What is Child Sexual Abuse?
Sexual abuse includes contacts and interactions in which a child is used to sexually stimulate or gratify another person or the child and includes, but is not limited to:
- Fondling
- Exposing the genitals of a child
- Exposing oneself before a child
- Sexual harassment
- Forcing, permitting or encouraging a child to watch sexual activities
- Oral genital contact
- Actual penetration of the child's vagina or anus
The sexual contact is intentional, not accidental. Sexual abuse includes, but is not limited to, rape, sodomy, incest, and sexual penetration with a foreign object.
Signs of Sexual Abuse
Children may exhibit some of the following symptoms as a result of sexual abuse. This list is not intended to be a complete list of possible indicators of sexual abuse.
Behavioral Indicators:
- Reports of sexual contact (children seldom lie about abuse)
- Fear of a person or an intense dislike of being left with someone
- Unusual interest in or knowledge of sexual matters
- Withdrawal, fantasy or infantile behavior
- Delinquent or run away
- Withdrawal from activities that were formerly enjoyed
- Sudden decrease in school performance
- Sudden changes in attitude or behavior
- Suicide attempts
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Physical Indicators:
- Bruises, bleeding or infection in genital or anal areas
- Pain or itching in genital area
- Unexplained headaches, stomachaches, vomiting, fainting, etc.
- Sexually transmitted disease or pregnancy in a child
- Torn, stained or bloody underclothing
- Excessive masturbation
- Sexual acting out
- Regressive behavior – returning to bedwetting or thumb sucking
- Nightmares
- Loss of appetite or other eating problems
- Aggressive behavior towards family, friends, pets, or toys
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| Note: Many of the behaviors listed above can also be the result of other stresses in a child’s life such as divorce, death, illness, or a recent move. Most items on this list are only suggestive and not proof a child has been sexually assaulted. |
What to do if a Child Tells You About an Abusive Situation
- Write down everything you see and everything the child says to you.
- Tell the child he/she did the right thing by telling and should not feel guilty or ashamed for telling.
- Reassure the child by telling him/her it was not their fault.
- Tell the child you are sorry it happened and you believe him/her.
- Report the abuse to the proper authorities immediately.
Reporting Abuse
Every state has a mandatory child abuse reporting law. Nebraska Revised Statute 28-711 requires any physician, medical institution, nurse, school employee, social worker, or other person who has reasonable cause to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect or observes such child being subjected to conditions or circumstances which reasonably would result in abuse or neglect to report their concerns to the proper law enforcement agency or to the Department of Health and Human Services. Failure to report is a criminal violation.
If the risk is immediate, call local law enforcement. To report a case of child abuse or neglect to Health and Human Services please call the 24-hour Hotline at 1-800-652-1999. Reports are prioritized based on the degree of risk to the child and will be assigned to an initial assessment worker for follow-up.
Most Children Never Tell
It is important to understand that most children never tell about the abuse right away, if at all. It is not uncommon for adults to finally disclose abuse they suffered as a child. The most common reasons given for not telling are:
- Shame and self blame
- Fear of safety
- Fear of not being believed
- Loyalty to the perpetrator
- Instruction to secrecy
- Impact on the family
It is also important to remember that disclosure is a process, not an event. When children begin to tell about the abuse, they frequently only tell little bits and pieces at a time. It is rare for children to tell all of the information related to the abuse when they first disclose. |
