Parents these days have to tread a cautious path as they need to ensure that while they leave for work, their child is safe at home.
Whoever they are entrusting the responsibility to look after their children, be it a maid or a housekeeper or even a close relative, he or she must be above suspicion.
Nowadays with growing culture of both the parents working full time, they find it difficult to spare desired time for their children.
The abuse not only ruins their innocent childhood but these scars stay with them for entire life. It also affects the child's physical development.
Every year more than 3 million reports of child abuse are made in the United States involving more than 6 million children.In other words, a child abuse is reported every ten seconds in Unites States.
In India also, sexual offences against children had risen from 38,172 to 89,423 between 2012 and 2014 while the conviction rate for such crimes was only 2.4%.
While taking a stern view of recent spike in cases of child sexual abuse, Chennai high court has asked centre to consider castration as a punishment for child sexual abusers.
Here we have compiled 10 warning signs of a possible child abuse
1. Abrupt Changes in behaviour. Abrupt changes are observed in abused children's behavioural pattern. They often appear scared, whimsical, anxious, depressed, withdrawn or more aggressive.
2. Inappropriate sexual behaviours. Children who have been sexually abused could also behave in a way that seems inappropriate. The may exhibit overly sexualized behavior or use explicit sexual language..
3. Unexplained injuries. If you see unexplained burns or bruises on your child's body and they are coming up with the unconvincing explanations. Injuries to areas of the body that usually are protected, such as the inside of the legs and arms, the back, the genitals, and the buttocks.
4. Fear of going home. Abused children often express their discomfort or apprehension about leaving school or about going places with the person who is abusing them.
5. Returning to earlier behaviours. Abused children may display behaviors shown at earlier ages, such as thumb-sucking, bed-wetting, fear of the dark or strangers. For some children, even loss of acquired language or memory problems may be an issue
6. Changes in sleeping. Abused children may face difficult having a sound sleep or he may have frequent nightmares, and as a result may appear tired or exhausted.
7. Changes in school performance and attendance. If the child suddenly starts getting lower grades in school or he/she may have difficulty concentrating in school or have excessive absences, sometimes due to adults trying to hide the children's injuries from authorities.
8. Lack of personal care or hygiene. Abused and neglected children may present themselves as consistently dirty and have severe body odor, or they may lack sufficient clothing for the weather.
9. Changes in eating habits. The stress, fear and anxiety takes a toll on the child's eating habit also. It may result in weight gain or weight loss.
10. Risk-taking behaviors. Young people who are being abused may engage in high-risk activities such as using drugs or alcohol or carrying a weapon.
