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Warning Signs of Child Sexual Abuse
Physical Signs
- Difficulty walking or sitting
- Bloody, torn, or stained underclothes
- Bleeding, bruises, or swelling in genital area
- Pain, itching, or burning in genital area
- Frequent urinary or yeast infections
- Sexually Transmitted Infections, especially if under 14 years old
- Pregnancy, especially if under 14 years old
Behavioral Signs
- Reports sexual abuse
- Inappropriate sexual knowledge
- Inappropriate sexual behavior
- Nightmares or bed-wetting
- Large weight changes/major changes in appetite
- Suicide attempts or self-harming, especially in adolescents
- Shrinks away or seems threatened by physical contact
- Runs away
- Overly protective and concerned for siblings, assumes a caretaker role
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or Rape Trauma Syndrome symptoms
Common Reactions
- Withdrawal
- Depression
- Sleeping & eating disorders
- Self-mutilation
- Phobias
- Psychosomatic symptoms (stomachaches, headaches)
- School problems (absences, drops in grades)
- Poor hygiene/excessive bathing
- Anxiety
- Guilt
- Regressive behaviors – thumb-sucking, etc.
Taken from: “Child Sexual Abuse.” 2009.http://www.rainn.org/get-information/types-of-sexual-assault/child-sexual-abuse
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