Recognizing Child Abuse

Visible bruises, burns, black eyes

Broken bones, head trauma

Unexplained bruises or welts

Marks in shapes of objects

Bruises/marks that don’t fit the story

Afraid to go home

Fearful of other adults

Low self-esteem

Drug/alcohol use

Intentional Maltreatment

Is not given food, clothing, shelter, healthcare

No supervision

Poor hygiene/odor

Dirty clothing

Left alone/unsupervised

Failure to thrive

Constant hunger

Frequently absent from school

Parents are rarely around

willingness to please

Verbal abuse

Ridiculed, blamed, criticized

Given little or no love, guidance

Witnessing domestic violence

Eating disorder

Treated unequally in family

Regressive in behavior

Aggressive/angry

Overly eager to please

Low self-esteem

Excessive anxiety

Abusive towards others

Indirect and direct forms

Exposure to pornography

Fondling/kissing/penetration

STD’s

Pain when urinating

Bruises/bleeding/discharge

Poor relationships with friends

Acts overly seductive

Withdrawn/depressed/suicidal

Sexual acting out

Alcohol/drug use

Runaway