Child Abuse - What Every Young Person & Teen Needs to Know

This info comes from a brochure from Prevention Of Child Abuse - Indiana Chapter. There is some really good info you might want to share with the teenagers in your life.

When parents or other adult caretakers deliberately harm a young person, it is child abuse. This harm can happen physically through hitting, beating, punching, and slapping or it can happen sexually when an adult or older person has sexual contact with a young person. Harm can also come to a young person when the need for food, clothes, a place to live, medical care or supervision are ignored by parents or the adult taking care of the young person. This is called neglect.

Another form of child abuse is called emotional abuse. A parent emotionally abuses his or her child when the parent rarely has anything good to say to the child, refuses to speak to the child for days, or threatens to hurt the child.

No! Child abuse can happen to young people from infants to teenagers. Sometimes it seems like teenagers should be able to fight back, but it's hard to stand up to an adult hitting or coming on sexually, especially when that adult is the teen's own parent. Cruel words from a parent hurt teens as much as they hurt a child.

Discipline is correcting the behavior of a child and showing the child how to behave in a m ore acceptable way. It does not have to be physical. Child abuse is deliberately injuring a child in a physical, sexual or verbal way.

People who abuse children are not necessarily crazy or monsters. They are usually people who don't feel good about themselves, are angry at the world and take it out on children. Very often, people who abuse children were themselves abused when they were little. Gronups hurt them when they were young, so now, as adults, they are doing the same thing.

Child abusers come from all races and religions. Some are rich, some are poor. They may be doctors, teachers, lanorers or have any other kind of job. Most are parents who abuse their own children or abuse other children.

Child abuse is a tough thing for a young person to talk about. It is confusing, embarrasing and frightening. There are laws to protect young people against child abuse but until the abuse is reported, no one may know the young person needs help. the most important thing to do is tell someone about the abuse.

• Child abuse can be reported directly to the police or to Child protective Services.
• Adults who work with young people like teachers, youth workers or ministers, can also get help needed for young people who are being abused.
• Know that it is never the child's fault for any abuse.
• Read about child abuse and negelct so you can help yourself and others.
• Encourage friends to seek help if they need it.
• Be aware that child abuse and neglect can happen to anyone.

PAY ATTENTION to your feelings. Know what makes you feel happy, sad, scared, angry, etc. Know yourself and do things that make you feel good about yourself. When you are self-confident, it is harder for someone else to take advantage of you.

GET TO KNOW a person before you agree to go anywhere alone with that person. Be sure someone else knows where you are going and when you should get back.

BE AWARE AND ALERT about people and places. If you feel unsure, get away and ask for help from someone you trust.

MAKE A LIST of people you could talk to if you have a problem. Then if you or a friend has a problem, ask for help from one of those people!

That's it for today. I hope you have a great day!