Child Abuse Prevention Council

of Montgomery County, Inc.

Child Abuse....What every young person needs to know!

Table of Contents

1. A little more about Sexual Abuse
2. What's the difference between child abuse and discipline?
3. Who would abuse a child?
4. Child abuse only happens to little children, right?
5. How can young people protect themselves against child abuse?
6. What can young people do about child abuse?
7. What is child abuse?
8. Resources for help

A little more about Sexual Abuse

When an adult has sexual contact with a young person, it is called child sexual abuse.  This contact may involve touching as in sexually kissing, or touching the private parts of the body, or intercourse.  Sometimes the adult may not actually touch the child, but it can still be sexual abuse.  An example is pornography involving children.  Boys as well as girls can be victims of sexual abuse.

Other names for sexual abuse may be sexual assault, sexual molestation, or incest (if it involves people in the same family, like a parent and child or brother and sister).  Sexual abuse can also happen between two people of the same age when one person uses power over the other to force sex.  This is often called "date rape."

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What's the difference between child abuse and discipline?

Discipline is correcting the behavior of a child and showing the child how to behave in a more acceptable way.  It does not have to be physical.  Child abuse is deliberately injuring a child in physical, sexual or verbal ways.

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Who would abuse a child?

People who abuse children are not necessarily crazy or monsters.  They are usually people who don't feel good about themselves, are angry at the world and take it out on children.  Very often, people who abuse children were themselves abused when they were little.  Grownups hurt them when they were young so now, as adults, they are doing the same thing.

Child abusers come from all races and religions.  Some are rich, some are poor.  They may be doctors, teachers, laborers or have any other kind of job.  Most are parents who abuse their own children or abuse other children.

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Child abuse only happens to little children, right?

NO!  Child abuse can happen to young people from infants to teenagers.  Sometimes it seems like teenagers should be able to fight back, but it's hard to stand up to an adult hitting or coming on sexually, especially when that adult is the teen's own parent.  Cruel words from a parent hurt teens as much as they hurt a child.

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How can young people protect themselves against child abuse?

• Pay attention to your feelings.  Know what makes you feel happy, sad, scared, angry, etc.
• Know yourself and do things that make you feel good about yourself.  When you are self-confident, it is harder for someone else to take advantage of you.
• Get to know a person before you agree to go anywhere alone with that person.  Be sure someone else knows where you are going and when you should be back.
• Be aware and alert about people and places.  If you feel unsure, get away and ask for help from someone you trust.
• Make a list of people you could talk to if you have a problem.  Then if you or a friend has a problem, ASK FOR HELP from one of those people!

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What can young people do about child abuse?

Child abuse is a tough thing for a young person to talk about.  It is confusing, embarrassing and frightening.  There are laws to protect young people against child abuse but until the abuse is reported, no one may know the young person needs help.  The most important thing to do is to tell someone about the abuse.

• Child abuse can be reported directly to the police or to Child Protection Services.
• Adults who work with young people, like teachers, youth workers or ministers, can also get help needed for young people being abused.
• Know that it is never the child's fault for any abuse.
• Read about child abuse and neglect so you can help yourself and others.
• Encourage friends to seek help if they need it.
• Be aware that child abuse and neglect can happen to anyone.

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What is child abuse?

When parents or other adult caretakers deliberately harm a young person, it is child abuse.  This harm can happen physically through hitting, beating, punching and slapping, or it can happen sexually when an adult or older person has sexual contact with a young person.  Harm can also come to a young person when the need for food, clothes, a place to live, medical care or supervision are ignored by parents or the adult caretaker of the young person.  This is called neglect.

Another form of child abuse is called emotional abuse.  A parent emotionally abuses his or her child when the parent rarely has anything good to say to the child, refuses to speak to the child for days, or threatens to hurt the child.

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Resources for help

Take some time to write down the phone numbers of these people who can help:

• School Counselor
• Teacher
• Pastor or Minister
• Youth Leader
• Trusted Neighbor or Relative
• Friend
• Police
• Child Protection Services

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