How do I know if a child has been sexually abused?
The following are some possible signs that a child may have been sexually abused:
More sexual knowledge than appropriate for age
Child initiates sexual behavior
Child draws sexualized pictures
Frequent urinary tract infections
Fearfulness of places and persons
Frequent complaints of headache or stomachache
Sudden drop in school performance
Fighting or other aggressive behaviors not previously seen before
Running away from home or truancy from school
Suicidal thoughts
Nightmares or inability to sleep
Bed-wetting
Changes in eating habits
Excessive masturbation
Lack of trust in others
Promiscuous behavior, including prostitution
Self mutilation or suicidal behaviors
Drugs and alcohol
What if I was abused as a child?
If you are an adult who was sexually abused as a child, you may at times have experienced the following:
Difficulty sleeping
Feel uneasy at certain times/certain situations for no apparent reason.
Feel emotionally overwhelmed much of the time
Struggle with addictions (food, alcohol, spending money you do not have).
Find yourself in unrewarding and sometimes abusive relationships without understanding why.
Whether you choose an individual counseling relationship, or choose to join a support group for survivors of sexual abuse, counseling can be the crucial first step toward sorting through feelings and experiences and gaining control of your life.
Get to know the facts about child sexual abuse:
1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys will be sexually assaulted by the age of 18- Red Flag/ Green Flag Resources
A child is sexually abused in the United States every 2 minutes- Red Flag/Green Flag Resource
1 in 2 rape victims is under 18; 1 in 6 is under 12- Justice Department / Child Rape victims, 1992
Among rape victims less than 12 years of age, 90% of the children knew the offender, according to police-recorded incident data- Bureau of Justice Statistics and data from the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program of the FBI Jan.-Feb. 97
