6 Ways to Prevent Child Abuse

Posted by Editor on Dec 5th, 2016 in Parenting Bulletins | 0 comments

 

Any help you can offer to support kids and parents will greatly help in reducing the stress that can lead to child abuse. By educating yourself—and other people—you can help the community prevent child abuse. The behaviour of children may show signs of abuse long before you start noticing changes in their physical appearance. If you suspect that abuse may be happening, report it to the authorities right away.

1. Talk to Your Children

Make sure that your children knows that it is their right to always feel safe, and that it’s not their fault if they happen to find themselves in abusive circumstances. When your children know that they have the right, they are more likely to report to you if and when they feel that they are abused.

2. Understand the Scope of Abuse

Other than sexual and physical abuse, there are many forms of child abuse. There’s mental abuse, isolation, rejection, insult and failure to provide the basic necessities of life. The more you know about the different forms of abuse, the better you will see when it is already happening.

3. Know the Signs

Obviously, physical signs like wounds and bruises are clear signs of abuse, but there are also signs that aren’t visible. Oftentimes, children who are abused show signs of mistrust, depression, hostility and lack of personal hygiene, as well as difficulty in making new friends. If you see any of these signs in a child, suspect that there is something wrong going on.

4. Notice if the Child Fears Going Home

If you notice that your child doesn’t want to go or stay home or doesn’t want you to leave home without him or her, it could be a sign that they are abused at home. If they are afraid to go to school or to go anywhere with certain people, it could be because they are being abused.

5. Notice if the Child is Too Sexual

While sex education is taught in school, certain lessons are discussed at appropriate ages. However, children who are sexually abused often display more knowledge about sexuality than they ought to know. They may also use explicit language or display sexual behaviour.

6. Notice Any Changes Physically

Children who aren’t getting enough food to eat at home often show obvious physical changes. If you’re often away from home and your child is always left with someone else, such as a babysitter, seeing unexplained weight loss could mean that they are not getting enough nutrition.

If you have concerns or see any possibility of abuse, do not delay in addressing the issue. The sooner you take action, the earlier you’ll be able to prevent the physical, mental and/or emotional effects to your child.