Recognizing and Preventing Child Abuse

Child abuse is rampant in our society today and the only way to stop it is to know what the signs are. Too many teachers and neighbors are unaware of the symptoms and don´t realize until it´s too late. By educating people everywhere on how to recognize child abuse, it can be stopped. Symptoms of child abuse depend greatly on the type of abuse.

There are four main types of child abuse, physical, sexual, emotional and neglect. As physical abuse is often the most obvious, it also tends to be the most often reported. Neglect is possibly one of the more noxious forms of abuse, where the child is denied basic necessities, including love, food and care.

Physical abuse is any form of physical aggression against a child. This can include hitting or kicking and biting, or it may involve more extreme and pathological methods of inflicting pain, such as burning with cigarettes or whipping and cutting. Physical abusers often act in a fit of rage and the child is generally too afraid to ask for help. When asked, a physically abused child will come up with an excuse (often unbelievable) as to how he or she was injured. Thousands of children die from physical abuse every year because no one noticed or bothered to report what they saw.

Children who have been physically abused may seem fearful, especially when with their abuser. They tend not to trust adults and will flinch at sudden movements. Physically abused children also prefer not to return home and may linger abnormal amounts of time at the store or school in order to avoid returning to the place of abuse. In some cases, repeated or excessive injuries may be noted, but many children are very good at hiding these.