“Well, I’m not sure how to say this without getting in trouble…” -Abused children sometimes say things like this. The reason is because some have been threatened not to tell anyone, or else… and some of them fear that it can only be worse. Kids can make fun of them, teachers will treat them differently and they think they will lose respect from everyone. Some children that are abused by someone they know other than their own parents, are even afraid to tell their parents about what is going on.
Common Questions:
Q.) Is bullying considered child abuse?
A.) No, not if the bully is another child, but the victim of child abuse can go on to live a troubled life, especially if they didn’t tell anyone or get counciling, which can lead to the victim becoming the bully.
Q.) How do I know if a loved one is being abused?
A.) You won’t until they tell you or until you confront them and talk to them about it. But it’s best just to let them know, that if there is ever anything wrong, that you will always be there to talk, and thats pretty much all you can do.
Q.) What do I do if I find out that my child has been or is being abused?
A.) Ask them, “Who did this to you?” Then you can decide if it is best to take legal action, which usually is the case. Plus, there are many other websites and helpful online pages. Just visit “Places” under “pages” and click on a link that suites you.
FACTS and STATS:
CHILD ABUSE/SEXUAL ABUSE/NEGLECT One out of every 3 girls and 1 out of every 5 to 6 boys will be sexually abused before their 18th birthday. In our area alone, an estimated 6,000 children are being sexually abused on any given day – often by the very people they trust the most. These abused children range in age from the tiniest infant to the toughest teenager. They look like you and I.
Unfortunately, only a very small percent of abuse victims will ever tell anyone. They are afraid. They are afraid that a loved one will be hurt or killed. They are afraid that someone they love will go to jail. They are afraid no one will believe them. They are afraid the abuse will get worse. Imagine that…
Many of the services available for these young victims are scattered across the county and loosely coordinated. At the most critical point of disclosure or discovery, a terrified child must repeat the abuse scenario over and over again. Further, to get needed treatment and support, abused children and their families must negotiate a maze of systems, which can be completely overwhelming. Compounding these challenges, the community is burdened by the costs of a fragmented system.
Without early intervention, these tiny victims often go on to have significant emotional or behavioral problems, which can include: nightmares, bed-wetting, depression, drug and alcohol abuse, prostitution, adolescent pregnancy, and suicidal tendencies. They will face problems in school, difficulty establishing and maintaining personal relationships, promiscuity, risky behavior, financial difficulties, among others. Victims pay for their abuse over and over, and the consequences can be life-long. It is critical to provide comprehensive, quality care in a compassionate manner to these victims in order to minimize the trauma they’ve endured and to prevent these likely negative life consequences.
We are not content to watch our families succumb to increasing incidents of family violence. We strive to be part of the solution – not only by responding to existing family violence situations, but by helping prevent future generations from suffering the same fate. The true mission of Promise Place is to prevent future victims of child abuse and family violence by promoting positive parenting, healthy families, and homes where children are valued and loved. With your help, we can continue… until abuse ends.
(More: from different website…)
The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
A lot of people don’t realize it, but every day in the United States thousands of kids are abused and neglected. That adds up to millions of kids each year.
Often children and teens are abused or neglected by the people who are closest to them like family, friends, sitters, neighbors and sometimes even teachers and coaches. These are the very people that children should feel the safest with.
If you need help or have questions about child abuse or child neglect, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) then push 1 to talk to a counselor.
The Hotline counselors are there 365 days a year to help kids, and adults who are worried about kids they suspect are being abused or neglected. You can call this number if you live in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The call is free and anonymous. (The Hotline counselors don’t know who you are and you don’t have to tell them.) There won’t be a charge for the call on your telephone bill if you use a regular phone or a pay phone. If you use a mobile phone or cell phone, there may be a charge and it may show up on the telephone bill. Don’t use a mobile or cell phone if you want to be sure your call is a secret. But please…do not make prank calls to the Hotline. This will tie up the phones and keep us from talking to someone who really needs help right away.
Behavioral and/or mental health Child Abuse Hotline at 480-922-8212.
FACTS and STATS came from the following websites:
http://www.theresnoexcuse.com/home/home.html <— click here
http://www.childhelp.org/get_help <— click here
Questions? Comments? Leave a comment and/or a question for me and I will find the answer! To see if your question/comment has a reply, see “Replys” under “pages”. Keep up with the posts to get your answers! 
