1. Child Abuse
Learning Module: Volunteer Training Level 2

2. The issue of Child Abuse
What is child abuse? Child abuse is when a parent or caregiver, whether through action or failing to act, causes injury, death, emotional harm or risk of serious harm to a child. There are many forms of child maltreatment, including neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, exploitation and emotional abuse.

3. Types of Child Abuse
Physical: non-accidental physical injury to a child. There are many signs of physical abuse. If you see any signs, please get help right away.
Sexual: occurs when an adult uses a child for sexual purposes or involves a child in sexual acts. It also includes when a child who is older or more powerful uses another child for sexual gratification or excitement.
Emotional: harms a child’s mental and social development, or causes severe emotional harm, it is considered emotional abuse. While a single incident may be abuse, most often emotional abuse is a pattern of behavior that causes damage over time.
Neglect: Child neglect is when a parent or caregiver does not give the care, supervision, affection and support needed for a child’s health, safety and well-being

4. Children and Domestic Violence
1 in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year, and 90% of these children are eyewitnesses to this violence (NCADV, 2017).
Research suggests that in an estimated 30% to 60% of the families where domestic violence is identified, some form of co-occurring child maltreatment is also present.
65 % of adults that abuse their partner also physically and/or sexually abuse their children.
In 2011, an estimated 1,570 children died from abuse and neglect in the United States with the highest mortality in infants (< 1 year of age).
Approximately 80% of children that die from abuse are under the age of 4.

5. Ten Ways to Help Prevent Child Abuse
1. Be a nurturing parent
Children need to know that they are special, loved and capable of following their dreams.
2. Help a friend, neighbor or relative
Being a parent isn’t easy. Offer a helping hand. Take care of the children so the parent(s) can rest or spend time together.
3. Help yourself
When the big and little problems of your everyday life pile up to the point that you feel overwhelmed and out of control…take time out. Don’t take your frustrations out on your child.

6. 4. Shaking is not an option
It can be challenging to hear a colicky or cranky baby. Learn what to do if your son or daughter won’t stop crying. Never shake a baby. Any type of shaking may result in severe injury or death
5. Get involved
Ask your community leaders, clergy, library and schools to develop more services to meet the needs of children and families. Donate money, goods, and time to support local family violence programs.
6. Help to develop parenting resources
No one knows the available tools better than mom or dad themselves. Network with other parents for support, ideas, and compassion.

7. 7. Promote programs in schools
Teaching children, parents, and educators prevention strategies can help keep children safe.
8. Monitor your child’s television and video viewing
Watching violent films and TV programs can be detrimental. Children learn through modeling. This isn’t the behavior you want to endorse.
9. Volunteer at a local child abuse prevention program
Avalon Youth Services offers volunteer opportunities with our children’s counselors, child care in our emergency shelter or in main office during group counseling sessions, or even tutoring and mentoring our smallest clients.

8. 10. Witnessing/warning signs
and tacking ACTION

9. Warning signs: Physical Abuse
Bruising, welts or burns that cannot be sufficiently explained; particularly bruises on the face, lips, and mouth of infants or on several surface planes at the same time
Withdrawn, fearful or extreme behavior
Clusters of bruises, welts or burns, indicating repeated contact with a hand or instrument
Burns that are insufficiently explained, ex: cigarette burns
Injuries on children where children don't usually get injured (e.g., the torso, back neck buttocks, or thighs).

10. Warning signs: Sexual Abuse
Difficulty walking or sitting
Pain or itching in the genital area
Torn, stained or bloody underclothing
Frequent complaints of stomachaches or headaches
Venereal disease
Bruises or bleeding in external genitalia
Feeling threatened by physical contact
Inappropriate sex play or premature understanding of sex
Frequent urinary or yeast infections
Unexplained knowledge of sexual terminology and acts

11. Warning signs: Emotional Abuse
Signs of Emotional injury
Signs of Neglect
Speech disorders
Inability to play as most children do
Sleeping problems
Anti-social behavior or behavioral extremes Delays in emotional and intellectual growth
Lack of medical or dental care;
Chronically dirty or unbathed;
Lack of adequate school attendance
Lack of supervision; for example young children left unattended or with other children too young to protect or care for them
Lack of proper nutrition
Lack of adequate shelter
Self-destructive feelings or behavior
Alcohol or drug abuse.

12. Witnessing Child Abuse
Witnessing can mean SEEING actual incidents of physical/and or sexual abuse. It can mean HEARING threats or fighting noises from another room. Children may also OBSERVE the aftermath of physical abuse such as blood, bruises, tears, torn clothing, and broken items. Finally children may be AWARE of the tension in the home such as their mother’s fearfulness when the abuser’s car pulls into the driveway
Being witness to a parent, sibling, or household member’s battering IS child abuse. If you see something and do not say something than you are reinforcing the abuse.

13. Reporting Abuse In Virginia call 1-800-552-7096 to report an incident.
Report suspected child abuse and neglect.
If you have reason to believe a child has been or may be harmed, contact your local department of children and family services or the police department.
In Virginia call to report an incident.
Out of state call
National Child Abuse Helpline: A-Child ( )
The hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with professional crisis counselors who—through interpreters—provide assistance in over 170 languages. The hotline offers crisis intervention, information, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources. All calls are confidential.
Check online for more resources if you have experienced or know someone who has:

14. The Effects of Domestic Violence on Children
Too often, children feel responsible for the abuse. They blame themselves for not stopping the abuse or for being “bad”. They think if they had not done or said a particular thing, the abuse would not have occurred.
They may also become angry at their siblings or their mother for triggering the abuse. They may feel rage, embarrassment, and humiliation.
Many children of abuse become over-achievers. They drive themselves to be “perfect” so that they won’t draw negative attention to themselves.

15. The Effects of Domestic Violence on Children
Children may be very anxious or nervous. This can be attributed to the constant fear of another beating or violent episode. Symptoms persist even after the child is removed from the situation
Anxious and Nervous Children

16. The Effects of Domestic Violence on Children
A child may still love the abuser. He or she could feel a lot of guilt for leaving the abuser. Some may even be angry with one parent for “abandoning” his/her abusive partner. Or see the abused parent as ‘weak’ and the abuser as ‘strong’.

17. Domestic Violence is a Learned Behavior
By watching an abuser solve problems with force, a child could become violent in his or her play. They may model the behavior into adulthood. Boys who witness their mothers’ abuse are more likely to batter their female partners as adults than boys raised in nonviolent homes. For girls, adolescence may result in the belief that threats and violence are the norm in relationships.

18. Regression Behaviors
Children may regress back to behaviors they have outgrown. Older children may begin wetting the bed, have difficulty sleeping, nightmares, or fears of going to sleep. A child may act younger than his/her age—talking in baby talk or clinging to adults.

19. PTSD in Children
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – PTSD The intense stress of living in a violent home can increase a child’s likelihood of being afflicted with stress-related physical ailments. Many children have headaches, stomachaches, rashes, or ulcers.

20. PTSD in Children
Children from violent homes often have very low self-esteem and poor coping skills. Children from violent homes have higher risks of alcohol/drug abuse, post traumatic stress disorder, and juvenile delinquency. Witnessing domestic violence is the single best predictor of juvenile delinquency and adult criminality. It is also the number one reason children run away.

21. Children From Abusive Homes
Children who live in homes where domestic violence occurs are 15 times more likely to be physically abused or seriously neglected.
Women are 8 times more likely to hurt their children when they are being battered.
Children from violent homes are at a much higher risk of child abuse—physically, sexually, psychologically, and/or emotionally

22. Second Hand Abuse is still abuse:

23. Safety & Support for Children Who Witness Violence
Positive influences can help children overcome the negative effects of living with domestic violence
Here are some ideas for concerned adults:
Allow children to talk about the violence. Listen to their feelings without judging.
Make sure children understand that the fighting is not their fault.
Be a role model. Show by your example that there is a better way to solve problems than by violence.
Hold violent adults accountable for their violence and its impact on their children.

24. Safety & Support for Children Who Witness Violence
Encourage cooperation and respect in children’s relationships with other children. Discourage fighting and teasing.
Do what you can to establish a predictable daily routine.
Create opportunities for age-appropriate fun.
Watch and listen closely for signs that a child is being directly abused. Be prepared to respond.
Devise a code word so that children can let trusted adults know when they need help, without alerting the abuser.

25. S.A.F.E
Teach Children How To Be S.A.F.E. in situations of domestic violence:
•Stay out of the fight
•Avoid getting trapped
•Find a phone
•Escape to a safe place

26. To help STOP child abuse:
“Adversity faced in childhood is very different than adversity faced as an adult because of a child’s underdeveloped brain and nervous system” (domesticshelters.org)
To help STOP child abuse:
Report
Document
Be an advocate
Recognize the signs
Provide Resources
Support Children
Raise Awareness

27. References www.domesticviolenceroundtable.org/effect-on-children.html