Children are innocent and deserve a fair shot at living life without growing up too fast. The unfortunate reality is that child sexual abuse is rampant in our society. When a child is taken advantage of in this way, it can create lifelong psychological trauma and damage.
The worst part is that children often don’t have the capacity and understanding to let you know that they’re being abused, or even know what is happening to them. Because of this, you should hone in on the warning signs like a hawk.
Here are some of the signs of sexual abuse that you should look out for if you have children.
1. They’re Experiencing Symptoms of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
If you have a young child that is experiencing sexually transmitted disease (STD) symptoms, this should be a huge red flag. When you notice rashes or bumps around their mouth or genitals with no explanation for it, make sure to take them to the doctor.
Their physician will be able to run some tests to see if your child has contracted an STD. They will also give you their professional opinion and may recommend that you contact the authorities or do more research.
2. Your Child Begins Inappropriately Expressing Sexuality and Adult Knowledge
Since children don’t fully understand sexual situations, they will often re-enact the abuse that they’ve experienced in normal life situations. If you see your child acting sexually inappropriate or obsessively speaking on adult themes, they’ve definitely been exposed to some form of sexual abuse.
It’s important that you get to the bottom of this issue, since kids that are sexually abused may become disruptive in school and begin acting out with others.
3. They’re Becoming Unusually Quiet and Secretive
If your child is becoming noticeably withdrawn and secretive, this can also be a warning sign of abuse. This is particularly noteworthy if the change came out of nowhere, or your child has never been shy or quiet before.
They may also begin keeping secrets and otherwise acting strangely.
4. You Notice Them Going Back to Childish Behavior That They’ve Grown Out Of
Kids that have been abused sometimes regress to childish behaviors that they’ve already grown out of. This could mean throwing tantrums, wetting the bed, and crying like a baby.
These regressions almost always are the result of some sort of psychological trauma when they happen at an extreme level.
5. They Don’t Want to Be Left Alone With Certain People
Finally, listen to your child when they have an unusual aversion to certain people. If they don’t want to be left alone with specific adults or children and are consistent about it, this could be a warning sign.
The main thing you need to do is take action after you realize your child has been abused. You should visit www.sexabusesurvivorlawfirm.com to ask about the next steps.
Get to Know the Different Signs of Sexual Abuse
When you consider these signs of sexual abuse, you can work to make a huge difference to protect your child from further trauma. Children can’t often speak for themselves or don’t understand what’s going on, so learning as much as you can about the warning signs will help you remain vigilant.
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