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Do you know a child that is being abused?
- Nightmares, trouble sleeping, fear of the dark, or other sleeping problems
- Loss of appetite, or trouble eating or swallowing
- Sudden mood swings
- Fear of certain people or places (a child may not want to be left alone with a some other child or adult; or a child who is usually talkative may become quiet and distant when around a certain person).
- He or she has stomach illness all of the time with no identifiable reason.
- An older child begins behaving like a younger child (bed-wetting, thumb sucking etc)
- Refuses to talk about a "secret" he/she has with an adult or older child.
- The child cuts or burns herself or himself as an adolescent.
- The child develops a speech problem (stuttering, lisp) or refuses to speak
- The child refuses to undress in front of others in appropriate situations (gym class, sports practices)
- Soiled diapers, dirty hair, unwashed clothes, body odor.
- Sometimes weight loss and lackluster skin and/or hair due to poor diet
Do you know an adult who treats children inappropriately?
- Refuses to let a child set any of his or her own limits
- Was abused as a child and refuses to deal with it
- Encourages silence and secrets in a child
- His or her child, or a child in his or her care tends to overreact and become inappropriately frightened due to small mistakes
- Seems inappropriately aggravated when a person stops by unannounced
Stop Date or Friend Abuse
Get away from your abuser by IMMEDIATELY ending the relationship. This will not be easy to do. Find the courage and wisdom to do it anyway. If your abuser has a temper or has been controlling you for a long time, don’t call him names (like verbal abuser, mental abuser, etc) Just explain that you no longer want to be in the relationship, period, the end, and stop seeing him/her. Don’t trust the “promises” about loving you, or treating you better, which your abuser will make. Abusers are like leopards; they can’t change their spots. If you are scared for your life, get help immediately!
How to Report Suspected Abuse
Call the local Child Protective Services (CPS) Agency of the agency located in the state where the suspected abuse has taken place. There is no federal jurisdiction for abuse cases. Each state has its own laws regarding abuse and reports of abuse. Some states require you, by law, to report any suspicions that you have regarding abuse. Depending on where you live, it can be a crime to keep your suspicions a secret.
Visit www.acf.dhhs.gov for the phone number of your local agency.
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