Shadows to Light
"A Guide to Child Abuse Reporting"
Windows Media Player File, 22min, streaming content |
| From the Office of the Attorney General comes this comprehensive overview of child abuse and the importance of reporting child abuse. |
The California Penal Code considers any person under the age of 18 a child.
Child abuse or neglect are defined as "a physical injury inflicted by other than accidental means on a child by another person".
Child sexual abuse is the willful harming of a child or endangerment of a child's health; and/or unlawful corporal punishment (P.C. 11165.6)
Abuse can involve either a child abusing another child (child-to-child), or an adult abusing a child (adult-to-child).
Now, we will look at both the physical and behavioral indicators of child abuse.
- A single indicator does not prove that abuse is taking place, but the repeated presence of an indicator or a combination of indicators should alert educators to the possibility of abuse.
- These indicators may include, but are not limited to, the items listed for each section below.
- Often there are no visible indicators.
Types of Child Abuse:
General and Severe Neglect
| General neglect is the negligent failure of a person having the care or custody of a child to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care or supervision and/or willfully causing or permitting the person or health of a child to be placed in a situation such that their person or health is endangered. Severe neglect is the failure of a parent or caretaker to protect the child from severe malnutrition or medically diagnosed non-organic failure to thrive. |  Neglect - General and Severe |
| Physical Indicators - Constant hunger, inappropriate dress, poor hygiene
- Consistent lack of supervision, especially for long periods.
- Abandonment
- Unattended physical problems or medical needs.
Behavioral Indicators - Begs or steals food
- Constant fatigue or listlessness
- Falls asleep during school
- Substance abuse
- Delinquency, self-destructive
- Reports of no caretaker at home
|
Physical Abuse
 Physical Abuse | - Striking
- Shaking
- Biting
- Burning
- Cutting
- Poking
- Twisting of limbs
- Torturing a child
|
| Physical Indicators - Unexplained bruises, welts, or burns
- Unexplained fractures, lacerations, or abrasions.
- Injuries inconsistent with information from the child.
Behavioral Indicators - Wary of physical contact by adults
- Behavioral extremes—aggressive or withdrawn
- Complains of soreness or discomfort
- Wears clothing inappropriate to weather
- Arrives early to meetings and stays late, as if afraid to go home
- Chronically runs away
|
Sexual Abuse
- Includes sexual assault
- Rape and rape in concert
- Sodomy
- Incest
- Child molestation
- Penetration by foreign object
- Sexual exploitation
|  Sexual Abuse |
| Physical Indicators -
Torn, stained, or bloody underclothes -
Difficulty walking or sitting -
Bruises or bleeding in external genitalia -
Pain or itching in genital area -
Venereal disease -
Pregnancy Behavioral Indicators - Withdrawn, chronic depression, poor self-esteem
- Threatened by physical contact or closeness
- Poor peer relationships
- Chronically runs away
- Inappropriate sexual behavior or premature knowledge of sex
- Reports sexual abuse by caretaker
- Suicide attempts
|
Emotional Abuse or Maltreatment
 Emotional Abuse | - Includes verbal assault
- Belittling
- Screaming
- Threats
- Blaming
- Sarcasm
- Unpredictable responses
- Continual negative moods
- Constant family discord
- Double-message communication
|
| Physical Indicators - Speech disorders
- Delayed physical development
- Substance abuse
- Ulcers, asthma, severe allergies
Behavioral Indicators - Habit disorders like thumb sucking and rocking
- Antisocial destructive behavior
- Neurotic traits like sleep disorders and an inhibition of play
- Overly adaptive behavior
- Developmentally delayed
- Suicide attempts.
Many of these physical and behavioral indicators, noticed alone, may not indicate child abuse. Observations of multiple indicators most likely indicate child abuse. The best indicator is when a youth confides in you or in another youth. |
| Please continue on to What is Child Abuse?, Pt. 2. | |