity or states that he or she has been abused.

·        Has a sudden interest in sex, pregnancy, or sexually transmitted diseases.