Have you ever heard of child abuse? You probably have but most of the time when you think of child abuse is physical abuse but there are other kinds like sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect.
Physical abuse happens when a person responsible for a child or adolescent welfare cause physical injury or harm to a child some examples are hitting you with something, kicking you, burning you, punching you, threatening you with or attacking you with weapons, and twisting of your arms or legs. Basically physical abuse is when people adults or a person a few years older then you bodily harm.
Sexual abuse plainly means any kind of sexual contact that occurs between you and an adult or a much older teen that’s taking care of you.
Emotional abuse is when parents or care taker “Have caused or could cause serious behavioral, cognitive, emotional or mental disorders. Examples of emotional abuse is how they talk or act towards you, behaviors, ranging from severe punishment like locking you in a room or more common behaviors like blaming you, putting you down, threatening you or other family members or pets or just making you feel bad.Neglect is when someone supposed to take care of you but doesn’t. Examples of neglect are failure to provide you basic needs, and can be physical, educational, or emotional.
We went and talk to a family about what their abuse was like. They wish to stay anonymous these are the questions we asked. What type of Abuse did or are having did someone inflict on you? If it’s not to painful what do you say your abuse is/or was like? Who is this person that inflicted this pain and suffering on you? Do you see this man now and is he still inflicting this pain on you What would you say caused or is causing this person to inflict this pain on you? If you don’t mind reveling how old you where when/is happening How do you think this has changed your life and please explain what it was like having or had this pain inflicted on you? “My abuse was Molestation or sexual abuse. I don’t exactly remember what it was like but I remember always being scared of him. It was my biological father. No Fortney for my sister and me we don’t see him at all anymore and thanks to my mom we no longer live with him. I’m not sure why he would do that to mw but I feel it was just for his own pleasure when he was high or drunk. 3 or 4 years old I think it has made me mentally stronger in saying that if I can get through that I can get through that I can get through anything. Also I was lucky to have family support me when it all came out, I love them with everything.” This person’s sister has the same questions and here are her answers. “I had physical mental and sexual abuse. My physical abuse was very painful I actually have two scares one on my hand from when I was stab and the other from when he shot me the mental abuse made me have much less self esteem. Like my sister it was my biological father who did all these terrible things to me. I think what caused him to do all those things was the drugs and the alcohol. I was 1-3 years old when it all happened. I think that it has made me a stronger person mental and physically.”
The facts are that approximately 1,200 children and teens in the U.S. died as a result of abuse or neglect 44% of those deaths were from neglect, 51% from physical abuse and 5% from a combination of neglect and physical abuse. In 2000, Child Protective Services (CPS) responded to three million reports of child abuse involving 5,000,000 children and teens many of those reports where “substantiated” which means authorities proved that some kind of abuse or neglect occurred.
Experts estimate that 12% to 25% of girls and 8% to 10% of boys are sexually abused by the age of 18. To be child abuse the abuser has to be an adult or a few years older than you. 51% of abuse were white, 25% of abuse where African Americans, 15% where American Indian/Alaska natives, and 9% were Asian/Pacific islander.
The ways you can know you are being abused is when the abuser is touching you in a way that fills wrong, injured or physically hurt you, made you feel worthless, left you alone to care for yourself for an extended period of time without someone to care for you.
As a kid you have the right to be respected, to say no when someone touches you where you don’t want to be touched, to tell someone if you feel you have been abused or neglected, to be provided for, to receive and education, to receive medical care, to refuse sexual advances, not to be called names, to report any kind of maltreatment, not to be neglected, to be protected from any harmful situations, and most importantly not to be abused physically emotionally or sexually and to develop to be your best.
As a kid you have the right to be respected, to say no when someone touches you where you don’t want to be touched, to tell someone if you feel you have been abused or neglected, to be provided for, to receive and education, to receive medical care, to refuse sexual advances, not to be called names, to report any kind of maltreatment, not to be neglected, to be protected from any harmful situations, and most importantly not to be abused physically emotionally or sexually and to develop to be your best.
You should always have a safe haven where you fill safe for more for more information look for this book “WhenSomething Feels Wrong: A survival guide about Abuse for young people” By Deanna Pledge, PH.D. Hotlines include and websites:1-800-ALCOHOL (1-800-252-6465)
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance Info Hotline:
1-800-826-3632 or www.dbsalliance.org
Gay and Lesbian Nation hotline:
1-888-THE-GLNH (1-888-843-4564) or www.glnh.org
Girls and Boys Town National Hotline- Crisis Intervention Hotline:
1-800-448-3000 or www.girlsandboystown.org
National drug and alcohol treatment referral:
1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357) or www.drugabuse.com
National Referral Network for Kids Crisis:
1-800-KID-SAFE (1-800-543-7283)
Websites:
Gentle Touch’s web:
Online Depression Screening test:Out proud
www.outpoud.orgTeens Health:
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