Signs of Child Abuse Exhibited by Children That Everyone Needs to Know
Children can be an absolute joy and blessing to those around them. Unfortunately, not everyone sees things that way. Some people view children as easy targets for abuse. This tragedy should never be allowed to happen in the first place, let alone continue. For this reason, it’s crucial that everyone become familiar with some of the signs that abused children exhibit.Sudden Changes in Behavior or Performance
When children experience abuse, it’s a painful, even traumatic, and confusing experience. Their abuser may convince them that they deserve the abuse they’re receiving. This makes it easy for them to doubt their worth and hard for them to trust others or focus on school. Often, children who experience abuse will exhibit a sudden change in their behavior or performance at school or other activities as a result.Unexplained Injuries
While not all abuse leaves injuries, some do. And while it’s perfectly normal for children to have the occasional bump, bruise, or scrape, some injuries should be red flags. Injuries like burns, black eyes, broken bones, bites, or bruises that don’t have an explanation are an indicator that the child may be physically abused. Be especially watchful for such injuries or healing injuries that are noticed after a prolonged absence from school. It’s not a 100% guaranteed sign of abuse, but it warrants further investigation.Talking About Their Abuse
Children tell stories. Some of them are true, while others are less so. If a child talks about being injured by a parent or another caregiver, that’s a story that should be looked into further. It may be an offhand remark in passing about something that was said or done to them. If you aren’t paying attention, you might miss it. It’s important to take such information seriously when it is given. Ignoring it or failing to act on the back of it may be the worst thing you could do. Knowing what to look for is the first step in stopping child abuse and preventing it from happening in the future. While every child is different and may respond differently to different forms or levels of abuse, sudden changes in behavior or performance, unexplained injuries, or talking about being abused are important signs that warrant attention. Addressing domestic violence is never easy, but having a San Diego Domestic Violence Attorney on your side can help. Contact us today so we can help you get the help you need for your case.
Bradley Corbett
Bradley Corbett is a criminal defense attorney in San Diego. He graduated from Brigham Young University in Provo Utah in 2004. Later he enrolled at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego where he participated in a prestigious internship program with the Los Angeles County Public Defender. Since then he has handled over 2,000 cases.