The Foundation Of Survivors

What is Child Abuse!!!!

What is child abuse?

Child abuse is not just sexual abuse. Children may be abused physically, emotionally, sexually or through neglect. Sometimes they can be abused in more ways than one.
Physical abuse is any physical injury done, non-accidentally, to a child, by a parent or care provider. Physical abuse endangers or impairs the child's physical or emotional health or development. Physical abuse includes shaking a baby.

Emotional abuse includes constant yelling, threatening, scaring the child, belittling them or playing games with their emotions.

Sexual abuse is when children (sometimes even toddlers and babies) are used in a sexual way by someone older. This includes everything from obscene exposure, to touching the genitals in a sexual way, to rape. It doesn't include normal sexual play between children.

Neglect is when children don't have enough food, love or care. Neglected children don't get enough love and affection, they may not have enough to eat, their injuries may be left untreated, their clothes may not be warm enough, they may be dirty and at risk of infection, or they may be left alone.

What does abuse do to children?

Children can be severely damaged by abuse. They are hurt physically, emotionally, mentally and socially. Their self-esteem is damaged, sometimes permanently. The effects of abuse go on for years long after the abuse has stopped. The sooner it can be stopped, the sooner the child can be helped to begin the process of healing.
How to tell if a child is abused?

General signs can tell you if a child or young person is upset about something. Abuse may be one cause.

General signs of upset include:
Moodiness, irritability, excessive crying
Loss of appetite - changes in eating habits
Changes in behaviour at school or towards other people
Personality changes
Withdrawing into themselves
Being afraid to go home, running away
Inability to concentrate
Having unexplained fears - of the dark, of being alone, of specific people (even relatives and friends), or places (bedrooms and toilets)
Sleep disturbances - nightmares, fear of going to bed or sleeping alone

Physical signs: bruises, burns, fractures, scalds or grazes
These injuries may be accidental - but if a child seems to be hurt often, the injuries are getting more serious, or there's something odd about them, it could be abuse.

Emotional abuse: this isn't as easy to see as other types of abuse. Children may:
Tend to believe they are bad and worthless
Have problems getting on with others, or be hard to live with
"Shut off" or become too good
Have difficulty controlling anger

Sexual abuse: often the only sign may be some slight emotional upset. Children may:
Complain of pain or irritation in the genital area, or get infections and urinary problems.
Start doing things they've grown out of - like crying, wetting, or soiling their pants, or clinging

Have inappropriate sexual play
Give a coded message or they may say directly that they are being abused.
Neglected children may:
Be sickly and fail to thrive
Look uncared for, undernourished, constantly dirty or ill
Do badly at school through being tired hungry or ill.
Child abuse is everyone's problem
It is more common than you may think.

It affects children from every type of home, family, religion, race and culture. In most cases of abuse, the abuser is well known to the child - a family member, close relative or friends of the family.
Should you report abuse?

Ask yourself the question: "Is the child safe?" If you answer "No", report the suspected abuse immediately to the Social Services, G.P, Hospital or the Police.

If you answer "Yes", but still have concerns about the child's well-being or are worried that the child is not being properly cared for, you can still report your concerns to Child Protection Team (every police station has one) and discuss them with a social worker.

If you suspect abuse, but can't decide if you should report it, talk to someone who might know. You could ask a  social worker for advice, or a nurse or a person you trust. You could speak to the parent directly, and offer help.

People are sometimes reluctant to make a report because they feel it's none of their business, or in case they're wrong, or because they're afraid of what might happen to them afterwards. However, someone reporting suspected abuse cannot get into trouble with the law as long as their report was made in good faith.

Remember: Children cannot defend themselves, just like me when it happened to me.
When children are being abused, they are usually too scared to tell anyone. They cannot help themselves. Too often, the people they should be going to for help are the ones who are abusing them.

Child abuse needs to be reported because it's likely to go on until someone gets help - and the people involved may be too ashamed or too distressed to get help for themselves. By reporting abuse, you can help make a child safe.
Are you hurting your child?

Sometimes parents and caregivers get stressed and take it out on their children. If you are worried about hurting your child, contact a parent support group  or ME ( other numbers are in the phone book or here in my resources page), or talk to someone you trust.

Note: You may think that shaking your baby does no harm, but it can easily cause brain damage or death.

Are you being abused?

If you are being abused, you should tell someone you trust. This could be another family member, a teacher or a social worker.

Who do you tell about abuse?

Child abuse should be reported to any social worker or a member of the Police.
Every attempt is made to investigate all reports of abuse. The family won't be told who made the report, but in most cases they can guess who it was. If the matter is taken to Court, you may be called as a witness but very few cases go to Court. If it does, your report would only be a small part of the evidence.

Investigating abuse
Whenever suspected abuse is reported, the matter is investigated by a social worker and/or a police officer.

In cases where there is sexual abuse or serious physical abuse, both social services and the Police will be involved because such abuse is a criminal matter.

When sexual abuse is suspected, the child may need to be interviewed following a special process set down for sexual abuse cases.

As far as is practical or desirable, the person who made the report is entitled to know the outcome of the investigation and if further action is to be taken.

What happens after the investigation?

If no abuse is found, the family and the person making the report are informed and no further action taken.
If there is a minor problem that requires a short-term solution, a family meeting may be called to let the family group work out a simple solution to stop the problem becoming more serious.
If the case is more serious or complicated, such cases will be referred to a Care and Protection Team at Social services who will organise a Family Group Conference to sort out how to make the child safe.

In some cases, the matter may go before the Family Court, which will listen to the family and all involved, and make a ruling. It could order counselling, or some kind of support or services for the family. The Court will try to make sure the child is protected and cared for.
As a last resort, the child or young person may be removed from their home to protect them from harm.
If a crime has been committed (sexual abuse or a serious assault), the Police may decide to prosecute the offender.

Download this: HANDS OFF E-BOOKLET  (Pdf)

Images of child sexual abuse on the internet

If you come across any disturbing or obscene material involving children on the Internet or via email , you can report it to the Internet Watch Foundation.  They are an official organisation of the UK Internet industry, and they can act to get images of child sexual abuse removed from the Internet.  If you report something on the Internet which you think may be child sexual abuse, IWF will follow up your information and contact the service provider to request that they remove the image. IWF will also pass on the information to the police so they can investigate.

You can contact the Internet Watch Foundation hotline on 08456 008844 or visit their website at www.iwf.org.uk 

Here Is Some Of Our Trusted Helplines

The Foundation of Survivors: Emergency (24hrs) text or Emergency helpline 07704 790548 (we will call you back)       For Non-Emergencies Call  0871 2771720


01793 878316, Telephone helpline for adult (17+) male survivors of child sexual abuse and adult rape. Answer phone messages are returned as soon as possible

Churches' child protection advisory service
08451 204 551
Available Monday to Friday 8.30am - 5pm The helpline exists to help leaders/workers in churches, children's groups and other organisations deal appropriately with issues of abuse and child protection. It is also available to parents and children/young people direct.

Other Abuse / Parent Lines:

Action on Elder Abuse Only 0808 808 8141

Contact a family helpline
0808 808 3555
Available Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm
This is a sensitive and sympathetic listening service for parents whose children have been diagnosised with a disability. It provides information on all medical conditions affecting children, including the rare disorders. Families are directed towards  local and national support groups, many of which provide help on a one-to-one basis.

FRANK campaign helpline
0800 776600
Available 365 days a year, 24 hours a day
The FRANK campaign helpline provides information and advice about drugs and information on local services. The service can take calls in over 120 languages via a three way call with a translator. There is also a website providing information and an email service for users to send in questions which will be responded to.

Freephone 24 Hour National Domestic Violence Helpline
0808 2000 247
Available 24hrs
Run in partnership between Women's Aid and Refuge. To offer support, help and information to women who are experiencing, or who have experienced, domestic violence.

Gingerbread advice line
0800 018 4318
Available Monday to Fiday 11am - 4pm
The Gingerbread advice line provides advice and emotional support to all lone parent families by telephone. Calls are confidential.

DON'T LET IT GET OUT OF CONTROL




Other Related Links

Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Centre (RASASC) - Helpline 020 8683 3300 / Counselling 020 8683 3311 - http://www.rasasc.org.uk

Telephone support and counselling service for women who have been raped or sexually abused Victim Support - 0845 30 30 900 - http://www.victimsupport.org.uk
Victim Support helps people cope with the effects of crime. There are separate advice sections for people living in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

For general advice and information on bullying see:
http://www.bullying.co.uk

For more help and information on dealing with stress please contact the International Stress Management Association (ISMA) PO Box 348,
Waltham Cross EN8 8ZL tel. 07000 780430, web: http://www.isma.org.uk