1. (a) RECOGNISING CHILD ABUSE Introduction “The ability to recognise child abuse can depend as much on a person’s willingness to accept the possibility of its existence as it does on their knowledge and information.” (Children First 2011, p.10) We need to take time to raise our awareness of what child abuse involves, so that we can see it objectively and respond to it calmly and helpfully. The first step in helping abused or neglected children is learning to recognise the indicators of child abuse and neglect, because actual disclosure of abuse by a child can be quite rare. Some signs [of abuse] are more indicative than others. These include: o Disclosure of abuse by a child or young person o Age-inappropriate or abnormal sexual play or knowledge o Specific injuries or patterns of injuries o Absconding from home or a care situation o Attempted suicide o Under-age pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease o Signs in one or more categories at the same time. For example, signs of developmental delay, physical injury and behavioural signs may together indicate a pattern of abuse. (Children First 2011, pp. 10-11) However, there are rarely any obvious signs that a child has been sexually abused. Child abuse is very hard to ‘diagnose’, even for professionals.
Some Facts about Abuse (Adapted from Our Duty to Care, Volunteer Development Agency, Belfast 2007) The increased awareness of abuse in all its forms has prompted research, addressing questions such as: How many children suffer abuse? Who abuses children? What are the long-term effects of abuse? The facts listed below are based on research findings and challenge some widely-received myths. o A child is never to blame for sexual abuse. o Most abused children are abused by adults they know and trust. o Reported cases of child abuse are just the tip of the iceberg of the cruelty, exploitation and neglect to which children in our society are subjected. o Children with disabilities are more vulnerable to abuse; they are more dependent on intimate care and sometimes less able to tell anyone or run away from abusive situations.
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